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Norwegian Prima is the first in a new class of ship for Norwegian Cruise Line. After more than a week aboard the ship’s maiden voyage, Travel Market Report reports on our first impressions.
But what do your travel advisors think? What are the main features of the ship? What could be better? Who is the perfect customer for the ship?
We spoke to some of the consultants who were on board with us to get their first impressions of the ship.
Premium beauty
“I think the ship is absolutely, stunningly beautiful.” — Debra Barry Thune, franchise owner of Oregon-based Cruise Planners
“You get that heightened feeling from other ships. They’ve definitely taken that time to develop and practice the most sophisticated, and I say sophisticated and fun because they still have all the options that other ships are known for. But they’ve taken it to another level. I think they’re starting to appreciate that there’s quality and quantity. Liz Hein, Founder and CEO of LBAC Travel, a NEST member agency
“My first impression was that the ship was beautiful. I think they have gone a step beyond modern cruise lines in terms of decor and layout. That part was great. ” — Jeff Leach, owner of Omaha-based Dream Vacations
“It has a more premium feel… I love the color scheme… It’s definitely made to look and feel more like a luxury ship and make you forget you’re on a ship with over 3,000 passengers. A lot of thought went into it and I think they did a great job with it… My first impression is that it’s a beautiful ship and I really like it. I am excited to sell. – Janelle Griesinger, founder and president of JCO Travel, a member agency of TRAVELSAVERS
“The first thing I thought about as far as Norwegian is that he can definitely compete a little bit in a premium position like a celebrity.” — Trapper Martin, Dream Vacations franchise owner
Government departments
“That bathroom as far as the cabins go. Thank you Norwegian. I am very happy with the bathroom…the cabinet size is great. For me personally I haven’t had any issues with the storage but I can see that some people might have issues with the storage. – Let it be
“I thought they were in the top five or 10 percent by any standard…I thought they were pretty good. They have used every nook and cranny and inch to give guests as much space as possible. I was impressed with the bathroom. As someone who has to be very careful, fresh from surgery, I like how big the shower is, how easy it is to walk in there, and how much space I have to do everything I need to do in the bathroom with my feet.” – Leach
“I was pleased with the increased shower size and the overall size of the stateroom. There’s actually more room to put more drawers than there used to be. And those wire outlets in the closets were really tight. You have to be open all the way to use them. The storage in the bathroom was great. I love the way the beds are open at the bottom. It looks cleaner and you don’t have as much fabric as you know, who knows when it was last cleaned. – Martin
“I love the layout and design of government rooms. I think they put a lot of thought into the size and the bathroom, the position of the bed and the fact that the trundle beds are actually sofa beds and not just pull out like flaps. – Griesinger
Haven
“You’ve done a lot of things Haven-wise. They added more booths there, which is a big plus…the outdoor haven area and the indoor bar are huge. Basically the entire Haven population area has windows all around. They don’t have the Haven Observation Room like the Breakaway Room, but the public area is sort of an observation hall. There is no pool inside but there is a very large pool at the back. And they have two hot tubs on the top floor. – Martin
public places
“I really like a look like Sid Norman’s Poor House, I like the look of the Improv. I think they are a little too small. But I love them so much. It’s like you’re sitting there in a comedy club and it’s like you’re in a little bar. If you took someone who didn’t think they liked sailing and put them in one of those places, they wouldn’t even know they were on a cruise ship. – Leach
Ocean Boulevard
“I thought the outdoor spaces were amazing. For hot itineraries, the outdoor spaces are going to be very popular.”
“The infinity pools and everything around them had a very, very special and very luxurious look.” – Leach
“When you walk around on Deck 8, the amount of space people are allowed to spread out with those two good-sized infinity pools is amazing.” – Martin
“I love that they added the beds outside of the norm. It’s not part of Haven, not part of Vibe, but there are some Bali beds that have a water feature to put your feet in. I like that.” – Griesinger
Dining
“I thought the dining room food was average for a Norwegian…we only got to eat at a few of the special restaurants, but we got to see them all and I thought they did a really nice job. – Smart with all this. The food at both specialty restaurants we were at was amazing. Cagney is probably the best steak I’ve had at sea in a long time.” – Martin
“We were in Italy and it was amazing. I’d put it right up there with the Italian food I had in NYC. The pizza was amazing. The pasta was amazing. Every bit was an elevated dining experience. ” – Griesinger
Food hall importer
“Indulge Food Hall was very popular. We ate spaetzle over noodles. Now we were eating Spatzel in Germany and I think that was better than Spatzel in Germany. It was delicious.” – Be
“Indulge Food Hall is really unique and amazing and the service was very, very fast.” – Martin
“I am obsessed with indulgence. I could eat tuna tostadas all day…I’m anxious to hear how fast the food delivery continues. It starts showing up on your table within seconds of actually ordering, which is amazing for those trying to throw something together before going on a picnic, or for those who have kids and need to feed now. – Griesinger
Favorite places
More intimate spaces like the Belvedere Bar. Definitely a food hall. – Martin
“I like the stadium because it puts beer pong on a boat. And netball. That was a favorite.” – Thune
The entertainment
“I loved, loved, loved Donna’s Summer Show. I think this is one of the best shows on a cruise ever, ever, ever. – Let it be
“We really enjoyed Donna Summer’s show and it would be great if the Noise Boys were like a human choir.” – Leach
“The fun is amazing. They do an amazing job. I love how creative it is by inviting the small VIP room on the seventh floor to the stage and transitioning into a nightclub. I think that’s a wonderful way, because how many times do you walk out of a show and be like, ‘Okay, what do we do now?’ Because you are.” – Hen
Weaknesses
“I wish the meeting places were bigger, bars. There aren’t many places where you can accommodate more people. – Let it be
“There are things that I know my upper-end premium customers miss, like the lack of coats and lotions and little things like that. Like you can get in a hot tub and if you’re cold in Europe, you’ll need your robe…I’m sorry I lost the drawer and the cabinet for nothing. [in the staterooms]He said. – Griesinger
“Some places are a little bit smaller than what guests are used to…especially The Local, with the walkway down the middle, I don’t think that’s a good idea. Especially for those who have been on the Breakaway, Getaway and other ships and used to the old Oshehans layout, huge and actually more of a sports bar, a fun atmosphere that this local lacks. – Leach
“The main buffet areas are way, way smaller, which is fine until then. [Indulge Food Hall] Supplement remains. I think it will be a balance between the two. But word on the street is that it could be converted into a nominal fee restaurant to ease overcrowding there. That makes the buffet area even more crowded. – Martin
An unchanging dining room menu
“I’m not disappointed at all. I tried many foods. I think we eat in the main dining room almost every night and I still have items on the menu that I didn’t order. – Let it be
It will be something you have to prepare the customers for… I think there is enough specialty food that people will be okay with on a menu… [NCL] They are selling to the upper end of the modern cruise market and those people in the upper end of the modern cruise market will spend the extra on specialty food. ” – Leach
“I can’t imagine people will be happy with it… I think the biggest key will really be whether or not they can maintain the food court complement. – Martin
“There are enough. [choices] As long as your tongue is open to all kinds of food. – Hen
“Because we were limited. [with specialty dining] I was definitely anxious to get off the ship and go somewhere with a restaurant. I’m at the point where I don’t want that anymore… I’m going to push the dining package… I think setting expectations will be something we have to discuss. If they don’t, it can lead to some frustration and change their perception of their entire experience. – Griesinger
“We recommend the special dining and I think they’ll jump on it.” – Brian Hein, Founder and CFO of LBAC Travel, a NEST member agency
Preparing customers for Prima
“The biggest thing is the storage in the rooms, you have to tell them to bring those hanging bags where you can store things. And prepare people for the menu in the main dining room. – Be
“It is a discussion that there are areas that need to be more closely related. It will basically explain what the concept is. I would definitely say that I would make sure to participate in pre-planning more than I do now. [dining] Advance reservations…I think there should definitely be more dining planned for this…adding the extra special meal is something I would encourage as there are so many options. I mean, you can have a special meal every night. “- Martin
“It’s all about setting expectations. And that’s what we’re here for, to make sure you know exactly what to expect when you go out and the best options available. – Liz Henn.
Choosing clients for Prima
“I think the target customer will be typically someone who is middle of the road, willing to spend a little more for a better experience. I can’t say I can put the luxury here and they’ll be happy, but those looking for a higher level of my mid-class… For a solid Norwegian ship, this is going to feel like an upgrade. – Griesinger
“I think this is a step in the right direction for the premium market, but I agree that for the premium experience it will definitely be a little more middle of the road.” – Liz Henn.
“It attracts the current yacht market and they are the upper end [travel advisors] It is necessary to know. And keep in mind that you’re not necessarily selling this to someone who wants to be on a new boat… with a multi-generational family. There’s a limited amount of things kids can do, especially if they’re little kids because slides, virtual reality games, they’re all geared toward older kids. – Leach
“I think our Norwegian sailors, especially, like our topsides. Like the people on board, they love the extra perks. – Brian Hein.
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