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The Norwegian Prima is a modern and innovative cruise ship full of surprises
NORWEGIAN PRIMA - PRESENTATION CRUISE FROM MIAMI 14 NOVEMBER 2022
It was a beautiful sunny November Day in Miami when I reached the spectacular NCL bright new terminal B to board the new Norwegian Prima.
From embarkation, the vibe was great! Travel advisors from all over the USA, which made most of the guests for this presentation cruise from Miami, were as curious and excited as I was.
The Charters, Meetings, and Incentives Team of NCL kindly invited me to the cruise a few weeks ago. I was excited about cruising on the new NCL masterpiece!
I was curious to have a feeling of the Norwegian Prima as the ship represents a new generation and perhaps a new dimension for NCL.
My main scope for the trip was to have a sense of the Norwegian Prima for groups and full charters of this impressive and innovative new ship.
Me and my cruise-addicted family; consider NCL as one of our favorite brands for family cruise vacations. The past year we have traveled a few times on NCL's “Haven”, a product that we enjoy.
Another feature we like about NCL is the “freestyle cruising”, which I will expand on later in this blog.
SOME FACTS ABOUT THE NORWEGIAN PRIMA
Prima was built by the leading Italian shipbuilder group Fincantieri in July 2022. The building shipyard was Fincantieri Marghera which is at the doorsteps of Venice.
For those of you who know me, Fincantieri Marghera was literarily in the backyard from where I grew up. I felt proud of this extraordinary engineering masterpiece completed in my town of origin.
The Prima features a Gross Tonnage of 143.535, a length of 299m (981 ft), and a capacity of 3099 pax in double occupancy, 1506 crew, and a building price estimated at 850ml USD.
To the cruise experts, it will come immediately notable that the Prima is smaller than the last Breakaways-plus ship of NCL. The Norwegian Encore delivered in 2019 featured a Gross Tonnage of 169.116 and a capacity of 3.998 lower berths.
According to my calculations, Encore has a Gross Tonnage per guest (lower berths) of 42,3, while the Prima is 46,3, which means that each guest has more space on the ship.
It also shows that the trend for NCL is not building bigger ships but better ones. With Prima, NCL is targeting the premium market for large ships.
A TOTALLY NEW HAVEN
I had a beautiful Balcony Cabin on deck 10 which was well-appointed and had pleasant, modern décor. I appreciated the comfortable reclinable chairs with soft pillows on my balcony; I spent time sitting on the balcony enjoying the ocean views.
As soon as I dropped my carry-on luggage in my cabin, I went to my Master Station at the Theater. I just had to check off my presence and the ship staff explained the use of the lifejacket. I did have to watch a safety video remotely before checking in a couple of weeks before departure. Everything was smooth and efficient.
In the afternoon, the NCLH CM&I team organized a Haven tour which has been completely redesigned with independent lifts to reach it.
As I mentioned, the Haven is a "ship within a ship". With 107 beautiful suites, butler service, a private bar, restaurant, swimming pool, sun deck, and concierge desk; it is a fantastic product as it allows me to enjoy the features of a large ship. It features several dining options, fun features, broadway-style entertainment, and several venues, and yet enjoy luxury service.
I was impressed by the new Haven design. The Haven in the previous NCL ships is located aft rather than forward, on Prima you enjoy breathtaking unobstructed views of the ocean and a stunning infinity pool.
The Haven is a very unique concept for group charters. It has 107 suites, making it attractive for smaller groups who could do a Haven buyout for additional privacy and a luxury experience on board a large ship.
The Haven restaurant has a separate room for private meetings or dinners. It accommodates smaller groups giving even more privacy.
OCEAN BOULEVARD FULL OF SURPRISES
Prima's deck 8 is full of surprises. Ocean Boulevard was a 1/3 Mile (about 540m) outdoor boardwalk with dining and bars, infinity pools, a sculpture garden, observation points, and more.
The connection with the water was intense and it was for me the best area on the ship all around. A special new touch of the Prima-class setting a new design philosophy and standard for NCL, it felt like an enjoyable large premium area to me.
INDULGING IN “INDULGE”
In Ocean Boulevard on deck 8 aft, there is an innovative food court concept, Indulge. I found the venue brilliant, and I voted it as my personal favorite on the Norwegian Prima.
I had two delicious lunches and a spectacular pre-dinner aperitif admiring the Caribbean sunset from the outdoor sitting area.
Indulge is a concept that I have never seen on a cruise ship. It has 11 food stations, Cocos, Q Texas Smokehouse, The Garden (Salad Bar), Starbucks kiosk, Tamara, Just Desserts, Just Ice Cream, and Seaside Rotisserie. Also, food truck-style stations featuring Noodles, Tapas Truck, and the Latin Quarter.
I ordered my food through iPads available on each table. The friendly staff delivered it to us very fast. The selection of dishes had the perfect size to try several options. I could order as many times as I wanted; my favorite dish was the tuna tacos. Indulge is a perfect place for a group lunch or dinner. It will satisfy any palate and dietary restrictions, and it is complementary.
A WELL-DESIGNED ATRIUM
The Atrium area extends between decks 6, 7, and 8. It looked well-designed, clean, and modern; it felt like a Scandinavian design.
Particularly popular were Starbucks on deck 7, a great way to start the morning with a good coffee, and the Whiskey Bar, the perfect spot for an evening social.
RECEPTION AND PRESENTATION AT THE SYD NORMAN’S POUR HOUSE
Syd Normans is a lovely venue located on deck 7. It is popular at night when it transforms into a Pub featuring a DJ and live rock bands.
Syd Norman is so versatile that I attended a CM&I welcome cocktail reception at night and the morning after a top-notch presentation from the CM&I team where every detail was covered. They even had a widescreen built up to showcase videos and presentations.
The CM&I team explained that Syd Normas is an ideal venue for groups of up to 150 persons. You can use it for presentations, private gatherings, meetings, and celebrations.
I was captivated by the experience of NCL in organizing themed cruises. NCL has brought famous rock bands to perform for their fans; they have created wrestling cruises with a build-up ring in the pool areas, and much more.
MEXICAN DINNER AT LOS LOBOS
I was hosted by Tom Dougher from CM&I, a veteran in the cruise charters industry, to a beautiful dinner at the Mexican specialty restaurant Los Lobos on deck 8.
It was a pleasant experience. Dining, drinks, ambiance, and service were of high quality. I would also recommend it for a group charter dinner.
FREESTYLE CRUSING AND DINING WITH SPECTACULAR VIEWS AT HUDSON’S
Another feature I particularly appreciate about NCL is its Freestyle Cruising, which main focus is having no fixed dining times, and no dress code.
It is nice to have the flexibility of dining at leisure and where to dine. NCL has been the first cruise line to set this way of cruising. In my opinion, it is the best way to cruise if you dislike following tight schedules.
I also had the pleasure of eating several meals at the beautiful and complimentary restaurant Hudsons. The experience was pleasant, the food quality was high, and the menu was very extensive. The 270-degree views were impressive, the interior décor was elegant, and the ambiance set the perfect mood for a great meal.
I dined once at Commodore, a smaller complimentary dining restaurant on deck 6. It had the same menu as Hudsons; it was a great experience.
I had lunch and breakfast at the main buffet restaurant called Surfside Café, next to Surfside Grill on deck 17. I enjoyed the food, but the flow needs to be improved.
POOL AREAS AND BEACH CLUBS
The Main Pool area is on deck 17; it includes two lovely infinity hot tubs and a waterslide. The pool area felt a bit smaller compared to other ships, but there is plenty of extra space on the sun deck and at the adults-only Vibe Beach Club, a premium area where you have to pay a fee to get in.
With the two infinity pools and Beaches on deck 8, there is plenty of space for everyone and every taste.
PLENTY OF FUN STUFF
NCL is well-known for its award-winning entertainment and some unique features on its modern fleet.
As soon as you see Prima, you will notice the spectacular slides on each side of the ship, The Drop and The Rush: which is ten stories tall. You slide down from deck 18 all the way to deck 8; you can't miss it!
Another unique feature of this ship is the one-of-a-kind Prima Speedway on deck 18. It is a three-level racetrack wider and longer than the ones on other ships; truly spectacular.
There are more fun features on deck 18: "The Stadium" with complimentary games like shuffleboard, pickleball, table soccer, and football, and "Tee Time" an interactive and tech-immersive minigolf. It was very nice to spend some time there after dinner. This is another ideal venue to create immersive experiences for groups while they have some fun.
On deck 17 forward, you will find the Galaxy Pavilion, a high-tech wonderland with a flying theater simulator, escape rooms, and virtual TopGolf. There is also an Observation Lounge, a bar with floor-to-ceiling windows of the Horizon.
MULTIFUNCTIONAL THEATER
Another innovative feature of the Norwegian Prima is the multi-functional Theater. I watched two shows onboard: The Noise Boys and Summer: The Donna Summer Musical. Both are of high-quality standards as usual by NCL.
The Theater, which is multi-level with entrances on decks 6, 7, and 8, transforms late night into a Vegas-Style nightclub with late-night parties and light shows.
GREAT STIRRUP KEY, NCL PRIVATE PARADISE ISLAND IN THE BAHAMAS
In this mini presentation cruise, we called Great Stirrup Key, a beautiful private Island of NCL located in the Bahamas. The NCLH CM&I team reserved for our group of about 20 persons a splendid Villa (101) in Silver Cove, a private retreat area for Villas and Mandara Spa guests. I was one of the first group to leave the ship by private tender; I had a great time at Silver Cove / Great Stirrup Key.
The Villa featured a beautiful patio with sun chairs, a living room with fresh fruit, a Champagne Bottle, a stocked mini-bar, a changing room, a large closet, and a nice bathroom with a shower. On Silver Cove beach, we had additional chairs and free floaters to relax in the calm Caribbean waters of Silver Cove bay; it was fantastic!
Outside the retreat area, the Island looked fantastic. There is plenty of beach areas for all the guests and things to do like zip-line, water sports, and snorkeling. The facilities are very well maintained and clean.
It is a stunning venue to organize an event when chartering an NCL cruise ship. I have seen videos of chartered cruises hosting themed events such as beach parties and concerts. The NCL CM&I team has great experience organizing such events. It is part of the package when chartering a ship with NCL.
OVERALL
I have found the Norwegian Prima a modern, innovative cruise ship full of surprises. A new generation and dimension for NCL with many unique features.
I would certainly recommend the Norwegian Prima for group events, private and corporate. There is plenty of things to do for everyone and numerous venues, restaurants, and bars.
It has been a privilege to be aboard Prima. I would like to thank the NCLH CM&I team for this beautiful opportunity!
