Cruise Spotlight
Helping you find cruise ships you'll love
All about the Norwegian Prima
The Norwegian Prima was 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
- Ship and Passengers
- Food and Restaurants
- Bars and Drinks
- Pools and Hot Tubs
- Ship Features and Activities
- Cruise Costs
- Onboard Costs
- See Our Detailed Cruise Blog
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 | |
|---|---|
| Class | Prima |
| Gross Tonnage | 143,535 |
| Length | 965 |
| Beam/Width | 133 |
| Passenger Decks | 15 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 3,099 |
| Crew | 1,506 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.1 |
| 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 seventeen different dining options to choose from. Of those options, six are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other eleven options have an additional fee. Some of those options are a set price and some have a la carte menu pricing. Only 35% of the dining options are included meaning you might spend more while on the ship due to the additional fees.
| Restaurant | Restaurant Type | Type of Food | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Included | |||
| Hudsons | Sit down | American | |
| Indulge Food Hall | Sit down | Food Hall | |
| Surfside Cafe | Quick serve | Buffet | |
| Surfside Grill | Quick serve | Burgers | |
| The Commodore Room | Sit down | American | |
| The Local | Sit down | American | |
| A la carte | |||
| Coco's | Quick serve | Dessert | |
| Starbucks | Quick serve | Coffee | |
| Flat fee | |||
| Cagney's Steakhouse | Sit down | Steakhouse | |
| Food Republic | Sit down | Asian Fusion | |
| Hasuki | Sit down | Japanese | |
| Le Bistro French | Sit down | French | |
| Los Lobos | Sit down | Mexican | |
| Nama | Sit down | Sushi | |
| Onda by Scarpetta | Sit down | Italian | |
| Palomar | Sit down | Mediterranean | |
| Exclusive (open to select guests only) | |||
| The Haven | Sit down | American | |
Norwegian Prima Bars and Drinks
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.
| Bar | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| Belvedere Bar | Deck 6 Mid | See Menu |
| Improv at Sea | Deck 7 Mid | |
| Luna Bar | Deck 8 Aft | See Menu |
| Metropolitan Bar | Deck 7 Aft | See Menu |
| Observation Lounge Bar | Deck 17 Forward | See Menu |
| Penrose Bar | Deck 6 Mid | See Menu |
| Proof Whiskey Bar | Deck 8 Mid | See Menu |
| Soleil Bar | Deck 8 Aft | See Menu |
| Speedway Bar | Deck 18 Aft | See Menu |
| Starbucks | Deck 7 Mid | See Menu |
| Syd Norman's Pourhouse | Deck 7 Mid | |
| The Haven Bar* | Deck 16 Aft | See Menu |
| The Local Bar | Deck 8 Aft | See Menu |
| Vibe Beach Club Bar* | Deck 17 Aft | See Menu |
| Waves Pool Bar | Deck 17 Mid | See Menu |
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
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 four pools and six hot tubs. One of the pools and four 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 Pools | 4 |
| - Pools - General Access | 3 |
| - Pools - Adults Only | |
| - Pools - Exclusive | 1 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 6 |
| - Hot Tubs - General Access | 2 |
| - Hot Tubs - Adults Only | |
| - Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 4 |
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 |
| Casino | A la carte |
| Cigar Lounge | Included |
| Comedy Club | Included |
| Dart Lounge | A la carte |
| Escape Room | Flat fee |
| Fitness Center | Included |
| Golf Simulator | A la carte |
| Mini golf | Included |
| Race Track | A la carte |
| Shows - musical review | Included |
| Spa | A la carte |
| Splash park | Included |
| Thermal Suites | Flat fee |
| Thrill Slide | Included |
| Virtual Arcade | A la carte |
| Water slides | Included |
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 & services | 20% |
| Soda Price | $3.50 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $7.50 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | 106 Learn more |
| Internet Plan | $29.99 - $39.99 per cabin per day, with $5 for each extra device |
| *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.
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
Want to Stay Up-To-Date on All Things Cruising?
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, or subscribe to our monthly newsletter.
Articles Related to This Ship
Compare the Prima to Another Ship
First ship:
Second ship:
About Cruise Spotlight
Founded in 2020, Cruise Spotlight's goal is to help people understand every aspect of cruising. Plenty of sites focus on the perfect Instagram pictures and marketing fluff. We focus on what really matters: onboard expenses, tips for cruise ships, detailed cruise reviews, and more. Our goal is to provide helpful, unbiased information to new and established cruisers. Over the years, we've helped millions of people get the most from their cruise vacation.
Learn more about Cruise Spotlight.