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Norwegian Aqua vs Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady
The Norwegian Aqua is still being built and will debut in 2025. The Norwegian Aqua will be the 20th ship in the NCL fleet and will debut in March 2025. The Aqua is still under construction and Norwegian hasn't released all the details yet. It's 3 years newer than the Valiant Lady, which was built in 2022. This is an adults-only ship; all guests must be 18 or older.
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 Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady, the Aqua is 42% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Norwegian Aqua holds 32% more passengers than the Valiant Lady 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 Valiant Lady. 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 | Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Prima Plus | Lady |
| Gross Tonnage | 156,300 | 110,000 |
| Length | 1,056 | 912 |
| Beam/Width | 133 | 125 |
| Passenger Decks | 15 | 13 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 3,571 | 2,700 |
| Crew | 1,388 | 1,150 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.6 | 2.3 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 44 | 41 |
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 17 different dining options like Cagney's Steakhouse, The Commodore Room, and Indulge Food Hall. Of those options, 6 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 11 options have an additional fee.
The Valiant Lady has 5 fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Pink Agave, The Pizza Place, and Lick Me Til Ice Cream. 12 of these restaurants are complementary.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Aqua might be a better choice. It has 42% more dining options than the Valiant Lady.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Valiant Lady might be a better choice then the Aqua. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Norwegian Aqua | Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 17 | 12 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 6 | 12 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 11 | 0 |
| % of Included Options | 35% | 100% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Norwegian Aqua has 2 fewer bars than the Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady. The Aqua has 16 bars like Luna Bar, Swirl Wine Bar and Syd Norman's Pourhouse. On Aqua, you can grab a drink at 18 different bars such as Casino Bar, The Aquatic Club Bar and The Manor.
| Norwegian Aqua | Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady |
|---|---|
| •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 | •Casino Bar • Draught Haus • Grounds Club • Gym & Tonic • Mezcal Bar • On The Rocks • Red Bar • Richard's Rooftop Bar • Sip Lounge • Sun Club Bar • The Aquatic Club Bar • The Athletic Club Bar • The Dock Bar • The Dock House Bar • The Grounds Club Too • The Loose Cannon • The Manor • The Social Club |
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 Valiant Lady 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 problem is that with thousands of people on a ship, there's not always room. If you want to spend all day for 7 days in a pool, a cruise isn't for you. 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 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.
Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady has fewer pools than the Aqua and the same number of hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Valiant Lady. If you like ships without extra charges or exclusive areas, this might be a better choice since everyone will have access to these areas.
| Norwegian Aqua | Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 4 | 2 |
| Pools - General Access | 3 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | ||
| Pools - Exclusive | 1 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 6 | 6 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 2 | 4 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | ||
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 4 | 2 |
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 Valiant Lady, 55% of the activities are included at no additional cost.
| Norwegian Aqua | Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady | |
|---|---|---|
| Acrobatic Show | ✗ | ✓ |
| Adult Only Relaxation Area (extra fee) | ✓ | ✗ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cigar Lounge | ✓ | ✗ |
| Comedy Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dart Lounge | ✓ | ✗ |
| Escape Room | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Group Fitness | ✗ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✗ | ✓ |
| Private Karaoke Rooms | ✗ | ✓ |
| Salon | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✗ |
| Slidecoaster | ✓ | ✗ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✗ |
| Tattoo Studio | ✗ | ✓ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✓ |
| Thrill Slide | ✓ | ✗ |
| Virtual Arcade | ✓ | ✗ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✗ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Norwegian is considered 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.
Virgin Voyages, on the other hand, is a premium cruise line. Premium cruise lines typically offer upscale food, accommodations, and service. These typically cost about $150 - $400 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. To get a good idea of how the pricing compares, visit the cruise line's website to price out the separate cruises or consult a travel professional.
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 | Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $20.00 | Included |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 20% | Included |
| Soda Price | $3.50 | Included |
| Domestic Beer Price | $7.00 See drink menus | $8.00 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $109 Learn more | No drink package available |
| Internet Plan | $29.99 - $39.99 per cabin per day, with $5 for each extra device | Base level is Included. For "premium" speeds, it's around $10 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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