Norwegian Aqua Debuts: 10 Big Changes From Norwegian Prima And Viva Ships

Forbes

30-03-2025

Norwegian Aqua is the first ship to feature a female hull artist.
NCL
Norwegian Aqua is the third in the line's Prima Class of ships and the 20th in its fleet, but this vessel is quite different from its predecessors. Not only is it 10% larger, but it also boasts several new amenities and features that are not the same as Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva, which launched in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
Why is Aqua different than the first two? For starters, the way Norwegian places these ship orders to the shipyard is in pairs. While Prima was being built, Viva was already under its own design phase. To make them notably different is more of a challenge. Aqua and its sibling ship Luna are far enough down the line to incorporate guest and crew feedback into their construction.
Norwegian Aqua and Norwegian Luna are sister ships, and the next two to emerge from the Prima Class of ships for NCL.
NCL
This allows the brand to remove features that may not have been particularly popular or efficient and replace them with new concepts that improve upon the ship. As a result, Norwegian refers to this new subset of ships internally as Prima Plus ships.
Here are 10 ways that Norwegian Aqua differs from Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva, and why you may notice some changes, but not others.
Norwegian Aqua has a larger pool and sundeck.
NCL
The race track was a headline-grabbing feature of the first two ships (and nothing new for Norwegian). But, it took up quite a bit of landscape on the ship, and it was only used for certain periods of the day. In addition, while it was being used, it could only serve a small number of guests at the time. This was a significant tradeoff for space and use. At the same time, many wondered why the size of the main pool was so small.
Aboard Aqua, things are different. In place of the race track, the ship had more space to play with allowing for more amenities that served more people and made better use of the space.
Norwegian Aqua has two additional sections that expand its cabin count and onboard footprint.
NCL
The pool and pool deck are larger, which are sure to be popular on the Caribbean sailings the ship will make during its inaugural summer season.
If you're wondering how a ship gets 10% larger, it's not by adding an extra deck. Instead, two central 36-foot long sections were added to its midsection extending its length.
Vibe Beach Club is an adults-only space.
NCL
Many of the space enhancements to the ship were made in the public areas and top decks. This was intentional to permit more entertainment space for guests, especially when it comes to relaxation time in the sun.
Vibe Beach Club is the adults-only sun deck has doubled in size allowing for more lounge chairs with more plush cushions. Whirlpools and cabanas are also available on the 16th floor space, which also has its own private bar. Guests can pay for special access to quieter area.
This is the first hybrid roller coaster and water slide at sea.
NCL
While slides are nothing new to Norwegian's first two Prima Class ships, Norwegian Aqua has the first blended roller coaster and water slide at sea. Its introduction was another benefit of removing the racetrack as it takes up some, but not all, of the same footprint wrapping around the ship's funnel. This is in addition to the ten-story dry slide that dangles off the edge of the ship. Unlike Prima and Viva, there is now only one dry slide instead of two, which leads to more deck space by the infinity-edge pools on the other side.
The ride accelerates and decelerates like a roller coaster.
NCL
Brave travelers don bathing suits and hop aboard special rafts that follow the same acceleration-deceleration technology of a roller coaster. It's a splashy and panoramic experience that changes by the day depending upon the port where the ship is that day.
The best part: it's free. Previously, the race track that it replaces carried a surcharge to enjoy it. It will also be able to accommodate more guests at a time than the racetrack making more efficient use of space.
Indulge Food Hall now has a new plant-based option.
NCL
A quintessential part about any cruise is the food and beverage experience. And Norwegian is no stranger for making waves when it comes to where and how travelers dine. It was the catalyst for freestyle dining and introduced the idea of dining when hungry instead of at set times in its main restaurant.
The Commodore Room, one of the main, included restaurants, is now twice as big as before. This is just one of several restaurants, each with a different theme, that are part of the included package.
A rendering of the new Sukhothai restaurant aboard Norwegian Aqua
NCL
The specialty dining venues have also seen a small shakeup. In place of its Asian-Latin fusion outlet Food Republic, a new Thai restaurant, Sukhothai, joins the lineup of restaurants that a charge a fee for an upgraded experience. These also include a sushi restaurant, hibachi grill, American steakhouse, Mexican restaurant and Italian Onda by Scarpetta. And that hibachi grill is the largest teppanyaki restaurant in the Norwegian fleet, an indication of its popularity, now offering nine tables for large groups.
The Belvedere Bar aboard the new Norwegian Aqua
NCL
Another important feature for any cruise is where to find a drink. There is a new wine bar, and one of the main cocktail bars was made larger to accommodate a grand piano and small place for live entertainment.
There are plans for some of the bars to do double duty during the day, even when not pouring drinks. They can be used for special talks, trivia games or other hosted activities.
Nama is back by popular demand for its sushi and sashimi menu, and the teppanyaki restaurant on board is larger than any other Norwegian ship.
NCL
The Local Bar & Grill, which is akin to a sports bar, has more seating space and more screens airing a global variety of games and matches. The swing chairs on earlier ships, highly popular albeit taking up a lot of space, were replaced with more group seating. This venue is open 24 hours a day with a menu of complimentary bar snacks like pretzel bites with spicy mustard, bowls of chili and burgers.
Starbucks, which is part of the larger Penrose Atrium, also enjoys more seating space with double-height windows overlooking the passing scenery.
The first Prince-inspired show at sea takes place aboard Aqua. The line worked closely with the performer's production and legacy preservation teams to create an in-house tribute to his music and life. "Revolution: A Celebration of Prince' is a complimentary show that takes place at least once during each sailing.
Actor Eric Stonestreet, who stars in ABC's Modern Family, is the ship's godfather.
NCL
This is all in addition to the other onboard entertainment that takes place in the theater each evening. They range from special entertainers that join the ship for different sailings, like comedians and magicians, to the brand's own musical revue. For Aqua, the latter has been upgraded to include more acrobatics and magic features.
The popular Fleetwood Mac tribute in one of the bars also returns to Norwegian Aqua, as does 'The Price is Right LIVE on NCL,' a game show modeled after its namesake TV series, awarding passengers real prizes.
The glow court for nighttime basketball play
NCL
Although the cruise line's research found that the more recognizable the music and shows, the higher the guest satisfaction, Aqua does not feature a headline Broadway show the way Viva did with 'Beetlejuice.' According to the cruise line, feedback shows that 'visual spectacle' and easy-to-follow narratives are top of mind for customers. Norwegian believes that travelers are less interested in investing in a longer-form Broadway plot line and prefer something that entertains immediately, even if they arrive a bit late for the show, for example.
The Mediterranean bowl at Planterie in Indulge Food Hall
NCL
Tapping into the growing interest in healthy and vegetarian dining, the ship offers more plant-based options on the menu than before. It is especially notable in Indulge Food Hall, where guests place orders from various food stands via tabletop tablets to have them delivered to their seat. Instead of a salad station on the first two ships, Aqua has Planterie, a plant-based venue serving salads and grain bowls with a variety of proteins like tofu and tempeh.
A duplex suite in The Haven
NCL
The Haven, which is the hotel-within-a-hotel concept on the top decks of the ship, features its own private dining room, bar, lounge and pool areas. This has always been a popular upgrade on its ships, and so much so, that Aqua features more Haven cabins.
There are now 123 suites, up from 107, to cater to the growing premium demand. The newest suite on the ship now has three bedrooms and spreads across two levels.
This is Norwegian Aqua's self-declared "selfie statue."
NCL
And as with every Norwegian ship, the artwork is different throughout the interiors. From grand sculptures along the exterior decks to art on the stairway landings, it is all chosen particularly to highlight emerging artists.
The cruise line also stands out for painting its ship hulls in dramatic colors and patterns making each vessel unique in its lineup. Think of it like an airline's livery, which is distinctive in its own right. This is the first time that a female artist (Allison Hueman) designs the ship's exterior art. She is particularly known for her street art around the world.
Aqua Pulse fitness center stocks Technogym equipment.
NCL
Aqua relies exclusively on marine gas oil, which distinguishes it from its previous ships that used a blend. This means Aqua has no scrubbers or scrubber towers. With a lower sulfur content and more energy-efficient operations, marine gas oil is a focus for the line's newer ships.
A new feature on board allows the bridge to see real-time regulatory information regarding the environment. This could include a whale passage that is active during the time of the sailing that they need to avoid or new local rules recently put into place at a particular port. This is a first for Norwegian.