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All about the Norwegian Aura
The Norwegian Aura is a fairly new ship, being built in 2027. It's considered a large size ship. Coming in at 1,130 ft long and 133 ft wide, it's roughly the length of 3.1 football fields, as wide as 2.5 tractor trailers, and the same height as a 15-story building. The Norwegian Aura is the 21th ship in the NCL fleet and their largest ship yet. It's an evolution of the Prima Class design with 20% more space than the Prima and all new attractions.
Norwegian Aura Overview
- Ship and Passengers
- Food and Restaurants
- Bars and Drinks
- Pools and Hot Tubs
- Ship Features and Activities
- Cruise Costs
- Onboard Costs
Norwegian Aura Size and Passengers
The Aura can hold 3,952 based on double occupancy (two people per room) and more when you take into account 3rd and 4th passengers. When you compare the total tonnage of the ship to the number of passengers, the Aura has a space ratio of 44. Depending on the ship, this number can range from 30 to 52 (with a bigger number meaning more space per person) so this ship's space-to-person ratio is about average.
| Norwegian Aura | |
|---|---|
| Class | Prima Plus |
| Gross Tonnage | 172,000 |
| Length | 1,130 |
| Beam/Width | 133 |
| Passenger Decks | 15 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 3,952 |
| Crew | 1,388 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.6 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 44 |
Norwegian Aura Space Ratio
30
44
52
The Aura is one of two Prima Plus Class ships currently sailing with Norwegian. The Prima Plus-class ships are 10% larger than Norwegian's Prima and Viva, but still smaller than Norwegian’s Breakaway-plus-class of ships. They have more outdoor space than any other Norwegian cruise ship with an expansive Ocean Boulevard wrapping around the ship. The ships also feature the popular Indulge Food Hall, a 10-story dry thrill slide, and a hybrid roller coaster / waterslide. The Aura is very similar to its sister-ships; Aqua and Luna, although each ship may have some differences.
Norwegian Aura Food and Restaurants
Food is a big part of any cruise, and there will plenty on the Norwegian Aura. You have sixteen different dining options to choose from. Of those options, six are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other ten options have an additional fee. Some of those options are a set price and some have a la carte menu pricing. Only 38% of the dining options are included meaning you might spend more while on the ship due to the additional fees.
| Restaurant | Restaurant Type | Type of Food | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Included | |||
| Hudsons | Sit down | American | |
| Indulge Food Hall | Sit down | Food Hall | |
| Surfside Cafe | Quick serve | Buffet | |
| Surfside Grill | Quick serve | Burgers | |
| The Commodore Room | Sit down | American | |
| The Local | Sit down | American | |
| A la carte | |||
| Starbucks | Quick serve | Coffee | |
| Flat fee | |||
| Cagney's Steakhouse | Sit down | Steakhouse | |
| Hasuki | Sit down | Japanese | |
| Le Bistro French | Sit down | French | |
| Los Lobos | Sit down | Mexican | |
| Nama | Sit down | Sushi | |
| Onda by Scarpetta | Sit down | Italian | |
| Palomar | Sit down | Mediterranean | |
| Sukhothai | Sit down | Thai | |
| Exclusive (open to select guests only) | |||
| The Haven | Sit down | American | |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Norwegian serves the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship.
There are also plenty of bars available on this ship. You can check outrecent bar menus for the Aura below.
Pools and Hot Tubs on Norwegian Aura
Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The problem is that with thousands of people on a ship, there's not always room. If you want to spend all day in a pool, a cruise might not be the right choice. You would have a much better bet choosing a resort with a huge pool complex. That being said, a quick dip in the pool can be nice on a hot day.
The Norwegian Aura has a total of four pools and nine hot tubs. One of the pools and four of the hot tubs are exclusive access, which means there's either an extra charge to access them or you need to book a certain class of cabin to have access to them.
| Norwegian Aura | |
|---|---|
| Total Pools | 4 |
| - Pools - General Access | 3 |
| - Pools - Adults Only | |
| - Pools - Exclusive | 1 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 9 |
| - Hot Tubs - General Access | 5 |
| - Hot Tubs - Adults Only | |
| - Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 4 |
Norwegian Aura Features and Activities
There are quite a few things to do on the Aura. These are the main amenities that are available. Some are included in the cost of the cruise, while others have an additional charge.
| Norwegian Aura | |
|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area (extra fee) | Flat fee |
| Arcade | A la carte |
| Casino | A la carte |
| Cigar Lounge | Included |
| Climbing Wall | Included |
| Comedy Club | Included |
| Fitness Center | Included |
| Horizon Park | Included |
| Kid's Play Area | Included |
| Ropes course | Included |
| Shows - musical review | Included |
| Spa | A la carte |
| Splash park | Included |
| Thermal Suites | Flat fee |
| Thrill Slide | Included |
| Virtual Arcade | A la carte |
| Water slides | Included |
Cruise Costs
Norwegian is a mainstream cruise line. Mainstream cruise lines cater to a variety of guests, hoping to provide something for everyone. These typically cost about $100 - $350 per person per day.
Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. Typically newer ships cost more, so a cruise on Norwegian Aura will likely cost more than other ships in the fleet.
Norwegian Aura Onboard Costs
Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.
Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.
The table below will help you understand what you might spend onboard a Norwegian ship.
| Norwegian | |
|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $20.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 20% |
| Soda Price | $3.50 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $7.50 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | 106 Learn more |
| Internet Plan | $29.99 - $39.99 per cabin per day, with $5 for each extra device |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | |
Norwegian Cruise Line offers a More at Sea fare. Through this program, guests receive open bar, a discount on excursions, some free internet, and some meals at specialty restaurants. If you book using this promotion, you'll be responsible for the gratuities on the dining and drink package. If you won't be using these options, booking a "sail away" rate that doesn't include the More at Sea benefits is considerably cheaper. Also, most of these benefits are the base packages; you can spend more to upgrade to better alcoholic drinks or faster/more wifi.
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