Along with celebrating company milestones, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) made history earlier this year in Iceland by christening the first major cruise ship, Norwegian Prima, in Reykjavik. According to Frank Del Rio, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd, this ship “is in a league of her own,” with a unique design and several new offerings.
The ship completed her first U.S. sailing out of New York City in October. Since then, Norwegian Prima debuted in Texas recognizing 100 teachers with a free cruise on its inaugural sailing out of Galveston. Following Galveston, the ship made its debut in Miami with two inaugural sailings to the Caribbean, visiting Great Stirrup Cay, NCL’s private island in The Bahamas.
Introducing Prima Class
NCL announced its newest class of ships in 2017, and Norwegian Prima is the first of six Prima-class ships to be introduced. She will be followed by Norwegian Viva in 2023. Norwegian Prima Cruise Director Simon Akinwolere pointed out that there are so many things to love about this ship, from the gastronomy to the entertainment, but one thing that stands out is simply the general ambiance onboard.
“She’s a first, so a lot of our guest have either been on the Breakaway-class ships or the on the Jewel-class ships. So coming on here, it’s completely different of anything they’ve ever seen,” Akinwolere said, highlighting the “mounds of food” guests are treated to in addition to the variety of entertainment, atrium, infinity pool areas and speedway.
Outdoor seating at Indulge Food Hall (Photo courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line)
Food and Drinks
There is no shortage of food and beverages when it comes to sailing on Norwegian Prima, and the ship has a plethora of complimentary dining options. “The biggest surprise for us as far as guest feedback has been is with the indulge concept,” said Wes Cort, the vice president of food and beverage operations for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. One of the complimentary dining experiences, Indulge Food Hall has nine different concepts in addition to a full-service Starbucks and a Coco’s. The eatery has both indoor and outdoor seating, and guests order through a tablet.
While several of the eateries are included in the cost, Norwegian Prima also has a handful of specialty dining options, some of which include Palomar, NCL’s first-ever Mediterranean seafood restaurant; Los Lobos, which serves premium Mexican cuisine; and Cagney’s Steakhouse. As far as bars and lounges go, guests have a number to choose from. There’s Whiskey Bar, Syd Norman’s Pour House and Waves Pool Bar, to name a few.
Belvedere Bar on Norwegian Prima(Photo courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line)
Entertainment and Activities
Visiting the various ports of call during a cruise is always exciting, but getting there can be just as fun. Norwegian Prima ensures guests have enough to do during their evenings onboard and days spent at sea, and there is a lot that went into the planning for this ship. “There is a lot that goes into deciding what happens onboard a cruise ship. It certainly takes a lot of minds, a lot of time, a lot of talented people, and you consider a lot of different things,” said Julie Valeriote, director of entertainment operations, adding that they take into consideration the age demographic, trends, feedback from guests and available space onboard, among many other things.
During the day, water lovers can enjoy three different pools, waterslides and the Kid’s Aqua Park. There’s also Tee Time (mini golf), The Stadium (which has pickleball, foosball and other games) and Prima Speedway (a three-level race track). Live music can be found throughout the day and into the evening, and the ship also has a comedy club called The Improv at Sea, shopping at The Gateway, an outdoor sculpture garden and a variety of shows in the Prima Theater. Inside the theater, there is a 132,227-pound chandelier that has multiple looks and can put on six different shows on its own before the actual entertainment even begins.
Norwegian Prima Experiences Panel Discussion (Photo by Codie Liermann)
“We partner with people, we partner with the best because we’re always looking for quality, and I think that’s why we do so well with the entertainment that we have because we don’t settle,” Valeriote explained. “So the shows you’re seeing are not watered down versions of the Broadway shows. These are the actual shows.”
NCL pulled out all the stops with Norwegian Prima, and this ship has a lot to offer guests both onboard and throughout the ports they visit. According to Valeriote, there’s only more to come: “I can say this … there are some upcoming things that are truly exciting to me, and it’s things we haven’t done. And that says a lot considering what we have done and what we have seen and experienced.”
To learn more about Norwegian Prima, click here.
About the Author
Codie Liermann is the managing editor of The Compass. She began her career in the industry as a travel advisor prior to working as an editor. With a passion for creating valuable content for travel advisors, she aims to develop meaningful relationships with all types of travel companies in order to share their unique messages with the travel agency community.
