Norwegian Prima cruise ship: who it suits, where it sails and which cabin to book

Norwegian Prima at a glance

Line

Norwegian Cruise Line

Class

Prima

Entered service

2022

Gross tonnage

143,535

Guests

About 3,195 (double occupancy)

Crew

About 1,506

Decks

20

Part of the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet. Home ports: San Juan, Puerto Rico, Southampton, Reykjavik.

Norwegian Prima was built by Fincantieri at Marghera, Italy, and delivered in July 2022, with Katy Perry as its sponsor. It’s the first ship of NCL’s Prima class. Wikipedia gives a length of 981 feet. It lists 3,099 guests, while NCL’s current figure is 3,195, which we use above. Norwegian Viva is the same size, and Norwegian Aqua is about 10% larger.

Who it suits

Food-led cruisers. Indulge Food Hall has 11 venues in one space, and you order by tablet. Most of it is included in the fare, though reviewers say it gets busy at peak meal times.

Couples and groups. Bars, Ocean Boulevard’s outdoor seating and live rock at Syd Norman’s Pour House suit adults better than the kids’ areas suit families.

Northern Europe travelers. Prima is the modern choice for Iceland and Norway in 2027. Our Northern Europe guide compares the other lines.

Who should look elsewhere: families with young kids. Our family cruise guide has stronger picks, and a 2022 review called the Kids’ Aqua Park more of an art installation than a play area.

Is Norwegian Prima a good ship?

Yes, Norwegian Prima is one of NCL’s best ships for food, outdoor space and a modern feel. Its weak points are extras and repetition. A 2022 review found main dining room menus stayed the same all voyage and listed paid mini golf and darts, and the Speedway takes up a lot of top-deck space.

It’s a strong pick if you’ll use the food hall and the outdoor decks. If you’d rather pay less for a similar week, compare Norwegian Getaway, which has lower seven-night fares in our November 2026 snapshot.

Standout features

• Prima Speedway: a three-level go-kart track on Decks 18 to 20. We didn’t find a dated price, so check the fee when booking.
• The Drop, The Rush and The Wave: slides that a 2022 review lists as free.
• Indulge Food Hall: Q Texas Smokehouse, Nudls and other stations in one space.
• Ocean Boulevard: a Deck 8 promenade with infinity pools, outdoor dining and a sculpture garden.
• Galaxy Pavilion: virtual reality games.
• Prima Theater & Club: 700 seats, with Broadway-style shows, then a nightclub later. NCL also lists Burn the Floor.
• Vibe Beach Club: an adults-only deck, at an extra charge. Parts of the Speedway run above it, which can bring noise.
• Mandara Spa: a Thermal Suite with saunas, a salt room and a two-story wall of water, on a paid pass.

Norwegian Prima cabins to pick and avoid

The best cabin on Norwegian Prima depends on the route. Pick a midship balcony on Decks 9 to 11 for Iceland, Norway or the Southern Caribbean, where the deck plans show cabins only. Solo guests should pick a Studio on Deck 12 or 13, and The Haven suits anyone who wants a quieter, private area.

Pick:

• A midship balcony for scenic days. Balconies measure about 230 to 360 square feet in Travel Extra’s guide.
• A Studio if you’re alone. They’re about 95 to 100 square feet, with access to the Studio Lounge. Compare the fare with a double cabin at the solo rate.
• The Haven for a private restaurant, infinity pool and sundeck. Its public areas are on Decks 16 to 18. A 2021 pre-launch report gave 107 suites.

Avoid or think twice:

• Cabins near the theater or slides, which Travel Extra warns can be noisy.
• Cabins directly below the pool or sports decks.
• Cabins at the far forward or aft ends if you get seasick, especially on North Atlantic routes.

Dining and activities

Included dining covers Hudson’s and The Commodore Room (main dining rooms), Indulge Food Hall, Surfside Café, The Local Bar & Grill and Coco’s for gelato and chocolates. Travel Extra counts eight specialty restaurants. They include Onda by Scarpetta, Cagney’s Steakhouse, Palomar and Le Bistro.

For kids, Splash Academy takes ages 3 to 12. Tee Time mini golf, darts and spa passes cost extra in the reviews we read. The Norwegian Cruise Line guide explains the fare bundles, and our Norwegian review sets Prima against the rest of the fleet.

Where does Norwegian Prima sail in 2026–2027?

Norwegian Prima sails seven-night Southern Caribbean cruises from San Juan from November 2026 to April 2027. It spends May in the Mediterranean, then June to September on Iceland and Norway trips between Southampton and Reykjavik. Three Baltic sailings follow, and it returns to San Juan in November 2027.

• November 2026: CruiseBound lists short trips from Port Canaveral before the move south.
• November 2026 to April 2027, San Juan: seven-night Southern Caribbean cruises. See cruises from San Juan.
• April to May 2027, crossing and Mediterranean: a 17-night crossing from San Juan, then voyages from Rome and Ravenna. NCL lists maiden calls at Dubrovnik, Split and Kotor. See our Mediterranean cruise guide.
• June to September 2027, Iceland and Norway: open-jaw voyages between Southampton and Reykjavik, so you fly home from a different city.
• September and October 2027, Baltic: three open-jaw sailings with a first turnaround in Helsinki and a maiden call at Riga.
• November 2027 to April 2028, San Juan: Saturday sailings calling at Tortola, St. Maarten, Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and St. Thomas. See our Caribbean cruise guide.
• April to October 2028: CruiseBound lists seven-night Western Caribbean cruises from Galveston.

Sample Norwegian Prima sailings. From-prices per person, checked November 2026.

Departs	Line and ship	Nights	Itinerary	From	Link
Nov 8, 2026	Norwegian Cruise Line, Norwegian Prima	4	4 Night Bahamas (from Port Canaveral Florida)	$259	Check price
Nov 12, 2026	Norwegian Cruise Line, Norwegian Prima	3	3 Night Eastern Caribbean (from Port Canaveral Florida)	$579	Check price
Nov 15, 2026	Norwegian Cruise Line, Norwegian Prima	7	7 Night Southern Caribbean (from San Juan Puerto Rico)	$709	Check price
Nov 22, 2026	Norwegian Cruise Line, Norwegian Prima	7	7 Night Southern Caribbean (from San Juan Puerto Rico)	$959	Check price
Nov 29, 2026	Norwegian Cruise Line, Norwegian Prima	7	7 Night Southern Caribbean (from San Juan Puerto Rico)	$919	Check price
Dec 6, 2026	Norwegian Cruise Line, Norwegian Prima	7	7 Night Southern Caribbean (from San Juan Puerto Rico)	$859	Check price
Dec 13, 2026	Norwegian Cruise Line, Norwegian Prima	7	7 Night Southern Caribbean (from San Juan Puerto Rico)	$819	Check price
Dec 20, 2026	Norwegian Cruise Line, Norwegian Prima	7	7 Night Southern Caribbean (from San Juan Puerto Rico)	$939	Check price
Dec 27, 2026	Norwegian Cruise Line, Norwegian Prima	7	7 Night Southern Caribbean (from San Juan Puerto Rico)	$1,419	Check price
Jan 3, 2027	Norwegian Cruise Line, Norwegian Prima	7	7 Night Southern Caribbean (from San Juan Puerto Rico)	$939	Check price
Jan 10, 2027	Norwegian Cruise Line, Norwegian Prima	7	7 Night Southern Caribbean (from San Juan Puerto Rico)	$899	Check price
Jan 17, 2027	Norwegian Cruise Line, Norwegian Prima	7	7 Night Southern Caribbean (from San Juan Puerto Rico)	$839	Check price

Sister ships

Norwegian Viva is Prima’s direct sister and follows it to San Juan in winter 2027/28. Norwegian Aqua and Luna are the larger Prima Plus ships, and Norwegian Aura joins in 2027. For how NCL stacks up against its main rival, see Norwegian vs Royal Caribbean.

Norwegian Prima FAQ

How big is the Norwegian Prima cruise ship?

143,535 gross tons, 981 feet long and 20 decks, with about 3,195 guests at double occupancy and 1,506 crew. Deck-plan sites list 1,646 cabins.

Where does Norwegian Prima sail from?

San Juan, Puerto Rico, in winter. In summer 2027 it uses Southampton and Reykjavik, with spring sailings from Rome and Ravenna. CruiseBound lists Galveston from April 2028.

Does Norwegian Prima have a race track?

Yes. Prima Speedway is a three-level go-kart track with speeds up to about 30 mph, according to Travel Extra. Check the current fee before you book.

Is Norwegian Prima good for kids?

It’s better for older kids and teens, who get the slides, go-karts and The Stadium. Younger kids have Splash Academy, but the Kids’ Aqua Park drew criticism in a 2022 review.

What do Norwegian Prima cruise reviews say?

We don’t publish star ratings or collect reviews. The reviews we read praise the food hall, Ocean Boulevard and the spa, and criticize repeated main dining room menus and paid extras.