Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) continues its path of growth and innovation by launching the 20th vessel of its fleet. Norwegian Aqua, built by Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard, was christened in Miami on 13 April 2025.
By Ming Tappin
In September 2024, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings’ president and CEO, Harry Sommer, expressed his excitement and shared his vision for Norwegian Aqua during a tour of the vessel, which was still under construction at the Fincantieri shipyard.
“The core of our philosophy is to listen to our guests and see what they want,” said Sommer. “I think this ship will be tremendously received by our guests.” Flash forward to April 2025, and CruiseTimes found itself in agreement with that statement.
More to love
Designed to deliver more of what the guests wanted, Norwegian Aqua is “clearly built for fun and sun”, NCL’s president, David J. Herrera, told VIP attendees during the christening ceremony.
At 156,300 grt, 322 m (1,056 ft) long, and 41 m (133 ft) abeam, Norwegian Aqua is the first of four Prima-Plus-class vessels, about 10 per cent larger than her Prima-class sisters, Norwegian Prima and Viva, which were launched in 2022 and 2023, respectively. She has the capacity for 3,571 guests, based on double occupancy, and 1,597 crewmembers.
NCL has long found its niche as a well-rounded cruise brand, catering to solo guests with its Studio Complex accommodations, to couples and groups with a variety of dining and entertainment options, and to multigenerational families with its gaming arcade and outdoor deck activities. With this new ship, the line continues to produce positive results from its winning formula, yet enhancing its existing amenities to both attract new guests and keep loyal clients happy.
More to do
After being installed on board five ships, the Race Track go-karts have been replaced on Norwegian Aqua with the new Aqua Slidecoaster on deck 20, the industry’s first hybrid roller coaster and waterslide at sea. Available to single or double riders, two side-by-side rigid rafts are propelled into covered tunnels that twist and turn through three decks. The new attraction behind the main pool is noise-free and less intrusive, allowing sunbathers to enjoy their pool time. The complimentary ride welcomes guests over 1.2 m (48 in.) tall, with a maximum individual body weight of 136 kg (300 lb) or a combined 181 kg (400 lb) when riding double.
The family outdoor deck has expanded to include the Glow Court on deck 20, with an LED floor and walls that project different court layouts depending on the kind of sports played. The space is also used for digital dance parties at night. Table sports games and a 12-hole “Wonders of the World”-themed minigolf course provide other distractions for the entire family.
The Aqua Game Zone on deck 17 is another space that welcomes families, with arcade games and VR rides. The setup allows those who aren’t participating to still enjoy the action by watching their family members play. Families will also be happy to learn that the minigolf and the Aqua Game Zone are the only two fee-based attractions. All other activities, including the Splash Academy kids’ club, are complimentary.
More to pamper
The Haven, NCL’s exclusive private enclave, continues to offer a luxury space for NCL guests, and Aqua has the largest Haven in the fleet, with 123 top-end suites located aft between decks 10 and 16. Exclusive amenities in the Haven include a dedicated restaurant, lounge, bar, butler and concierge service, a private sundeck with two whirlpools, and an infinity-edge pool.
New on board Aqua are four Haven 3-Bedroom Duplex Suites with Large Balcony, measuring 91 sq. m (979 sq. ft) and sleeping up to six guests. Their location isn’t ideal, however, as the Vibe Beach Club deck and pool are directly overhead, which can be noisy, and suites on the port side have partially obstructed views, as the Drop slide spirals down to the right of the balcony.
Our only other critique of Aqua’s accommodations is the paper-thin insulation between standard staterooms, where one can clearly hear neighbours’ conversations (though muffled), music, and television. This was evident on board the previous two vessels and remains unaddressed.
More to savour
Norwegian Aqua boasts 17 dining options, including five complimentary and nine specialty restaurants. The Commodore Room and Hudson’s dining rooms, the French (Le) Bistro, Cagney’s Steakhouse, Los Lobos Mexican cantina, Italian venue Onda by Scarpetta, Nama Sushi, Hasuki Teppanyaki, Palomar seafood, and the Indulge Food Hall remain unchanged from Aqua’s predecessors, aside from capacity adjustments.
Customer feedback once again played a role in Aqua’s dining experience. NCL had noticed that the pad thai at Indulge Food Hall was consistently the highest-rated menu item on Prima and Viva, so the company decided to create Sukhothai, its first Thai-fusion specialty restaurant at sea. The 85-seat restaurant has ocean-view tables, while bar seating overlooks the open kitchen. CruiseTimes dined there and felt that the flavours were tamed for Western taste buds, although dishes could be spiced up upon request.
Following the trend of healthy eating, NCL also introduced Planterie in Indulge Food Hall, serving plant-based soups, appetisers, and healthy bowls complemented by proteins such as tempeh and tofu. The dishes we tried were fine, but nothing spectacular.
More to see
According to Bryan A. White, NCL’s vice president of entertainment production, the core of the brand’s entertainment strategy is – no surprise – listening to their guests. “We talked to our guests, we dined with them, collecting feedback to understand what they actually want in their entertainment experiences. The three big things that we’ve learned are: they want music that is easy to recognise; they want the artists that they know and love; and they want visual spectacle,” said White.
Revolution: The Celebration of Prince, produced by NCLH Creative Studios and award-winning director and choreographer Patti Wilcox, aims to be exactly that. Four lead vocalists and a troupe of dancers bring this headline production alive in the Aqua Theater, performing top hits from Prince, complete with colourful costumes and dazzling guitar solos. With the bottom theatre floor open to those who want to dance along, the show rocks the house with a high-energy performance.
Rumours, a concert featuring the 1977 hit album by Fleetwood Mac, intertwined with stories of the band members’ tumultuous relationships, has a new home on Aqua. It used to be performed in Syd Norman’s Pour House to a standing-room-only audience, but has been moved into the Aqua Theater to accommodate a larger audience – a wise move, in our opinion.
Elements: The World Expanded, a third headliner, is an enhanced version of an existing production on board other NCL vessels, featuring illusions, aerial acrobatics, music, and dance that celebrate the four elements. Additional entertainment options include The Improv at Sea comedy club and The Price Is Right LIVE.
More at sea
In line with the “More” concept, NCL also enhanced and renamed its Free at Sea pricing package to More at Sea. Citing guests’ and travel advisors’ requests to streamline the inclusions and terms, More at Sea now includes gratuities for the beverage and specialty dining packages, a wider range of premium beverage brands without a price cap, and additional specialty dining meals (and more courses per meal). Free Wi-Fi minutes are now allotted to each guest rather than each stateroom.
More to come
NCL does not stop here. Its next newbuild is Norwegian Luna, launching in 2026, which will be identical in size to Aqua. Two slightly larger ships will follow through 2028. NCL has also ordered an additional four-vessel class to be built by Fincantieri, with the first to arrive in 2030. These ships, slated to be approximately 220,000 grt and nearly 5,000 lower berths, will be the line’s largest.
With the increase in ship size, the line is gearing up to compete directly with the likes of Royal Caribbean and MSC Cruises, who continue to pump out heavy tonnage year after year. But instead of trying to be the biggest, NCL focuses on the experience it can deliver to its guests. “The cruise industry represents only about 3 per cent of the vacations that are taken. There’s enough business to go around,” said Herrera. “We’ll focus on what we do and deliver the best product that we can, which is why we created More at Sea, which is why we’re building these ships to have all of these different amazing venues. It’s why we invest in the shows; that’s why we invest in the food.”
From a cruise line that created the first private island experience, introduced the first specialty restaurant at sea, and pioneered Freestyle Cruising (open dining concept and casual dress code), all eyes will be on NCL for its future innovations.
