Norwegian Prima
- chiannhager
- Oct 14, 2024
- 7 min read
My 11-day Northern Europe: Iceland, Norway & Belgium Cruise on the Prima
First - This is a beautiful ship! Very elegant with many spaces to sit and relax quietly or join in the many louder and exciting activities.
We entered into the atrium on deck 6. The atrium is open from deck 6 to deck 8 with the option of stairways to each level or the elevator.
Atrium at deck 6 has the Penrose Bar
Atrium deck 7 has Starbucks
Atrium deck 8 has the Whiskey Bar
This area is also used for some games, dancing classes, and a band playing a variety of music. Pop, Country, Easy listening, 70's, ect...
I was in a Balcony stateroom on Deck 11 forward. The room was very spacious and even had a sofa to sit and relax. There were no issues at all with noise or movement while in the room. The bed was very comfortable, and I slept well every night. The bathroom and shower on this ship was larger than many I have been on. (Disney Cruise Line has two bathrooms which gives more room overall. However, for the one bathroom on the Prima it was large with a lot of shower space) Plenty of closet space and luggage storage under the bed.
The balcony had plenty of room for two people to sit and enjoy the beautiful landscape as we cruise through mountains and Glaciers. The two chairs were cushioned and very comfortable with a small table between them.
I personally LOVE having a balcony! Being able to watch out the window while on the open ocean and while pulling into ports. Watching the passageway through the mountains and the cities as we go into the ports.
Some people say, they only sleep in the room, so they stay in an inside because it costs less. However, being able to wake up in the morning to the sunrise or stand in the balcony before bed and see the moon shine on the water make the balcony more than worth it to me.
Variety of activates to suit everyone no matter what you are looking for.
There are a few bigger games, and they are played in the theater.
BINGO is of course always a highlight for many on a cruise including me! Two of the people I was actual won a couple games! You get the choice of playing one pack which has three cards, double pack that has 6 cards, or the triple pack that has 9 cards. The triple pack also comes with an NCL BINGO T-Shirt.
Deal or No Deal is also a fun game - You buy a card to play along. Each card has a number on the bottom, a random number is called, and that person goes to the front to play the game. You play along with them in your seat, using your own card. I saw one person that was on the stage end up winning .50! LOL He went all the way to the end with no deal. I have to admit, I would do the same. It's all for fun!
Price is Right - This was a unique game that I had never seen on a ship before. You had to reserve your spot to be able to attend and play. It worked the same as it does on TV. They call random people from the audience to go up front and play the game. My name wasn't called to go up front this time, but I really enjoyed being part of the audience and cheering everyone on! SO MUCH FUN!!
The Observation Deck is a quieter place where you can read, play cards, board games, have a drink, and watch the view off the back of the ship.
They offer a small breakfast bar in the morning and light snacks the rest of the day. Comfortable chairs and small tables near the windows and next to the bookshelves.
There are a couple different swimming pools to choose from. The pool deck on 17 has the main pool, two infinity hot tubs, and the Waves pool bar. It was chilly on my cruise being in Norway and Iceland. However, the pools are heated so it was very nice and comfortable being able to swim.
The Haven also has four hot tubs in the Vibe area for their personal use.
Deck 8 also has two smaller Infinity pools - one on each side - Starboard and Portside.
Of course there are always plenty of places to eat! From the buffet to the many specialty dining choices.
On this cruise, I ate at the buffet, the Local Bar and Grill, the two main restaurants Hudson's and The Commodore Room.
Specialty Dining at Cagney's Steakhouse and Hasuki (Japanese)
The Local Bar and Grill was great for a late-night snack (Wings, Fries, hot dogs)
The two main dining rooms are very nice and have a good variety menu. It is a nice time to sit relax and enjoy a good mean while being waited on by a wonderful staff. I personally liked the atmosphere of the Hudson better because of the larger windows. The Commodore has smaller circle port windows. The menu is the same in both restaurants, so it really does depend on your preference in atmosphere.
Specialty Dining - These are reservation only restaurants. You get a minimum of two specialty meals with the NCL Free at Sea promotion. More can be added at a special rate.
Cagney's Steakhouse has some of the best steak dinners I have had. I have reserved a specialty dinner in Cagney's on every Norwegian Cruise I have taken.
Hasuki - This is a fun restaurant with great interaction from the chef. Cooking front of you, singing songs, joking and playing tricks with the knives and food.
The food is always delicious, and I am not disappointed. I am not a seafood person, but I love the steak and chicken. Others with me enjoyed the shrimp with their steak.
The Casino is always a fun an active area on the ship. Plenty of blinking lights from the slot machines and cheering from the various tables. I am not a big gambler myself but do sometimes play a couple slot machines and I think it fun to watch the people playing at the tables.
The top deck has plenty of outside fun activities as well!
There is an actual racetrack on Decks 18, 19, & 20
$15 per person for a ride, or $199 for unlimited rides for the cruise. You can also pay an extra $5 to have the track to yourself for three laps at faster speeds.
Miniature Golf on Deck 18
There is a huge arcade called the "Galaxy Pavilion" on Deck 18
Play on (and on and on)! Purchase the Arcade Package and enjoy select arcade games for your entire cruise.
$25.00 USD per person per day - The package price is capped at a maximum of 7-night sailings.
Galaxy Pavilion Package - Immerse yourself in the virtual world of the Galaxy Pavilion. Guests can play select Galaxy Pavilion games for the duration of their current cruise. The Galaxy Pavilion Package includes access to all Galaxy games with white colored swipes. Speedway, Escape Rooms, Darts and Mini Golf are not included in this package and will be charged individually.
$29.00 USD per person per day
The package price is capped at a maximum of 7-night sailings.
Deck 18 also has The Stadium - Complimentary tabletop shuffleboard, pickleball, sub soccer, and beer pong guarantee a good time for all. Check out a few twists on classic games like ping pong and foosball.
There are also some huge and amazing water slides:
The Wave - Deck 19
TIP - See those pool chairs under the turn of the slide? DO NOT sit on those chairs! We learned the hard way! While sitting by the pool in the sun relaxing with a drink, a big splash came over the side of the slide and right on top of us. After the initial shock of figuring out what happened, it was pretty funny. However, we did immediately move our seats closer to the pool
There are three different dry slides on the Norwegian Prima cruise ship. But this one is the only dry drop slide in the world! They are huge slides on the side of the ship, but you won't be in water! They are dry slides, which means you sit on a rug and go down the slides.
The Rush: A pair of slides that allow guests to race to the bottom
Drop: A slide that begins with the floor dropping out from beneath your feet
Both slides start on Deck 18 and end at a landing area 10 decks below.
TIP - You will want to be careful when choosing your balcony stateroom:
If your room is near the slides, you will have an obstructed view
The slides go from Deck 18 down to Deck 8, so they take up the side of the ship.
"The Rush" dual racing slides are on the starboard side.
"The Drop" freefall slide, is located on the port side - The Drop slide is said to have the highest G-forces of any cruise line.
Syd Norman's Pour House - This is one of clubs on the Prima and four other NCL ships. Breakaway, Viva, Getaway, and Escape. The band that plays here is AWESOME! They do mostly 60's, 70's, 80's music from rock bands during those years. However, the highlight is the Fleetwood Mac Rumors show! They did an amazing job with the whole album, and they gave band history of what was going on while they were making Rumors.
There are many destinations you can take advantage of while cruising on the Prima, so I will definitely be sailing on her again.
Some of the NCL Prima destinations that you can take advantage of:
Bermuda - From British-style high tea to teeing it up on the greens, experience your island escape.
Caribbean Cruises - Turquoise water and white sands shimmer in The Caribbean. Experience the sublime colorful architecture of these breezy, tropical ports.
Greek Isles Cruises - Explore Greece as you stroll through sun-bleached, winding streets. Experience lively Santorini as you wander through its picturesque, winding streets.
Mediterranean Cruises - Travel through Italy while indulging in traditional flavors and admiring iconic landmarks. Discover Barcelona's unique Catalan identity while taking in its stunning architecture and delectable dining.
Northern Europe Cruises - Experience incredible history, famous landmarks and unique culture in grand style.
Transatlantic Cruises - Leisure days at sea, exciting moonlit nights, and nothing to distract from the journey ahead.
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