Norwegian Bella Revealed: NCL’s Final Prima Class Ship to Debut in Europe in 2028
Norwegian Cruise Line just announced that its sixth and final Prima Class ship will be named Norwegian Bella. The name continues the Italian-inspired naming tradition of the Prima Class, fitting since these are the cruise line’s first ships built in Italy. The new ship is scheduled to debut in May 2028, spending its inaugural season sailing the Mediterranean. Let’s see what we know about this new ship.
Twin Sister Ship to Norwegian Aura
Norwegian’s Prima Class consists of six ships: Norwegian Prima, Norwegian Viva, Norwegian Aqua, Norwegian Luna, Norwegian Aura, and now Norwegian Bella.
The ships have been designed in pairs, with each pair bringing something new to the table. The original ships, Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva, were nearly identical. Then came Norwegian Aqua and Norwegian Luna, which were approximately 10% larger than the original ships, with different top-deck attractions and some restaurants and bars moved to new locations.
Norwegian Aura and Norwegian Bella will continue that trend. These twin sister ships will be another 10% larger than Aqua and Luna, making them the largest ships in Norwegian’s fleet.
Norwegian Bella Shares Most Features with Aura
Norwegian’s announcement of Bella was pretty light on new details, mostly rehashing information we’ve already learned about its sister ship, Aura. That’s not surprising, since the two ships will be nearly identical.
Like Aura, Bella will be one of the largest ships in Norwegian’s fleet, coming in at 1,129 feet long and approximately 170,000 gross tons. It’ll hold 3,921 guests at double occupancy.
One thing that will make Bella look different is its hull artwork. The colorful design was created by Australian muralist George Rose, who is known for her botanical-inspired artwork.
Ocean Heights Top Deck Attraction
There’s no racetrack or Aqua SlideCoaster on Bella. Like Aura, it’ll feature Ocean Heights as its primary top-deck attraction. This three-story, open-air complex includes a ropes course, carnival-style games, mini-golf, the Moon Climber adventure course, and four waterslides.
Thrill seekers will have a few options, including Eclipse Racers, a pair of dueling mat-racing slides, and Bella Free Fall, which starts with the floor dropping out from under riders. There’s also The Wave, a family raft slide that accommodates up to four people. The 10-story Drop dry slide also returns.
There will also be two additional kid-friendly waterslides near the redesigned splash pad, bringing the ship’s total to six waterslides.
At night, Ocean Heights will transform into a colorful outdoor space with immersive lighting and LED projections.
Ocean Boulevard Returns
The beautiful, wraparound exterior promenade deck has been a main feature on every Prima Class ship, but it’s been enhanced on Bella.
The deck will feature an expanded Infinity Beach area with infinity pools, hot tubs, additional seating, and an outdoor bar. It’s a great spot to relax and take in the ocean views.
Like on Aura, it will also feature three new play areas for different age groups. Little Explorers’ Cay is at the front of the ship, with a dry playground and playhouse with two slides for kids ages 2 to 6. Adventure Alley replaces part of La Terrazza on previous ships and features crawl spaces and twisting tunnels for kids ages 6 to 10. Teens will also have a dedicated space at Surf’s Bay, with places to hang out and a surf-themed photo wall.
Expanded Pool Deck
The pool deck on Bella is also getting a much-needed upgrade. According to Norwegian’s press release, it’ll be over 15% larger than those on Aqua and Luna, with additional seating and another infinity hot tub.
Interestingly, Norwegian’s January 2026 press release for Aura said the pool deck would be over 20% larger. It’s unclear why Norwegian is using a different figure for Bella, especially since the ships have nearly identical designs.
The space will also feature a larger LED screen and more open lounge areas, making it one of the largest pool decks in Norwegian’s fleet.
Norwegian Bella Will Spend Its Inaugural Season in the Mediterranean
Norwegian also opened Bella’s first sailings for sale. Unlike Aura, which will spend its first summer sailing the Caribbean from Miami, Bella will spend its inaugural season in Europe. The ship’s inaugural voyage is scheduled for May 2, 2028, with a five-night sailing from Malta to Barcelona.
Starting in May 2028, the ship is scheduled to offer seven-night round-trip sailings from Barcelona. Depending on the itinerary, guests can visit Rome, Florence/Pisa, Marseille, Palma de Mallorca, and the Amalfi Coast, among other destinations.
Bella is scheduled to stay in the Mediterranean through October 2028.
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