I Test Norwegian's Latest Ships To See Why Cruisers So Unhappy

I met so many regular Norwegian cruisers on my Norwegian Viva cruise that disliked this new Prima class of Norwegian Cruise Line ships that I started wondering if Norwegian had actually gone out of their way to create a new type of ship they knew current cruisers wouldn’t like! Perhaps to attract different cruisers, perhaps cruisers like me.
I’m not a regular Norwegian cruiser, largely because I’ve not been a fan of the Norwegian ships I’ve been on, but this ship did some things so differently it made me rethink my position, as you will hear.
For bonus & exclusive content (including videos, articles, eBooks and more) become a channel member or patron:
---------------------------------------------------
Patreon Patron: / tipsfortravellers
KZbin Channel Member: / @tipsfortravellers
Check out my cruise-themed T-shirts and products:
---------------------------------------------------
T-Shirts: bit.ly/TFTStore
Mugs, notebooks, hoodies etc: www.teepublic....
My social media:
---------------------------------------------------
Blog: www.tipsfortra...
Twitter: / garybembridge
Facebook: / tipsfortravellers
Instagram: / garybembridge
LinkedIn: / bembridge
ABOUT TIPS FOR TRAVELLERS: If you want to get cruising right, Tips For Travellers makes it easy to plan and have the incredible cruise experiences you dream of every time. All my Tips For Travellers advice, tips and tricks tips draw on everything that I have learnt on the 101 cruises I have done to date.
#cruisetips #CruisingTips #CruiseTipsAndTricks

[@nobeliefisok9174]

The non-intuitive layout, where it is hard to navigate and hard to find what you are seeking is absolutely perfect for me. I love exploring a ship, and really love finding alternative ways to get wherever I want to go, tweaking and changing my routes constantly, and finding new places I had not yet visited before. On each ship I have traveled on in the past, I make it a point to spend some time drinking the cocktails in ever bar on the ship. More bars = more fun exploring!

[@rachelleintexas338]

We got off Prima a week ago. It was our first cruise on Norwegian. We weren’t sold on a second one. It’s the first time we actually stayed inside our cabin to watch movies. Normally, we never grace our room but to sleep and change. The entertainment choices were lousy. We don’t do game shows or casinos. We ran out of books we brought to read. We did enjoy some of the specialty restaurants though. We enjoyed our stops, but one was canceled due to weather.

[@KnuckleheadParker]

Invest in a Kindle Most local libraries loan e-books

[@loriseward7773]

Try Getaway or Breakaway. They are great!

[@rhondalrivera]

I just got off Bliss yesterday. It was my first on Norwegian, and it will be my last…at least until I hear of changes. I’ve sailed on similar sized ships and never felt like they were quite so crowded - even in the height of summer. That alone was bad enough, but add that to the very brusque (if not downright rude) staff on the ship (particularly the hosting staff at the restaurants), and they’ve definitely convinced me that NCL isn’t the line for me.

[@fgiven57]

Same for us. We loved the the Thermal Spa, but that was about it. We took our cruise in January this year and came home and canceled the one we had booked for the following year.

[@wambutu7679]

Thank you for the barbed but effective comments. Laughter with criticism is the best way to impart wisdom.

[@garybradford8332]

We booked the Viva for a 10 day Mediterranean cruise last September, 2023. It was our 4th time in the Haven and while we generally had a very good time, there was a few difference we didn't like. There were 42 Haven rooms on the Breakaway and it was fun that we got to know most of the other Haven guests. The Prima and Viva have 107 Haven rooms and we still saw Haven guests up to the last day that we hadn't seen before. We rarely saw our butler since he had 107 rooms vs 42 to attend to. So not nearly as intimate or personal in attention. On the Breakaway in 2022, we were greeted with beautiful flowers and a bottle of Moet Chandon. On the Viva it was a bottle of Spumante and, no joke, a cactus plant. I think NCL had a recent merger with another cruise line and other cuts made were nightly turn down service with pillow mints and no more adorable towel animals. Those little things had enhanced our experiences before and we did miss them.

[@LoreeVanderWerf-si8sn]

We love NCL but choose the midsize ships. The larger ships don’t have the same feel. The smaller ones suit us. We get to know some of the staff and fellow cruisers. Cruising the Jewel again in April.

[@lottosal]

Same with us. We just cruised Breakaway last week, and wouldn't do it again. But, we've loved the Sky, Dawn, and Pearl. We're also concerned that NCL entertainment has changed to mostly game shows - we had a really difficult time finding good music on Breakaway, and stood in far too many lines for food and entertainment. 😢

[@LoreeVanderWerf-si8sn]

We’ve been on the Epic, Getaway and Breakaway. Too crowded for us too. Been on the Dawn, Gem ,Pearl and Jewel. Noticed the entertainment wasn’t the same in past years. The food was ok. We’re not big foodies but the crew is what keeps us going back. We’ll have the same crew that we had in October.

[@helenalovelock1030]

@@lottosalI’m going on the Pearl in September. I hope I like it 🙏🏻

[@anitas5817]

I love the Jewel class ships. Nothing bigger for me. Too hard to get in and off for excursions etc as it was, with 2500 people. My future cruises will be on smaller ships, not larger ones.

[@anitas5817]

@@helenalovelock1030 I don’t know what you like, but I loved the Pearl.

[@santiagomiedo9232]

We have felt that all NCL ships were too compartmentalized and always felt crowded due to the haven, adult only paid areas etc. sounds like they haven’t changed

[@sl4193]

So good to have your thoughts on Norwegian. Appreciate hearing what other passengers felt about the Prima, it's always valuable to have pros and cons before considering a trip. Definitely points to ponder, thank you Gary.

[@tipsfortravellers]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching !

[@joreid2825]

Sailed on the Prima October 2023. NEVER AGAIN. My husband had to go to medical Center on board and we were there no longer than an hour. Charged 7500USD . There were so many unhappy passengers on board who all said they would never sail NCL again. The go carts weren’t operating, the slide was closed and the food was blah.

[@jeffreylevin9616]

I agree with the person who said the food was blah. In the Escape the main dining room food was just standard fare. I don't know what that Matzo Ball soup was but it was horrible.

[@willgaukler8979]

... to some the ship is the vacation ... you have to do your homework before you cruise vacation

[@davidellis4084]

This sounds very different and intriguing. They missed on sizing some venues, but the idea of so much variety spread all over the ship would lead me to explore the ship more. Also, since I do not like large crowds, the smaller venues appeal to me. I want to learn more about their solo options as that is how I would cruise.

[@hollybromley47]

We just sailed on the Viva in January. I really don't like crowds and thought that the way the layout dispersed people around the ship was quite lovely. Ocean Blvd was fantastic, and we found that all of the entertainment was terrific. We LOVED the ship!

[@michaelgunney1183]

We did the Prima to Iceland and Norway and you are absolutely right about it being a ship designed for good weather. We had a couple of hairy sea days when inside the ship was quite full. I have always focused on the parts of the ship that I could and wanted to have access to rather than being concerned about the parts that I couldn't.

[@scherzva]

I was in the same cruise August 17-27, 2023 and I agree.

[@shannyrenee17]

I REALLY want to go to Iceland on the Prima. However, I'd like to do the transatlantic from Canada to have time for their amazing thermal spa. That's the one thing I give props to the Prima and Viva for.

[@hollybromley47]

We just got off the Viva two weeks ago and absolutely loved the ship. The new layout is a bit quirky, and even though I generally have a good sense of direction, I also struggled all week with finding my way to some venues. Overall, though, I absolutely loved the small venues and never felt like the ship (which was full) was crowded. I was disappointed that the comedy venue was so small, though, and we never got to see a show there. The ship had such a wonderful variety of food and bars that we never once were at a loss to find something to do. Our biggest complaint was that the buffet, which is indeed small because of the addition of the Indulge Food Court, was not particularly well laid out. The options were a bit odd and the area small, so we only ate there once and went to Indulge for quick casual meals instead. We thought the food and staff were fantastic and never got to see or experience all that we wanted to do. We look forward to sailing on the Viva again!!

[@harrisonjonesRVA]

🎉Cheers to a good attitude. We just got off the Prima 7 days ago as well & while we agree that some of the venues & layouts could have been designed larger or more intuitively, these in no way damaged our vacation & we loved it even more than the Escape, which was even more crowded on the top deck. It's all about perspective & doing research ahead of time, but we will definitely sail Prima class again.

[@bennettford-e3p]

We were on the prima in April. Staff was great and loved the ship !!

[@ajs11201]

Thanks for a thoughtful and balanced review. After hearing your thoughts, reading the comments here, and considering other reviews elsewhere, I think I'll stick with my beloved QM2.

[@Scott-pe6te]

I like the balanced way you have reviewed this Prima class ship. We all like different cruise experiences and this Prima class ship does look beautiful, but once again Norwegian just is not for me. I prefer more traditional cruising with Celebrity, Seabourn or Holland America.

[@leonidt7]

We did a 10-days cruise on Viva. In the beginning I was confused and disappointed, and wanted to say nevermore. But in a few days I began to like these small venues and moved from one to another. Finally, I booked another back-to-back trip on Viva.

[@shannyrenee17]

We did a 7 day inaugural from San Juan on the Viva. The thermal spa is amazing IF your itenary allows for it. However, we're "using" the Viva this summer as "food and lodging" only for a European trip. We know to keep our expectations low. It shouldn't be this way. Oh well, Europe here we come.

[@ronhenson7167]

Thanks for the video. This type of ship reminds me of the Titanic, where decks, dining, etc. were separated by class. My preferred cruising is going from point A to point B onboard is unhindered. Happy cruising everyone!

[@janegober2320]

This has me excited for my next cruise on one of these. The quieter atmosphere and more outside space is just what I wanted, and look at those epic waterslides!!

[@hollybromley47]

We booked the Viva specifically because they designed it to maximize the space per guest, not guests per space. We just got off the Viva two weeks ago and absolutely LOVED the ship, the food, the entertainment, and the staff. We will definitely sail Prima Class again!

[@HauntSlider]

We got off the Viva on Jan 28th and I think you nailed every point. At first I was blown away by the atrium and the outside spaces but got quickly lost and confused (I miss the fish on the carpet). We are long time NCL cruisers who have spent most of our time on Breakaway/Breakaway + and Jewel class ships. We eventually got our bearings about 3 days in but some places like the sushi resturnant , are very hard to find if you haven't 't already run into them. Elements was way too small and we couldn't even get a decent standing spot having show up 30 mins before the doors even opened. Indulge was AMAZING and I loved the concept. Le Bistro is always one of my favorite places to eat and did not disapoint. Galaxy Pavilion is a very large waste of space. We talked to several couples staying in the Haven and they said the same thing. They feel because of how big it is compared to the Breakaway/+ class ships. It almost loses it "exclusivity" that NCL is so keen to push. Great review over all. You nailed this one.

[@ljr869]

I was on Regent in Alaska this past summer. 680 passengers. Actually recognizing fellow passengers day after day was so relaxing. Never going on a huge ship again.

[@mikebesner9200]

We cruised the Pr1ma in March of 2023 and ironically so many of things that people hated are what we loved. So much so we have already booked for the Viva (25) and Aqua (26). The deck 8 boulevard that goes all the way around the ship with lots of space and seating was one of the things we loved the most. Indulge food hall was brilliant, we never had a problem getting a table (we were 2, that surely played a role). The activities were great…yes some of the venues are small, but that tracks with venues on the Epic, Bliss… I loved that so many of the venues were standing room only. I agree with Gary about poor weather sailing. Our cruise was great weather, so the outdoor areas were always accessible. Take all those people and put them indoors, it could get busy. In terms of dining the only night we had an issue in the main dining room was on the first night, when we had to wait for a table for about 20 minutes. We sailed during March break and the ship was well over double occupancy in terms of booking. We really enjoyed our experience. We were not in The Haven.

[@chrisrolinson-do8yg]

Goodness me 1st world problem - waiting 20 minutes for a table. Honestly people look at what is happening in the world at the moment 😮

[@TVHouseHistorian]

@@chrisrolinson-do8yg Please go away.

[@rubyrowallan8743]

They were saying the only issue was a trivial one. This is a video about luxury vacations so not sure why you feel the need to make a rude comment.

[@chrisrolinson-do8yg]

That is the whole point, a luxury cruise. You are the rude one. I am allowed an opinion.

[@DaveTexas]

Wait, so you ENJOYED having the popular venues be overcrowded and many other options being nearly impossible to book? You enjoyed the noisy cabins due to poor placement of pools? You enjoyed having huge areas of the ship taken up by things most guests wouldn’t or couldn’t access? Those were some of the main complaints most guests had, and you said were what you enjoyed most…

[@LMays-cu2hp]

Thank you for sharing your observations of this cruise ship.😊

[@tipsfortravellers]

Thanks for watching!

[@LMays-cu2hp]

@@tipsfortravellers You are welcome. Continue success with giving your great reviews they are very helpful and nice.

[@markjohnson182]

I agree with your summary of this ship. We were on Prima in July doing Iceland and the Norwegian Fjords and its definitely better suited to warm weather as there are so many areas that use the outside - recreation, bars and restaurants. The venues are all dotted around and smaller but I think this adds to the fun of exploring rather than have one great big mellee of an area with everything around it. We are also lucky enough to be able to ravel in The Haven and with that added it allowed us to "escape" to an even quieter and relaxed area. However your Haven video rightly points out the terrible design and facilities in the Haven lounge, So for us - we like the Freestyle feeling of Norwegian but as far as ship design goes the Haven in the Breakaway Plus ships, Bliss, Encore and Joy would be our first choice

[@scherzva]

I agree! I took her from Reykjavik to Southampton and feel the same.

[@michaelgollerpaps2475]

Try making a review staying in a regular stateroom i stead of Haven. I bet your view of this class of ships will change.

[@ZyciewKanadzieAnitaBeataVlog]

I do usually stay clear from booking NCL, but I booked our friends on their request as they are going with some friends who picked NCL. Thanks God that their cabin is in the Heaven area, so I'm sure that they will have a decent cruise. Thanks again for another very informative video Gary and greetings from Ontario 🤗 Today was a beautiful sunny winter day😊

[@gilbydog7350]

You tried hard to put a positive spin on this ship to justify your very nice Haven suite Gary and to be fair you did include the misses. But the overall consensus is the Prima and the Viva are overcrowded ships designed to extract as much money out of passengers as they possibly can. Anyone considering these ships should read the Cruisecritic reviews of Prima and Viva which on the whole are pretty horrific.

[@brantthompson199]

We haven’t sailed on either of their new ships, however in our experience with NCL we can attest to a lot of nickel and diming

[@elisaastorino2881]

​@@brantthompson199I sailed NCL for the first time last year and found that to be true. Not going back.

[@WilliamMurphy-uv9pm]

All cruise lines are trying to regain the money they all lost by not sailing during the COVID pandemic. Do you blame them or have any other way for them to recover that lost revenue? I am sure they would love to hear about other revenue enhancing methods from cruisers. Should everyone have to pay an added fixed fee before boarding instead of being offered a lot of alternatives after boarding for a lot more than nickels and dimes. They want your money to survive and thrive. Is that wrong?

[@Benvolio1]

Way too big/ way too many people.

[@donnathompson1682]

Cruised on the Prima a few months after inaugural sailing. I agree with all of the negative comments so I won’t go through them. Not interested on sailing the Prima again nor the Viva. Prefer the Breakaway and Breakaway Plus classes.

[@yepthatshan]

Great video and really helped to explain some good and not-so-great feedback I have heard about NCL Prima. It certainly feels like this ship class is focused on a specific type of cruiser and has an intentional design you will either love or hate. Sailing on 2/9/24 in the Haven, and I'm looking forward to it.

[@dmora2386]

The layout looks like a mall setup. The pool portion reminds me of marina bars.

[@robertfoerster566]

There was a bit of pushback on the Edge class on Celebrity, and while some have fled and are staying on the Solstice Class as their preference, I've noticed plenty of all ages on the Edge class as people come around. It could take time. Thank you for the video!

[@hollygay8395]

I just got off the Prima - Western Caribbean and we had bad weather and couldn’t really use the outside seating or activites on sea days. It was crowded. I was in a studio room and it was tiny compared to other studio rooms on NCL. I’m not necessarily a fan - don’t think I would want to cruise more than 7 days at a time on it.

[@HeatherTravels]

I'm really starting to wonder how long it's going to be before cruise lines go back to the classic ship layout that served everyone very well for almost 100 years! All this tinkering with it just seems to produce problems.

[@trumpisastump9382]

Yes and I can't wait until this experiment with indoor plumbing is over!

[@claireb5509]

We booked an Iceland cruise on Prima and after I read reviews and saw some other negative videos, we decided to cancel. It will be interesting to see if they change some design aspects on the Aqua. I think they can’t decide if it should be an upscale experience or geared towards young families by having the huge racetrack. That space could be better utilized as another day/evening venue (Perhaps the comedy club up there instead!). Thanks for the informative video.

[@TVHouseHistorian]

Love your ideas here. Much as I have enjoyed the racetrack idea, I think it's just not a wise use of space - especially when weather doesn't permit. I found that the racetrack is rarely used on these newer ships. I think the up charge plays a big factor as to whether or not people choose to use it. If Norwegian were going headlong for the resort concept like Royal Caribbean, then the racetrack (minus the extra fee, of course) would be a unique attraction that would keep them competitive. They would do well to retool all their newer ships for more upscale adult vacationing. Those of us refugees who've been alienated by Royal's decision to cater to families need someplace nice to find respite from the great uncouth and unwashed.

[@scherzva]

It’s a great cruise, the issue with the Prima was when the weather was poor, the ship felt crowded.

[@shannyrenee17]

@scherzva it rained a lot when we were on the Viva, so of course everyone was inside. They couldn't handle the crowds. For example, it was the inaugural from San Juan. As such, tons of Puerto Rican passengers. They had some amazing Latin music, but it was beyond capacity. Just terrible planning. NCL is going to lose loyal passengers if they don't get it together.

[@tuvia4082]

Thanks Gary, as always, you give the best info.

[@tipsfortravellers]

Thanks for watching!

[@Lilyreader9]

I’m a long time NCL cruiser and I totally hated the Prima.. so I guess they did go out of the way to attract new customers and scaring away the old ones.. after my Prima Island experience I’m moving away to other cruise line next year..

[@TVHouseHistorian]

I feel the same way about Royal Caribbean. Used to love the way they did things. Now that they cater primarily to families, I'm out. They seem to have a particular disdain for solo travelers, whereas NCL seems to embrace us. I absolutely love the solo experience NCL provides.

[@helenalovelock1030]

Which NCL ships do you prefer ?

[@anthonyr7208]

I am a loyal NCL fan and I DONT LIKE this class of ship…. I prefer the Breakaway/Plus class … NCL got it completely wrong with this Prima class IMO…I believe they are trying to correct some of it with Aqua and prima 4 5 and 6…

[@snowleopard0412]

Great quality as always, balanced, detailed, snappy ...classy presentation and well spoken Brit :)

[@jasonreed3524]

The only cruise My Wife & I have been on was the Prima in October 2023. We loved it! We stayed in an inside cabin which just fine. I agree that the comedy venue and Syd Norman’s pour house got far too crowded, we had to get there 30mins before the show to have a seat. Love your videos, Cheers!

[@darrellgritten4398]

Thanks for your video. Very appropriate for my wife and me. We sailed on the NCL Viva this past January. The itinerary was perfect. The ship was fine for me. My wife did not like the new design. We have sailed NCL nine times. It was our cruise line of preference. Now, we are rethinking that. Our three biggest complaints are poor buffet quality and selections, reduced entertainment, and reduced housekeeping. We ate at two specialty restaurants, and one was awful. The big advertised show, Beetle Juice, was cancelled. The other main show, which was nothing special, was shown twice. The other shows were of the type that should be in a lounge. Housekeeping is what we would expect in an extended stay motel. On my NCL review, I mentioned my dislikes. I received no response. About a month later, I informed customer service of our dislikes. I received no response. We may never sail on NCL again, and it does not seem to care if we sail with them or not. Interesting.

[@4712guest]

we just got off the NCL Getaway in NYC after 10 day Bermuda/Carribean cruise and many many other cruisers, many with 30+ cruises, thought the service was unusually awful and the buffet had skimpy poor quality choices, and one person we spoke to got food poisoning from the buffet. "free drinks package" cost $600+ for 3 of us (and one cant drink alcohol) in mandatory service charge. Perhaps they have a new strategy emphasizing specialty dining and haven/1st class. regular class is seriously hurting. long lines to get into dinner (tropicana, taste, savor) or shows, reservations were not honored (except for specialty dining), included dining made getting drinks very very slow and meals were always delivered cold and poor quality. outback steakhouse and below type quality unless you upgrade to specialty dining. we will not return anytime soon.

[@traceytheisen8067]

For 4000 people onboard the lounges looked way too tiny.

[@hollybromley47]

Honestly, if one lounge was full, there were others with plenty of seating. We LOVED the Viva!

[@TVHouseHistorian]

@@hollybromley47 Exactly. All you have to do is troll around a bit until you find a reasonably empty lounge. Nothing worse than sitting in a space with 500 other people. Way too loud. I like this concept.

[@traceytheisen8067]

@@hollybromley47 Good to know, thanks!

[@yanadashevski8243]

I went on Prima last summer, and I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT. Since then, I had another sailing with Norwegian (Nov. 23), and I have a new one in May, to Alaska (counting the days already).

[@tipsfortravellers]

Great to hear! What do you like about it most ?

[@yanadashevski8243]

@@tipsfortravellers The design, the BRIGHT colors, the amount entertainment it offers, the TASTY food and its variety, everything is sparkling clean, everyone is happy, accommodating and smiling (staff and guests). I was on a Norway and Iceland cruise, and despite the amazing locations, I couldn't wait to go back to the ship. Also, the option to meet other solo travelers. Made new friends, with whom I am actually in touch. Very thoughtful feature, and an escape from a busy environment (if there is a need) . As a solo traveler, it was quite expensive, but I had unforgettable experience, and I am beyond happy, that I choose Norwegian. )) But of course, I don't have such a vast experience in sailing, as you do. 😉

[@srqpdq6697]

“Way less boisterous, much quieter “. That’s what I’m talking about!

[@tomroman5632]

My wife and I took a 10 day cruise from Venice to Athens in October 2023. We became aware of some of the complaints about the new design, but we were determined to have a good time. With no scheduled sea days, there was a limited amount of time to just relax and enjoy the ship amenities. I’m not a freestyle dining fan and found that the reality of an open schedule meant you could never really just go wherever you wanted to dine, whenever you wanted to dine. Waits were never long and if you checked the interactive ship maps by the elevator banks- you could always find what dining options were filled to capacity. A layout like the Prima’s was interesting in that each day there was always something new around the corner. We had a great time and would definitely book this class again.

[@Lisa_B.-1989]

Key words, “determined to have a good time”. Good for you! Look for the good and you will find it😁

[@helenalovelock1030]

I’m doing Venice to Athens in September beginning October. Were there any port days that you would miss out and stay on the ship to relax? I don’t want to get off the ship every day but wondered if the were any ports that would be weaker than the others if you were to pick two ?

[@janhillman8240]

Glad to hear this. I have been wanting to travel on a Prima class ship. I am a loyal NCL cruiser. This month the Prima and the Getaway were my choices to go from New York City to Southampton England, on their Transatlantic cruise. Finally decided to go with the Getaway because I did hear that the Prima class is truly a warm weather ship and a Transatlantic cruise is certainly not warm weather, going Halifax and on to Iceland or Ireland. The Prima was also about $1,000 more for the same length. Thanks for the heads up.

[@cirseltoo]

The spread out space and open space on Deck 8 didn't work on our cruise as the weather didn't allow the Ocean Boulevard to be opened. there isn't enough inside space on the Prima for 3100 passengers for the three days it took for us to sail from Le Havre to Reykjavik omitting a Belfast stop due to wind speed. In addition this ship is taller and shorter than (say) the Norwegian Jade, and does not ride as well, even in comparatively flat waters. We sailed through the middle of Storm Hector on the Jade and the ride was vastly better even at the worst- my wife was seasick on the Prima. For our next cruise we are revisiting the Breakaway....

[@joeln6861]

Was on NCL Jewel this past summer and enjoyed it. I always prefer the mid-sized ships more than large ones. I do not need to have a go kart track taking up multiple levels of a ship- what a waste of space. If I want that, I will go to Great Adventure for the day. This ship seems even worse than most other large ships. While I like NCL, I will never get on this class.

[@shannyrenee17]

I really wish they'd stop with the race tracks. Hardly anyone uses them. We tried them once on the Bliss and were over it. They could do so much better.

[@rebeccaw9656]

This appeals to me far more than those traditional crowded spaces. We hate crowds. This looks far more enticing to find additional deck and pool spaces surrounding the ship - more views!

[@SassyGrkGrl24]

We just got off the Prima and loved it. We were blessed to get the Vibe area. We enjoyed all the shows in Syd Norman's and once you see the show, you will understand why the seating is limited but once their contract ends, the shows may appear in the theater. The food was amazing. The one downfall was that all Vibe Beach clubs needs a pool. We heard that from everyone we met at the VBC while on our cruise. Also the atrium needed more seating. We loved the sitting. We loved that everything spread out. We didn't have a problem navigating around the ship. But we did look at the deck plans ahead of time so we knew where everything was. We didn't care for the menu at Onda so we switched at the last minute and booked Palomar and it was wonderful and got a early 5:30 seating.

[@lisagardner903]

I have cruised on the Prima and really enjoyed it!

[@momv2pa]

Longtime NCL cruisers here (30+ years). They didn’t have such big ships when we started, but we do prefer the smaller ships. As a matter of fact we are going on the Pearl for a Trans-Atlantic soon. Can’t wait. Never had a complaint about food, service, etc. Always been top notch.

[@metlinematt]

Me and my partner like NCL as we don't have to share tables with NCL, unlike other cruise lines. We are yet to sail this class of ship but it looks amazing!

[@shannyrenee17]

There's a lot of good to say about them. Lots of gripes too. Definitely check out the specialty dining. The Le Bistros are GORGEOUS on these ships. The thermal spa are incredible and don't compare to anything we've seen.

[@MarkSchmaling]

I would love to see you go on ICON of the Seas. Royal really went out of their way to spread people out but in a totally different way.

[@Bertie_Ahern]

The layout obviously *has* been thought through in a great deal of depth by Norwegian, things would not have been done randomly, so it would be really intriguing to understand more behind their thinking. I suspect the increasing size of cruise ships is leading to an increased desire to experiment with layouts and see what's going to work best as the industry continues to grow. For what it's worth, multiple smaller venues would be infinitely more fun for me - lots of things to discover and explore, but without feeling forced into crowded spaces and places I'm not really in to.

[@jturie]

Went on Encore to Alaska July 2023. We had a great time because Alaska is the star of the show, not the ship. Not enough public areas, and even worse when the speedway etc. were shut down due to weather. Impossible to get an elevator or a seat in the buffet. I think a Caribbean cruise on this ship might not be fun. OTOH, just came back from a Holland cruise and much less crowded.

[@LetsGoChaseThatTrain]

I like the smaller venue concept.

[@WaterWorld1]

Unusually, this class of ship was not designed by NCL. This class is very similar to the design of the MSC Seaside class and the Virgin ships: the shipyard, Fincantieri, actually designed it. NCL just took their "off the shelf" design and fitted their signature public rooms into it. I guess this was a quicker and cheaper option than designing a truly new class of ship. The décor and livery is of course uniquely NCL, but not the basic ships structure.

[@rocketbackhander6280]

It’s fun to think VV has some level of influence on other lines & illustrates that you can’t pick and choose elements of family ships vs non-traditional cruises & expect them to gel. I’d be curious to test it out tho.

[@singbike5832]

I went on a Breakaway class ship, and having enough indoor space to comfortably absorb everyone was an issue on there too. Food wasn't great either. I do not plan on sailing on Norwegian again.

[@karenglaicar5486]

Thanks for this review. Really great info. Take care.

[@shannonsgreatadventures]

I REALLY enjoyed the Prima. I attended a seminar for travel agents and the idea behind the design of the ship was to attract 35-55 year olds with intimate spaces designed to feel like a high end hotel. Loved it. I also thought the food was outstanding.

[@shannyrenee17]

We're in that age group and would never return to the Prima or Viva.🤮

[@shannonsgreatadventures]

​@@shannyrenee17oh no, sorry to hear that. Have you found a ship class you really enjoy yet?

[@shannyrenee17]

@shannonsgreatadventures the Bliss was amazing. However, I do have to give props to Prima and Viva's spas. They're incredible. We've decided that *those ships* are for either Spa trips only or amazing itineraries only where we'd hardly be on the ships 🤷‍♀️

[@shannonsgreatadventures]

​@@shannyrenee17I've yet to try one of the NCL ships in the Breakaway Plus class like the Bliss. Will look into it! Glad you enjoyed the spa.

[@davidl.6509]

My Sister is on the Viva right now. I’ve been getting reports from her. They really like it. They’ve done a lot of cruises on various lines. So have many to compare it to. I think we will like the Prima as well when we go in April. What I don’t like is NCL’s Free at Sea deal. Haven’t cruised with them in years. And I originally bit on a deal on an Australian cruise. Then I found out you have no control over what flights the book for you. So settled on this, since we can drive to Galveston. And that all works for us. I was passed around to 3 different Agents. I thought I had everything covered with this deal. Then just today realized it didn’t cover the regular Gratuities. We do Princess a lot, and find there Princess Plus deal is simple, cost effective, and covers everything we want. Also their EZ Air flight quotes function is great. We are gravitating more and more to Princess. I’m sure we will have a great time on the Prima though

[@debraweaver7416]

We were on the NCL Getaway in October. I was looking forward to seeing a show in Syd Norman's Pour House, but I never got the opportunity. You couldn't reserve a seat, so people were lined up 1 1/2 hours before the ABBA tribute show. Worse, they scheduled karaoke in there, and that's a very popular activity. I went in and counted 35 seats in the place, plus areas for standing room. And NCL was very aware this was a problem, because they had signage all over the venue telling guests not to move chairs or bring in chairs. Now, why would you limit the audience to a few dozen people when hundreds would want to attend? And they have larger venues on the Getaway.

[@johnsimion2893]

Haven't tried the Getaway, but your experience sounds very similar to ours on the Bliss. The "Cavern Club" (Beatles tribute) was a great show, but the room was so small it was very crowded and hard to get in. If they ran multiple shows there and in the main theater, that would solve the problem and probably would be even better than making the venues larger.

[@SherryAnnOfTheWest]

I found some of the venues on the Prima far too small. People were queuing up a couple of hours early in the hallway for shows and it was very hard to find seating for trivia in Syd Norman's Pourhouse. Also, we were on a transatlantic cruise and the weather was inappropriate for "sunning." Therefore EVERYONE was inside and the ship felt crowded. I did love the Indulge Food Hall ... but the variety was sometimes lacking if you're on a 14-day cruise. As for the Haven, I am not a fan. MSC's Yacht Club product is infinitely superior in every way except the size and opulence of the cabins. They are more "all-inclusive," their prices are better, and the service is impeccable.

[@Lord.Kiltridge]

NCL is _much_ more welcoming to solo travellers, and the has quite a few ships in the reasonably priced Breakaway and Breakaway Plus classes. If I am going to pay more for a better ship than those, I'm almost guaranteed to go over to Celebrity.

[@heatherqualy9143]

I was set on moving over to Celebrity after seeing all the reviews, and then found out that they are the LEAST accommodating to solo travelers. I’ll keep on looking to find a good match for me. 😕

[@aaroncrewse5746]

I was on the NCL Viva in December. I loved that ship. Yeah the pool area was a little crowded, next time I cruise NCL I will pay for the Vibe Beach Club. Otherwise the ship is great! We sometimes found that what we wanted was too crowded, like to go to Syd Normans, so we just went somewhere else and still had a lot of fun. I love the observation deck, the gym is small but still worth it. Really cool to be working out and be looking out the forward window. Midshift on floor 11 balcony, noise below was not an issue.

[@TheSoaphippo]

Never made it on NCL, tried several times, but the final price at checkout is 2 1/2 times more than the advertise price every single time, and I don’t take any extras. When I cruise, I don’t want my phone to work, I’m not much of a drinker, I don’t need any extra fancy meals, but I don’t like bait and switch tactics. Huge turn off

[@barnum4244]

Given those with the disposable income to stay in a suite are not those affected by the increased cost of living, that's who the cruise lines are after. I found Princess are doing the same having removed previously included features and sticking them on expensive Princess Plus packages. I complained to Princess as they did this the week before we embarked. Princess told me they can do what they want courtesy of the small print. So those of us basic fare passengers are no longer welcome.

[@tananario23]

Welcome to capitalism!!! Enjoy your lesser caste!

[@letzrock1675]

⁠@@tananario23Yep and if enough people express their outrage by refusing to sail on Princess in the future then they’ll go out of business instead of being supported by a centralized nanny state government…thank you capitalism! If communists had their way they would build ships with 99% identically priced interior cabins for the masses and 1% complimentary suite cabins for wealthy government officials that support the cruise line.

[@Heather_T]

You may not have enjoyed the cruise so much if you were not in the haven. I am tired of cruise lines restricting more and more spaces to higher paying guests. My next cruise booking is likely to be on a cruise line that opens the most space to all.

[@fiffanj]

We enjoyed a week on the Prima last March. October brought us to the Encore to Alaska. Not sure if the weather played a role, but perhaps. We enjoyed the Prima much more for the aesthetics of the ship itself, but we were able to spend every day outside. We liked the venues and the food choices much more on the Prima. Guess I like nooks and crannies more than long stretches of hallway. Even the same balcony cabin class felt larger on the Prima! Next up is the Bliss in March to Mexico. We’ve paid extra for the Vibe, where I expect to spend most of my time enjoying the sunshine ☀️. We are looking at Carnival Celebration for a more party atmosphere during the summer, and a more basic food menu. Well okay it’s a free casino offer which helps! 😅

[@m.m.4645]

From all you said about that ships class... We are out!!!! No interest whatsoever in this ship or its sisters. Everything we would want to use while on this vessel seems to be extremely small and/or overcrowded. Plus the prices!!!! NO way would I want to pay that much for a balcony where I can hardly use it because of the noise issues. This ship is not for us! Thank you Gary for your fair comments .

[@TheVineyarder]

not a fan of the mega ships-standing in lines for everything isnt my idea of a vacation cruise-it's a resort on the ocean-and I love Norwegian

[@Adam-Adamson]

It looks good but I think it does need at least large 1 focal point, I like the food court setup I think that's got a future in cruising. ceiling height looked lower not sure if its the camera angles, dark colours / patterns or its actually lower to have more decks.

[@dmitripogosian5084]

I actually do not like food court setup at all. Too many food courts in my land life ..... I prefer buffets with great choice, where I can decided on a whim at the last second

[@steveseattle140]

Small venues, just like Virgin. Not many vloggers mention the venue size, which also means you have to madly rush to make reservations. Not a fan

[@chrismccarty3738]

We did a Norway and Iceland cruise last July on the Prima. This ship does not work at all in cold weather. You are correct ALL the venues were too small. This was our 3 rd Norwegian cruise and we will never book this class of ship again.

[@wlogan2000]

Gary, thanks for the video. It really sounds as if there would have been fewer complaints if the ship had been somewhere sunnier. Would as many people complain about blocked-off areas such as The Haven if the weather had allowed them to enjoy those outside parts of the ship they did have access to? Nobody complains about being unable to go outside if they're on the Queen Mary 2 in the North Atlantic, but Cunard doesn't make the outside areas an integral part of enjoying the ship.

[@HelgeKS]

travelled with VIVA last year. No problem. How people find the layout non-intuitive is beyond me, as most of the amenities are concentrated between the 6th and 8th floor. took us a little "first-afternoon- walkabout "to memorize.

[@verticalmatt]

Sounds a lot more fun to be able to explore until the last day

[@DawnofFab]

I'm starting to regret booking NCL. I'll give them a chance for my Dec '24 cruise but I'm seriously reconsidering the '26 cruise

[@tundrusphoto4312]

Having been on the Prima, the buffet was very busy and too small, especially when it was the only venue open on embarkation day. However, the smaller venues give the ship a "hotel" feel. It meant people were scattered around and this reduced crowds - except possibly in some restaurants. The Haven taking up space wasn't an issue. However, if your preference is for a loud, social and simply layout for a ship, these new NCL ships may not be your thing. Personally, I hate the crowds and the noise so it was fine. Your mileage may vary.

[@mrbutch308]

Gary is a treasure!!!

[@layzeh3266]

We sailed NCL for the first time on new year’s week. Never going back. Service was too slow we left the main dining room to go eat in the buffet. Not enough rooms for their shows. Just not comparable to other cruise lines.

[@helenalovelock1030]

Which ship did you go on ?

[@tsport6368]

We sailed on Prima in September and agree with most of what you've said. We're not regular cruisers like you but had this been our first cruise it would probably have also been our last. Fortunately we have had much better experiences on other ships so this won't put us off completely. The biggest issue to my mind is overcrowding in most of the venues. We were on a cold weather cruise (Iceland and Norway) and so much of the ship was unusable. The outside seating areas in many of the bars/restaurants, the (admittedly lovely) promenade deck, the go-carts and water slides were all closed for large parts of the cruise. Add this to the Haven, the Spa, the Vibe Beach Club and other areas that were only available to those paying extra and there didn't seem to be very much ship left for those in the standard cabins without extras. You mentioned in your other video that the exclusive areas for Haven customers didn't seem to be used much. This was clearly the case on our cruise also as many of the people we met in non Haven areas were Haven guests. This of course only exacerbated the feeling of overcrowding in these areas. We also found the service in the bars, when you eventually found a seat in one, to be poor. Not helped by the fact that the lack of seats meant that most of the bars had people sitting all along them on bar stools meaning it wasn't even easy to go to the bar and get drinks yourself. To finish the negatives we thought the entertainment on board was the poorest of any ship we've sailed on. On the plus side the cabins were probably the nicest we've experienced (other than the lack of soundproofing) and the selection and quality of food was pretty good.

[@eshwayri]

I found the Encore to be the right size of ship for me. The spaces I liked and used on the Encore have been greatly reduced on the new ships. If I sailed Norwegian again, I would probably go for one of the older class ships.

[@incredibleshrinkingfungus1731]

Going on one of these in six weeks and dreading it. UPDATE - completed and it was ok but not a fan of Prima class, especially the pool and buffet areas. Constant music blasting. Done with Carnival and probably now NCL.

[@mamabear3276]

I’m a regular NCL cruiser and was booked to sail on the Prima when it first came out but ended up cancelling after seeing the initial plans and renderings. Then when the reviews started I was relieved to have cancelled. I’m now trying to get myself to have a more open mind because of the pluses: The Outdoor spaces and the Food Indulgence Hall but am weary of the entertainment venues that are WAY TOO SMALL. 🤷🏼‍♀️🙄

[@letarogers6380]

This is not much different from the Norwegian Bliss, eh? I like the smaller areas and would like this ship! The bleed-over music from different venues on the promenade deck (on the Bliss) was a bit annoying, however.

[@tipsfortravellers]

I have not been on Bliss but people seem to really like that class of ships, the regular NVL cruisers at least

[@kylel4361]

My family just got back from a trip on this ship and although we had a good time overall, we all agree we will not go on another cruise on this class of ship. Our cruise was at capacity and we could tell the ship was very crowded and we had to wait a long time and in long lines. We all like the newer larger ships but this ship felt overcrowded. We also did not like atrium design and the lines were especially long at elevators.

[@rampar77]

I put Norwegian in the same category as Carnival and Royal - Family and Party class. I was in Princess and docked next to NCL in Puerto Rico, the music and noise were so loud at 11 PM no one could go outside.

[@dcnole]

In concept (having not tried these new ships yet), I personally don't really find the "It's hard to find stuff!' complaint compelling. It's a ship. We're on it for a week or more. There is an app with a detailed map. Explore. Enjoy finding stuff. But I do think the critique about the randomness of the layout is a very good one. Having some sort of themed concept to the more diffusive layout strategy seems like the way to do it. It can be a loose theme like "Casual fun" where you locate a sports bar-themed eatery, the arcade, a late-night pizza joint, and an adults-only pub that does nightly trivia. And another one could be "A Fancy Night on the Town" with the art gallery located near two of the fancier specialty dining restaurants, a piano wine bar, and a few high-end shops. Having that sort of division not only allows like minded (smaller) crowds to gather, but also allows guests to curate their experience and have what almost amounts to evening "excursions" where you visit an area of the ship you maybe haven't seen before, and enjoy a themed experience. Then, try a different one the next night and have a totally different evening experience. That sounds cool to me, and would be a neat change-up from the "everyone goes to the MDH, then everyone heads to the theater" flow that predominates most evening cruise experiences.

[@jerrygranata445]

We just got off Viva and really disliked it. While the decor was modern and beautiful, the spaces were small, cramped, and always overcrowded. We then boarded Breakaway immediately after and it was like a breathe of fresh air. Yes, it was an older ship but it had been renovated and we loved The Haven on that ship. All the public spaces accommodated everyone so well.

[@jl9265]

Sailed on the Prima as a family (2 adults 1 child -4yrs old) the ship is not designed for families and doesn't seem to be their main target customers. Kids club (splash academy) had max 60 spots and not age separated, max age was 12. It required you to be mindful of the time as spots were first come and opened 1 hour prior too. Splash pad for kids in my opinion was an after thought, it's a bunch of spraying nozzles. Word of caution the floor gets slippery and your children will slip and fall so tell them to be careful. Like noted venues are small. Indulge is great concept but understandable demand. Get there 30 mins early to get seat. Same with buffet, small and get there early for seating. Dining venues amazing. Hudson's no bad seat great floor to ceiling windows. Room is spacious when only 2. If traveling with more couch bed takes up that space. With couch bed had less then 8" to clear end of bed to desk to walk by. As a family will not sail again. As a couple will sail again.

[@xkr510]

That ship looks like a nightmare to me. Seabourn regular here. Thanks for the info.

[@TomCro73]

Why a nightmare? Just curious, not mischeivous!

[@j.m.7056]

​@@TomCro73Too crowded.

[@TomCro73]

@@j.m.7056 But he points out how it *wasn't*.......

[@j.m.7056]

@@TomCro73 I thought the clips he showed of several areas were wall-to-wall people. It stuck in my mind over the areas shown in the Haven.

[@KT-lp1ek]

Not a fan of pools. So the Prima class a positive welcome for me. But then again I only cruise once every two or three years so anything negative doesn't bother me as I am happy to be on board and not have to work. I have a feeling people complaining need to take a break from cruising.

[@smoothsketch]

Indulge - disappointment was that when I couldn't find a seat except for in the 'bar' seating around one specialty kitchen, that order pad only allowed ordering from that one specialty kitchen. If I had a seat anywhere on the regular tables, I could order from any of the kitchens without limitation. What's the big deal with not allowing service from any kitchen to any seat?

[@michaelgriffiths6034]

We did a T A in April on Escape. Th food was good, the staff (apart from the excursion desk who were terrible) were great and entertainment acceptable. Not acceptable the volume from the game shoes in the Atrium when trying to talk to guest services, the stench in and around the casino, the food in the buffet was cold and inedible and worst of all the chaos of getting on and off the ship 1 and a half hours to get off in Lisbon, and all complaints to shore excursions were brushed aside. Passengers paid for excursions to Gibraltar and after a three hour bus ride were turned away at the border because NCL hadn’t done the correct paperwork. There are many cruise lines who I would sail with again… not this one.

[@kimber4350]

An absolute eyesore! The bow shape on these new megaships is so hideous looking. Like a dreadnought 😅

[@roconnor01]

That looks like my idea of hell !

[@maxcypond]

I went on Norwegian Prima early in its life. I have take 6 Norwegian + 8 other cruises on other lines. I will not point out thing that were teething pains, but that actually thing that would be long term "structural' issues. - The Prima Theater & Club was converted into a disco each night so our 10 day cruise has TWO shows - I love shows - I hope they stop the disco conversion. - CoImprove at Sea and Sids were always over crowded because....you guessed it no shows! - The big issue is too few hot tubs in the main pool area. It felt like you HAD to get a "Vibe Pass $209" for the exclusive areas to even get in a hot tub. - I like the idea of Haven, but it too up spaces that made the normal cruisers feel screwed over. Shift where Haven sits in the next ships so it does not BLOCK access for the 3000 other people trying to go to dinner. - Smoking lounge is in the wrong spot even if the laminar flow system to keep smoke out of the main areas worked it was TOO close to a major walkway so fumes were unavoidable - this is not a teething issue that lounge is POORLY PLACED. - Prima outdoor areas like Infinity Beach are for warm weather, why was THIS ship near iceland in June? BRRRRRR - (My young nephew said) The Galaxy Pavillion was a waste is space - open too few hours and its VR is passe now. He wanted normals arcade machines not 2018 level VR in 2023. - The atrium areas on all three levels were like minefield yet needed to gte to the back of the ship of dinner!! - (My niece and nephew said) The speedway as no worth the cost of the ride. If teens don't even like you go-carts what are you doing?!

[@daynacjones]

I’m finding it hard to find a ship layout that I do like. I love a promenade on one deck, I hate those that block off sections for the “elite cruisers” MSC does that with the front end and I feel like a second class cruiser. I guess I really like the older, smaller ship. If I want a roller coaster, I’ll go to 6 Flags.

[@saranyabiswas2057]

Thanks for all the information..

[@billybenson3834]

I am an older sot and enjoyed cruises on ships like the NCL Spirit. But I'm not one that has to be constantly entertained or need to be drunk to enjoy myself. I prefer the days when people dressed with a little decorum and not like going to Walmart these days.

[@TWSmith42]

I wish Vibe Beach Club had a pool. Only a couple of hot tubs and a bar.

[@ryanm2109]

Hi Gary - I love watching your videos. My wife and I just disembarked our NCL Viva cruise 4 days ago and couldn't agree more with your video review. However, I'm of the mind that the segmentation of the top decks really disenfranchised the guests and by making the experience disjointed, also diminished the collaborative experience. In short, NCL took the fun out of this ship in a big way. Also, good luck finding a mojito on the NCL Viva, the bars only serve pre-mix cocktails or a set menu. Big disappointment for my wife and I. We much prefer the Breakaway+ class of ships.

[@jeffreylevin9616]

I've only been on one ship so far. The NCL Escape. I was wondering what you didn't like about this class ship. Although I know one thing that was similar to the Prima Class. Sid Norman's was packed.