All about the Norwegian Prima

Norwegian Prima cruise ship
Norwegian Prima

The Norwegian Prima is a fairly new ship, being built in 2022. It's considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 965 ft long and 133 ft 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. The Prima is the first of six in a brand-new class of ship.

Norwegian Prima Overview

Norwegian Prima Size and Passengers

The Prima can hold 3,099 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 Prima has a space ratio of 46. Depending on the ship, this number can range from 30 to 52 (with a bigger number meaning more space per person) so this ship has more space per person than average.



Norwegian
Prima
ClassPrima
Gross Tonnage143,535
Length965
Beam/Width133
Passenger Decks15
Passengers (double occupancy)3,099
Crew1,506
Passenger to Crew Ratio2.1
Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger)46
Norwegian Prima Space Ratio
30 46 52

The Prima is one of two Prima-class ships currently sailing with Norwegian. The Prima-class ships are smaller than Norwegian’s Breakaway-plus-class of ships. They have an expansive Ocean Boulevard that wraps around the ship with pools and restaurants. The ships also feature the popular Indulge Food Hall and a 10-story dry thrill slide. The Prima is very similar to its sister-ships; Viva, although each ship may have some differences.


Norwegian Prima Food and Restaurants

Food is a big part of any cruise, and there will plenty on the Norwegian Prima. You have 17 different dining options to choose from. Of those options, 6 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 11 options have an additional fee. Some of those options are a set price and some have a la cart menu pricing. Only 35% of the dining options are included meaning you might spend more while on the ship due to the additional fees.

RestaurantRestaurant TypeCostType of Food
Cagney's SteakhouseSit downA la cartSteakhouse
Coco'sQuick serveA la cartDessert
Food RepublicSit downA la cartAsian Fusion
HasukiSit downFlat feeJapanese
HudsonsSit downIncludedAmerican
Indulge Food HallSit downIncludedFood Hall
Le Bistro FrenchSit downA la cartFrench
Los LobosSit downA la cartMexican
NamaSit downA la cartSushi
Onda by ScarpettaSit downA la cartItalian
PalomarSit downA la cartMediterranean
StarbucksQuick serveA la cartCoffee
Surfside CafeQuick serveIncludedBuffet
Surfside GrillQuick serveIncludedBurgers
The Commodore RoomSit downIncludedAmerican
The HavenSit downExclusiveAmerican
The LocalSit downIncludedAmerican

Norwegian Prima Bars and Drinks

The Local Bar on the Norwegian Prima
The Local Bar on the Norwegian Prima

Norwegian Prima has 13 different bars and lounges where you can enjoy a beer or cocktail. It also has 2 other bars that are available for select guests.

BarLocation
Belvedere BarDeck 6 MidSee Menu
Improv at SeaDeck 7 Mid
Luna BarDeck 8 AftSee Menu
Metropolitan BarDeck 7 AftSee Menu
Observation Lounge BarDeck 17 ForwardSee Menu
Penrose BarDeck 6 MidSee Menu
Proof Whiskey BarDeck 8 MidSee Menu
Soleil BarDeck 8 AftSee Menu
Speedway BarDeck 18 AftSee Menu
StarbucksDeck 7 MidSee Menu
Syd Norman's PourhouseDeck 7 Mid
The Haven Bar*Deck 16 AftSee Menu
The Local BarDeck 8 AftSee Menu
Vibe Beach Club Bar*Deck 17 AftSee Menu
Waves Pool BarDeck 17 MidSee Menu
* = this bar is exclusive and not open to everyone.

Alcohol is not included in the base price of this cruise ship. To see if you would save money with a drink package, try our Drink Package Calculator.

Norwegian also serves the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship.

Pools and Hot Tubs on Norwegian Prima

The main pool on the Norwegian Prima
The main pool on the Norwegian Prima

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 Prima 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.

Norwegian
Prima
Total Pools4
- Pools - General Access3
- Pools - Adults Only
- Pools - Exclusive1
Total Hot Tubs6
- Hot Tubs - General Access2
- Hot Tubs - Adults Only
- Hot Tubs - Exclusive4


Norwegian Prima Features and Activities

There are quite a few things to do on the Prima. These are the main amenities that are available. Some are included in the cost of the cruise, while others have an additional charge.

Norwegian
Prima
Adult Only Relaxation Area (extra fee)Flat fee
CasinoA la cart
Cigar LoungeIncluded
Comedy ClubIncluded
Dart LoungeA la cart
Escape RoomFlat fee
Fitness CenterIncluded
Golf SimulatorA la cart
Mini golfIncluded
Race TrackA la cart
Shows - musical reviewIncluded
SpaA la cart
Splash parkIncluded
Thermal SuitesFlat fee
Thrill SlideIncluded
Virtual ArcadeA la cart
Water slidesIncluded

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.

Norwegian Prima 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 & services20%
Soda Price$3.50
Domestic Beer Price$7.00
See drink menus
Drink Package Price$109
Learn more
Internet Plan$29.99 - $39.99 per device per 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 free open bar, a discount on excursions, some free internet, and some meals at their 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 Prima

Follow along on our sailing on the Norwegian Prima. 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 Prima - Cruise Blog - Day 1 - NYC

Norwegian Prima - Cruise Blog - Day 2 - Sea Day

Norwegian Prima - Cruise Blog - Day 3 - Halifax

Norwegian Prima - Cruise Blog - Day 4 - Final Sea Day

5 Hits and Misses on the Norwegian Prima

Norwegian Prima Bar Menus

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