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Prima is the first in a new class of six ships for Norwegian Cruise Line, which launched in summer 2022.

Space is a big part of the new offering. Norwegian says there is more than 1,000 cubic feet per guest (to give a comparison, most ships would have around 50 cubic feet per guest); and it feels roomier: passengers can stroll the entire perimeter of the ship as well as cross two Oceanwalk glass bridges.

Prima is a good bet for families with older children, who can explore new worlds in the VR room, whizz around the three-storey go-kart track and race down slides that are ten decks high. Solo cruisers are also well catered for with studio cabins that come without the typical solo supplement. 

Here’s what we thought.

Main photo: one of the pool aboard Prima (Norwegian Prima)

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Understated luxury was clearly the brief to the design teams behind Prima. There’s a high-end hotel feel to the atrium and main areas of the ship with a simple, expensive design that incorporates lots of marble. Head outside and you’ll find lots of corners that feel designed for Instagram; wicker egg chairs, candy-striped day beds and a $2 million sculpture garden with interactive art installations. 

Prima is a mid-sized ship and can hold up to 3,000 passengers. As with any ship of a similar size this unfortunately means that queues to embark or disembark are pretty much inevitable — though there’s usually less than a 20-minute wait to do either. Upon arrival guests are issued with key cards which act as both a room key and a payment card.

Prima has some of the biggest cabins in the NCL fleet — 50 per cent bigger than any outside of this new fleet of ships. Decor is simple but plush with soft creams, golds and pops of turquoise, plenty of velvet cushions and surprisingly roomy bathrooms with a handy mini washing line in each shower to dry any swimwear. Room types span from studios for one to family-sized suites that can sleep up to four. Wardrobes are relatively small — you’ll struggle to fit in floor-length evening dresses — so pack light. There are bedside tables, a safe and plenty of plug and USB sockets in each room category. Balconies on Norwegian are typically smaller than those on other lines but come with plush reclining chairs. 

Your chance to upgrade comes with The Haven, a “ship within a ship” concept with 107 luxurious suites spread across seven decks. Splurge on one and you’ll also have access to a plush sundeck, an infinity pool that peers out across the wake, 24/7 butler service, an al fresco restaurant and a private elevator that whisks you between decks.

Tuck in at 11 restaurants from slick sushi joint Nama to Surfside, a casual all-day café with indoor and outdoor seating. Those included in the main dining packages are The Commodore Room and Hudson’s; both are just as impressive as the speciality options, though the menus don’t change. Décor in the latter is Titanic levels of opulent with gold chandeliers and 270-degree windows that wrap around the restaurant — and London prices would feel justified for the gorgeous mahi mahi fish and New York strip steak. 

Also included in the main dining package is Indulge, a huge food hall-slash-market with nine concepts available including Spanish food trucks, a noodle bar and a Texas smokehouse. Each option will impress and the only downside is that everyone else knows how good it is; it’s almost impossible to get a seat at lunchtime unless you get there early.

Those with deeper pockets can try the speciality dining package (two meals from £86 per person) where there’s more fun to be had. Chefs juggle knives, transform fried eggs into dancing snakes and sizzle huge slabs of steak at Hasuki, the ship’s buzzy teppanyaki restaurant, where guests eat together around shared grills. The £43 cover charge is worth it for the performance alone. Other speciality options include the likes of Los Lobos, a fun Mexican with outdoor seating and Onda by Scarpetta, a more elegant option.

You can pull up a stool at one of 19 bars and lounges dotted around the ship. They range from casual — The Local is your typical British pub feel — to classy; the Metropolitan Bar is where you come sip margaritas and be seen. Here, things are shaken up with cocktails, using the likes of syrups from watermelon rinds, day-old croissants and used coffee beans. There’s also a Starbucks to fuel any morning coffee urges, though note that this costs extra. 

Spread across 20 decks are five swimming pools — two of which are infinity and nine Jacuzzis. Splurge on a day pass at the spa (£86) and you can peer through floor-to-ceiling windows to watch whales come up for air and dolphins pirouetting across the surface from the comfort of glorious heated ceramic beds that curve to your back’s contours. There’s also an ice room, the first charcoal sauna at sea and an infrared room. It could do with a Jacuzzi, though what it does have is arguably more impressive: a two-tiered waterfall that spills into two heated saltwater flotation pools.

Shake off some of the inevitable extra cruise pounds at The Concourse, a garden full of interactive sculptures, and Oceanwalk, where just a block of glass separates your feet from the sea. 

Get behind the wheel of a monster truck (£17 per ride) to bump across a Sahara desert installation; try to win a cruise in the escape room (£13); or try for a hole-in-one at Tee Time, the extravagant outdoor mini golf course with huge neon-lit obstacles that wouldn’t look out of place in Vegas (£8.60 per game). Endless fun, yes, but the extras do mount up.

You can take things up a gear at Speedway, a three-tier racetrack on top deck where drivers can reach speeds of up to 30mph to try and get their name in lights on the leaderboard (£13 per ride). More nerves are needed for The Drop, the first free-fall slide in the world on a cruise ship, twisting down the side of the ship, delivering sea and sky views in one hit. Prepare to be strapped into what looks like a body bag, placed inside a transparent cylinder and when the floor falls away, plunge down eight decks in ten seconds. It’s almost as much fun as watching the expressions of other guests when their turn comes.

Norwegian is known for its entertainment and you’ll be treated to Broadway-grade productions such as Donna Summer Musical and interactive game shows in the three-storey theatre. Post-show, the theatre transforms into a nightclub called Sensoria.

There’s plenty of choice when it comes to excursions on Prima but be prepared to pay at the higher-end of the price scale of what’s usual on a cruise ship. Also note that Norwegian tends to put on free shuttles to get into towns so do your research beforehand and see what alternatives are being offered by tour operators in the ports you’re heading to. 

This is a ship focused more on teenagers than younger kids and babies. The former can race down dual ten-storey-high slides, called The Rush, and play interactive darts in the pub-style décor of The Bull’s Eye. The latter can play outdoors at the Splashpark (though note this gets closed on windy or rainy days) and join one of five kids’ clubs.

During spring and summer, Prima will sail to ports around northern Europe and the UK before spending autumn and winter in the Caribbean and Bermuda. 

What should I wear?  Things are as casual or as dressy as you like on Prima. Evening wear is expected for the specialty restaurants but elsewhere around the ship there’s no firm rules and you’ll find a mix of formality.

Are there any adult-only areas?  Yes. The Vibe Beach Club is for anyone over 18; guests need to pay extra for any drinks served here. 

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