Last updated on April 19th, 2024
Norwegian Jewel, Victoria, BC
Norwegian Cruise Line – Ships
Norwegian Cruise Line or NCL revolutionized the cruise industry with their “Freestyle Dining”. This forced other cruise lines to respond with similar flexibility in their dining rooms. You can easily recognize the NCL Fleet by the colorful designs on the ship’s bow. Older ships in the fleet take just over 2,000 passengers.
Unlike some other cruise lines, NCL has not been expanding their passenger limits greatly on newer vessels. You won’t find any ships that are over 4,000 passengers and many of them are under 2,000 guests. If you are looking for multi story waterslides, aqua parks and multi level races tracks, you need to research your ship choice carefully. The Prima & Getaway Class NCL ships offer amusement park options similar to Royal Caribbean.
Cagney’s on the Waterfront
Norwegian Cruise Line – Destinations
Almost a third of the NCL fleet sails in Europe during the summer. Alaska is another major destination at that time of year. In winter, the Caribbean and South America are popular for their cruises. Similar to Disney, NCL has obtained their own private island at Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas. You will also find limited sailings in China, Australia, South America and Africa.
The NCL Pride of America is the only cruise ship in the industry that operates solely in Hawaii. NCL has to adhere to the Jones Act to gain this right, which means the ship and its crew are American only. The Pride of America does a sail past of the stunning Na Pali coastline of Kauai, which other cruise lines typically don’t have time to do.
Garden Villa Suite, Norwegian Star
Norwegian Cruise Line – Freestyler Profile
- Median age: 46
- Median household income: $87,000
- Children at home: 2
- Education: College
- Married: 65%
- Retired: 11%
Garden Cafe, Norwegian Getaway
NCL – Amenities Included for All Guests
- Numerous complimentary dining venues
- Deck parties and White Hot parties
- Pools, waterslides, hot tubs
- Fitness center
- Youth Programs – for kids from 3 – 12 and 13 – 17 years old.
Pool Deck, Norwegian Jewel
NCL – Amenities Not Included
- Airfare and Airport Transfers
- Gratuities
- Internet
- Shore Excursions
- Specialty Dining Packages
- Beverage Packages – for soda, cocktails, beer, wine, specialty coffee
- Laundry. No self serve laundry on NCL.
- Spa and Salon Services
- Baby sitting is not available.
Norwegian Getaway
Norwegian Cruise Line – Solo Staterooms
NCL has cornered the singles cruise market by building Solo staterooms for one person. NCL also offers The Haven, Suites & Penthouses, Spa Staterooms, Club Balcony Suites & Balconies, Oceanview, Inside Staterooms. Norwegian Epic in 2010 was the first cruise ship with “Studio Staterooms” for singles only, which are now referred to as Solo Staterooms. These rooms feature a single bed, bathroom and a small seating area.
The Studio Staterooms share a Studio Lounge with complimentary espresso and snacks. This makes cruising like one big happy family for singles. NCL has made a commitment to steadily expand the Solo option throughout the fleet, including Solo options for inside, oceanview and balcony accommodation.
Haven, Norwegian Jewel
The Haven Amenities
- Exclusive access to the Haven Restaurant, the Haven Lounge and the Haven Courtyard & Sundeck with private pool and hot tubs.
- Cocktail party with ship’s officers
- Mini-bar and deluxe coffee/espresso/cappuccino machine
- Skip the lines and be personally escorted on and off the ship at the pier and at ports-of-call
- 24-hour butler
Haven Courtyard, Norwegian Getaway
Norwegian Cruise Line – Included Dining
Lots of places to eat at no charge. These vary by ship:
- Main Dining Rooms – at least 2 per ship
- Buffets
- 24-hour dining venues on some ships
- Poolside grills
- Room Service menus offering options for breakfast, lunch and dinner, however NCL has joined in the trend of charging a delivery fee.
La Cucina, Norwegian Breakaway
Fee Based Specialty Dining
Numerous options that vary by ship, such as:
- Cagney’s Steakhouse
- Q Texas Smokehouse – Texas BBQ
- Le Bistro – French
- Moderno Churrascaria – Brazilian Meats
- La Cucina – Italian
- Teppanyaki – Japanese Hibachi Style
- Ocean Blue, Bayamo and The Raw Bar – Seafood
- Sukhothai – Thai
- Coco’s, Dolce Gelato or The Bake Shop – treats
Teppanyaki, Norwegian Escape
Leave A Comment