Cruise Spotlight
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Norwegian Viva vs Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady
The Norwegian Viva was built in 2023. It's 1 year older than the Brilliant Lady, which was built in 2024. This is an adults-only ship; all guests must be 18 or older. The exterior of the ship was was slightly tweaked so it can go through the Panama Canal, opening different itineraries compared to its sister ships.
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
- See Our Detailed Cruise Blog
Ship Size
The Viva is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 965 feet long and 133 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.7 football fields, as wide as 2.5 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 15-story building. Compared to the Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady, the Viva is 30% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Norwegian Viva holds 15% more passengers than the Brilliant 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 Viva has more space per person compared to the Brilliant 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 Viva | Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Prima | Lady |
| Gross Tonnage | 143,535 | 110,000 |
| Length | 965 | 912 |
| Beam/Width | 133 | 125 |
| Passenger Decks | 15 | 13 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 3,099 | 2,700 |
| Crew | 1,506 | 1,150 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.1 | 2.3 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 46 | 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 Viva has sixteen different dining options like Indulge Food Hall, Los Lobos, and Nama. Of those options, six are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other eleven options have an additional fee.
The Brilliant Lady has four fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are The Dock / The Dock House, The Galley, and The Pizza Place. Twelve of these restaurants are complementary.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Viva might be a better choice. It has 33% more dining options than the Brilliant Lady.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Brilliant Lady might be a better choice then the Viva. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Norwegian Viva | Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 16 | 12 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 6 | 12 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 11 | 0 |
| % of Included Options | 31% | 100% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Norwegian Viva has 4 fewer bars than the Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady. The Viva has 14 bars like Observation Lounge Bar, Proof Whiskey Bar and Syd Norman's Pourhouse. On Brilliant Lady, you can grab a drink at 18 different bars such as Gym & Tonic, Rojo's Bar and The Loose Cannon.
| Norwegian Viva | Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady |
|---|---|
| •Belvedere Bar • Improv at Sea • Luna Bar • Metropolitan Bar • Observation Lounge Bar • Penrose Bar • Proof Whiskey Bar • Soleil Bar • Starbucks • Syd Norman's Pourhouse • The Haven Bar • The Local Bar • Vibe Beach Club Bar • Waves Pool Bar | •Casino Bar • Draught Haus • Grounds Club • Gym & Tonic • Mezcal Bar • On The Rocks • Richard's Rooftop Bar • Rojo's 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 Viva and the Brilliant 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 Norwegian Viva 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 Brilliant Lady has fewer pools than the Viva and the same number of hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Brilliant 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 Viva | Virgin Voyages Brilliant 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 Viva. Only 53% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Brilliant Lady, 55% of the activities are included at no additional cost.
| Norwegian Viva | Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady | |
|---|---|---|
| Acrobatic Show | ✗ | ✓ |
| Adult Only Relaxation Area (extra fee) | ✓ | ✗ |
| Arcade | ✗ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cigar Lounge | ✓ | ✗ |
| Comedy Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dart Lounge | ✓ | ✗ |
| Escape Room | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Group Fitness | ✗ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✗ |
| Private Karaoke Rooms | ✗ | ✓ |
| Race Track | ✓ | ✗ |
| Salon | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✗ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✗ |
| Tattoo Studio | ✗ | ✓ |
| The Stadium Game Area | ✓ | ✗ |
| 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 Viva | Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $20.00 | $20.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 20% | Included |
| Soda Price | $3.50 | Included |
| Domestic Beer Price | $9.99 See drink menus | $8.00 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | 106 Learn more | No drink package available |
| Internet Plan | $29.99 - $39.99 per cabin per day, with $5 for each extra device | Basic Wi-fi is included. Premium is $30/day and Work from Sea is $50/day. |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
Norwegian Cruise Line offers a Free 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 Free 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.
We sailed aboard the Norwegian Viva
Follow along on our sailing on the Norwegian Viva. We take you through every aspect of our sailing, from getting to the port to debarking the ship. See the schedule of events, menus, what excursions we did, and what we really thought about the ship.
Norwegian Viva - Cruise Blog - Pre-cruise - Athens
Norwegian Viva - Cruise Blog - Day 1 - Athens
Norwegian Viva - Cruise Blog - Day 2 - Santorini
Norwegian Viva - Cruise Blog - Day 3 - Kusadasi
Norwegian Viva - Cruise Blog - Day 4 - Istanbul
Norwegian Viva - Cruise Blog - Day 5 - Mykonos
Norwegian Viva - Cruise Blog - Day 6 - Sea Day
Norwegian Viva - Cruise Blog - Day 7 - Messina
Norwegian Viva - Cruise Blog - Day 8 - Naples
Norwegian Viva - Cruise Blog - Day 9 - Florence
Norwegian Viva - Cruise Blog - Day 10 - Nice
Norwegian Viva - Cruise Blog - Day 11 - Rome
5 Hits and Misses on Norwegian Viva
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