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All about the Norwegian Viva
The Norwegian Viva is a fairly new ship, being built in 2023. 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.
Norwegian Viva 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 Viva Size and Passengers
The Viva 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 Viva 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 Viva | |
|---|---|
| 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 Viva Space Ratio
30
46
52
The Viva is one of two Prima-class ships currently sailing with Norwegian. The Prima-class ships are smaller than Norwegians 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 Viva is very similar to its sister-ships; Prima, although each ship may have some differences.
Norwegian Viva Food and Restaurants
Food is a big part of any cruise, and there will plenty on the Norwegian Viva. You have 16 different dining options to choose from. Of those options, 6 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 10 options have an additional fee. Some of those options are a set price and some have a la cart menu pricing. Only 38% of the dining options are included meaning you might spend more while on the ship due to the additional fees.
| Restaurant | Restaurant Type | Cost | Type of Food |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cagney's Steakhouse | Sit down | A la cart | Steakhouse |
| Food Republic | Sit down | A la cart | Asian Fusion |
| Hasuki | Sit down | Flat fee | Japanese |
| Hudsons | Sit down | Included | American |
| Indulge Food Hall | Sit down | Included | Food Hall |
| Le Bistro French | Sit down | A la cart | French |
| Los Lobos | Sit down | A la cart | Mexican |
| Nama | Sit down | A la cart | Sushi |
| Onda by Scarpetta | Sit down | A la cart | Italian |
| Palomar | Sit down | A la cart | Mediterranean |
| Starbucks | Quick serve | A la cart | Coffee |
| Surfside Cafe | Quick serve | Included | Buffet |
| Surfside Grill | Quick serve | Included | Burgers |
| The Commodore Room | Sit down | Included | American |
| The Haven | Sit down | Exclusive | American |
| The Local | Sit down | Included | American |
Norwegian Viva Bars and Drinks
Norwegian Viva has 12 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 |
| 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 Viva
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 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.
| Norwegian Viva | |
|---|---|
| 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 Viva Features and Activities
There are quite a few things to do on the Viva. These are the main amenities that are available. Some are included in the cost of the cruise, while others have an additional charge.
| Norwegian Viva | |
|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area (extra fee) | Flat fee |
| Casino | A la cart |
| Cigar Lounge | Included |
| Comedy Club | Included |
| Dart Lounge | A la cart |
| Escape Room | Flat fee |
| Fitness Center | Included |
| Mini golf | Included |
| Race Track | A la cart |
| Shows - Broadway play | Included |
| Shows - musical review | Included |
| Spa | A la cart |
| Splash park | Included |
| Thermal Suites | Flat fee |
| Thrill Slide | Included |
| Virtual Arcade | A la cart |
| 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. Typically newer ships cost more, so a cruise on Norwegian Viva will likely cost more than other ships in the fleet.
Norwegian Viva 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 | $7.00 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 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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