My $5,000-a-week cabin on Norwegian's new cruise ship was better than a luxury hotel
No, this isn't a yacht. This is, maybe surprisingly, a new 4,482-guest cruise ship — Norwegian Aqua.
However, there's a catch: Not all its cabins have these frills. They're exclusively available in the Haven, Aqua's ultra-luxury "ship within a ship" concept.
Only 123 of the vessel's 1,387 staterooms are in this class, sectioned off behind keycard-locked glass doors. And privacy on a floating city doesn't come cheap.
I spent three complimentary nights in a "Haven Penthouse with Balcony" during Norwegian Aqua's test sailing in April.The cabin category spans up to 418 square feet with an up to 134-square-foot balcony.The ship's usual interior accommodations are no larger than 263 square feet, while non-Haven balcony options are, at most, 358 square feet with a 69 square-foot balcony.I've been on my fair share of luxury cruises, but even my Silversea and Regent Seven Seas Grandeur cabins were smaller than this.
And more space means more amenities. The cabin comes with a Nespresso machine, a stocked mini-fridge, three types of complimentary bottled water (one sparkling, two stilled), and nightly sweet treats delivered to your dining table.The drawers are soft-close, the lights are dimmable, and the curtains can be controlled with a bedside button.Good luck finding all of these amenities in a non-Haven accommodation.
Head inside if you'd rather lounge in the air conditioning. There are plenty of seating options there. The room can accommodate up to three people. Yet, there's enough space for double that.Use the dining table if you've ordered room service. There's also a bench behind it, although its hidden drawers make it better for storage.Or stretch your legs on the built-in sofa beside the entertainment console. Both are elevated, leaving enough space to tuck your bags underneath.
No need to will yourself out of bed to turn off the lights. Just roll to your side to find the control panels. With a few presses, you can turn off the overhead lights, dim the bedside lamps, and switch on the nightlights.When it's time to wake up, use these controllers to raise the blackout and sheer curtains.More importantly, the bedside panel has enough outlets to charge your phone, laptop, smartwatch, and smart ring.
It's also where you can phone your butler for packing help or the concierge to make a spa reservation.If you prefer to sit for your morning skincare routine, use the built-in light-up vanity mirror. The toilet is the only seating in the bathroom (I don't judge multitaskers). But at least it's quarantined behind closed doors, which any couple will tell you is an underrated bathroom feature.
The shower is both roomy (with seating) and flexible (with two shower head options — a waterfall and handheld).Some cruise cabins only offer two-in-one body wash and shampoo. Here, they're kept separate, in addition to conditioner and lotion — all from L'Occitane En Provence.One hand soap is for peasants (people in the regular cabins). Haven guests get both liquid and bar suds.
The decor is minimal, relying on color-accented walls to spruce the room. It looks more like a studio out of an interior design brochure than a cruise cabin.Ultimately, is a Pinterest-friendly room necessary for a fun vacation? No. Did I need two hand soaps and three bottled water varieties? Absolutely not.But if you and your partner are paying more than $10,000 for a seven-day summer vacation in the "penthouse," I suppose it's fair to expect an unnecessary surplus of unnecessary amenities. Vacuuming up these luxurious resources will make you feel like royalty — a nice price to pay for the price you paid.Plus, if you don't like your room, there's always the private lounge nearby.
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