Cruise Spotlight
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Norwegian Aqua vs MSC Seashore
The Norwegian Aqua is a fairly new ship, being built in 2025. The Norwegian Aqua is the 20th ship in the NCL fleet. It's nearly identical to its sister ship which will debut in 2026, the Luna. It's 4 years newer than the Seashore, which was built in 2021. The MSC Seashore has a New York City-inspired aesthetic complete with a 10-foot-fall replica of the Statue of Liberty at the heart of the casino and shopping area called Times Square.
Comparison Overview
- Ship Size
- Number of Passengers
- Food and Restaurants
- Bars and Drinks
- Pools and Hot Tubs
- Ship Features and Activities
- Cruise Costs
- Onboard Costs
Ship Size
The Aqua is considered a large size ship. Coming in at 1,056 feet long and 133 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.9 football fields, as wide as 2.5 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 15-story building. Compared to the MSC Seashore, the Aqua is 8% smaller in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Norwegian Aqua holds 37% fewer passengers than the Seashore based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you compare the total tonnage of the ship to the number of passengers, or what we call the "Space Ratio," the Aqua has more space per person compared to the Seashore. This means that you might have a bit more space to yourself on the ship, although there still could be some crowded areas like buffets, pools, etc.
| Norwegian Aqua | MSC Seashore | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Prima Plus | Seaside EVO |
| Gross Tonnage | 156,300 | 169,400 |
| Length | 1,056 | 1,060 |
| Beam/Width | 133 | 135 |
| Passenger Decks | 15 | 15 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 3,571 | 5,632 |
| Crew | 1,388 | 1,648 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.6 | 3.4 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 44 | 30 |
Food and Restaurants
Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.
The Aqua has sixteen different dining options like Palomar, Sukhothai, and Le Bistro French. Of those options, six are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other eleven options have an additional fee.
The Seashore has five fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Kaito Sushi Bar, Marketplace Buffet, and Ocean Cay Restaurant. seven of these restaurants are complementary and the other nine have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Aqua might be a better choice. It has 45% more dining options than the Seashore.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Aqua might be a better choice then the Seashore. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Norwegian Aqua | MSC Seashore | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 16 | 11 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 6 | 7 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 11 | 9 |
| % of Included Options | 31% | 18% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Norwegian Aqua has 3 fewer bars than the MSC Seashore. The Aqua has 16 bars like Belvedere Bar, Metropolitan Bar and Waves Pool Bar. On Aqua, you can grab a drink at 19 different bars such as Brooklyn Cafe, Infinity Bar and Long Island Bar.
| Norwegian Aqua | MSC Seashore |
|---|---|
| •Belvedere Bar • Improv at Sea • Luna Bar • Metropolitan Bar • Observation Lounge Bar • Penrose Bar • Proof Whiskey Bar • Soleil Bar • Starbucks • Swirl Wine Bar • Syd Norman's Pourhouse • The Haven Bar • The Local Bar • The Bull's Eye Bar • Vibe Beach Club Bar • Waves Pool Bar | •Aurea Bar • Brooklyn Cafe • Casino Bar • Champagne Bar • Chef's Court Cocktail Bar • Horizon Bar • Infinity Bar • Jungle Pool Beach Bar • Le Cabaret Rouge • Long Island Bar • MSC Yacht Club Grill & Bar • Seashore Bar • Shine Bar • Sky Bar • Sports Bar • The Uptown Lounge • The Wine Cellar • Top Sail Lounge • Venchi 1878 Chocolate Bar |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship.
You can check out recent the bar menus for the Aqua and the Seashore below.
Pools and Hot Tubs
Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The Norwegian Aqua has a total of 4 pools and 6 hot tubs. 1 of the pools and 4 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.
MSC Seashore has more pools than the Aqua and more hot tubs.
| Norwegian Aqua | MSC Seashore | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 4 | 5 |
| Pools - General Access | 3 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | |
| Pools - Exclusive | 1 | 2 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 6 | 15 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 2 | 12 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | ||
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 4 | 3 |
Ship Features and Activities
Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. You might up paying more while on board the Aqua. Only 53% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Seashore, 54% of the activities are included at no additional cost.
| Norwegian Aqua | MSC Seashore | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area (extra fee) | ✓ | ✗ |
| Adventure Trail | ✗ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cigar Lounge | ✓ | ✗ |
| Comedy Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dart Lounge | ✓ | ✗ |
| Escape Room | ✓ | ✗ |
| F1 Simulator | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Glass Bridge | ✗ | ✓ |
| Interactive XD Cinema | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✗ |
| Slidecoaster | ✓ | ✗ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✓ |
| Theater | ✗ | ✓ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✓ |
| Thrill Slide | ✓ | ✗ |
| Virtual Arcade | ✓ | ✗ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✓ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Norwegian and MSC are both considered "Mainstream" cruise lines. 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 Aqua will likely be more expensive than on MSC Seashore.
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 compare onboard prices to see if you might spend more on a specific ship.
| Norwegian Aqua | MSC Seashore | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $20.00 | $16.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 20% | 18% |
| Soda Price | $3.50 | |
| Domestic Beer Price | $7.50 See drink menus | See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | 106 Learn more | $46 - $85 |
| Internet Plan | $29.99 - $39.99 per cabin per day, with $5 for each extra device | $17 - $27 per device per day |
| *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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