Everything You Need to Know About the New Norwegian Aqua
I had the pleasure of going on one of the preview sailings of the brand new Norwegian Aqua, where we got to experience everything the ship had to offer over four days. I do want to mention it was a preview cruise so it was shorter and I was four months pregnant while on this cruise so I was not able to do everything (I missed out on the shows as the first showing was during dinner and the second showing was usually when I was in bed exhausted from the day).
I have had the pleasure of sailing on the Norwegian Star, Jewel, Getaway, Gem, Bliss, Epic, and now the Aqua. My experiences range from inside staterooms to suites, and destinations include the Eastern and Western Caribbean, the Mediterranean, and even a transatlantic cruise. So there are some changes I liked that Norwegian Cruise Line made with this newer and larger ship, and I am curious to see how they play out during an entire cruise (i.e., a 7-day sailing at capacity).
Facts AT A GLANCE
Maiden Voyage | March 24, 2025
Number of Passengers | 3571 - 4224
Class | Norwegian Prima Plus
Perfect For | Couples and Families
Here are just a few things I loved on the Norwegian Aqua:
Spa
Specifically, the Thermal Spa/Thermal Suite
The thermal spa/suite is something my husband and I have splurged on every cruise since our honeymoon (once you sit in those heated tile seats, you cannot go back). This was the largest and by far the nicest thermal spa/suite I have seen on a Norwegian ship. They removed the problem of the hot tubs being right next to the quiet area/heated loungers, added a salt pool, and even added different types of saunas and steam rooms to try out.
Note, the locker rooms connect to the lounge, so you walk into the locker room, drop your stuff off, grab a towel, and walk right into the spa. The locker rooms are at the front of the spa on Aqua, so it is a walk to get to the quiet area (aka the heated seats).
Larger Staterooms
The staterooms on the Aqua feel more spacious and larger. The bathroom was the largest we have ever had on any cruise ship, Norwegian or other cruise line. I loved how it was a shower, not a shower/tub combo.
Check out the cool balcony in our club balcony suite stateroom below!
Indulge Food Hall
My husband and I love food halls! We love the ability to sit at the same table and try various cuisines, so we were both very excited to try the Indulge Food Hall when we heard about it. The food hall had various different stations to order from, including:
Tapas
Vegetarian
Barbecue
Desserts
And more!
You sit yourself at a table and you order off of a tablet the various dishes you would like to try, and the dishes are delivered straight to your table. The service here was excellent, as we waited less than five minutes each time we ordered something.
There were two outstanding features of this restaurant. First, the lunch and dinner menus differed. This means you could try different plates at different meals and offers a great variety of dishes on longer sailings! Second, the portions were smaller, so you could sample a few different plates before feeling full!
The Stadium / Tee Time
The 18th deck of the Aqua is separated into two sections: The Stadium and Tee Time.
The Stadium is set up with various games like shuffleboard, ping pong, darts, cornhole, foosball, and even beer pong (without the alchohol, not sure what you call it when it’s just the cups). My husband and I had a blast playing games for a few hours. This is perfect for you if you are sailing with pre-teens/teens, as there are a lot of different games to keep them busy!
Tee Time is a mini-golf course where the ball and the club keep track of your score! Each hole has different ways to earn bonus points besides just getting a hole in one. Tee Time is an additional cost, and at the time of writing, it was $5 per person per game play.
The Stadium / Tee Time
One of the interactive mini-golf holes at Tee Time
Observation Lounge
This is the first Norwegian ship I have sailed on since the Bliss with an Observation Lounge. The observation lounge is usually on a higher deck, 16 or 17, towards the front of the ship, which wraps around with large glass windows that give you a great view of where you are sailing. This is perfect for a cruise to Alaska, where you can see the glaciers without heading outside into the cold.
What I liked about the Observation Lounge was that it was a quiet place to sit, read, or get work done if needed. The Lounge also had a small buffet with finger foods and desserts at various times of the day. This was nice if you wanted a quick bite to eat without the hecticness of the main buffet.
The bar here was nice and quiet as well (except on the first day when everyone is looking for places to sit before the staterooms are ready). My husband and I sat at this bar for a few hours on the last day, watching the sunset, and chatting with the bartenders. We were one of the only people sitting there.
Adults-only Vibe Beach Club
(Additional Fee)
The ship has an adults-only section with a bar, hot tubs and areas for lounging. This is the place to be if you’re looking for an adults-only escape. Note, this requires buying a day pass or a length-of-cruise pass to access this area.
Adults-only section (additional fee)
Get the best pricing on your next Norwegian cruise!
DIFFERENCEs From Other Norwegian Ships I Noticed
Atrium
One of my favorite things to do on cruises is play trivia and participate in game shows like Battle of the Sexes, Majority Rules, etc. The atrium on the Aqua is right next to the casino and is closed off, whereas on other ships, it is very open for trivia or those game shows. While the trivia and game shows were never crowded on this sailing, I cannot say the same for longer sailings or at capacity sailings. Also, the screen they used for trivia was tiny, which meant that if you were not at the front of the atrium, it was tough to see the visual trivia.
Buffet
The buffet on the Aqua seemed smaller than on previous ships I have been on. Usually, it spans the whole back or front of the main pool deck floor with two mirrored sides, plenty of seating, and a bar. The buffet was only half of the back of deck 17 and shared the back of the deck with specialty dining restaurants. The Aqua does have the food hall as another non-paid dining option, but cutting back the space of the buffet made the buffet seem even more crowded than it usually is on other ships.
Main Pool Deck
The main pool deck seemed smaller than other ships I have been on, with less seating and fewer hot tubs. The Aqua has more seating, hot tubs, and even infinity pools on its Ocean Boulevard on Deck 8. Still, if you are sailing with children who like swimming, this smaller pool will be a downside for you, as I am sure they do not want to swim in small infinity pools.
I have heard good things about the entertainment onboard the Aqua. There is a Fleetwood Mac-inspired show, a Prince-inspired show, and an acrobatic/dance show. I wish we had been able to experience these, but they did not fit into our schedule. The theater also turns into a nightclub later in the evening, which I have seen on social media as well, but did not get a chance to experience it!
Overall, my husband and I loved the ship, and while it had some quirks, we liked the changes made between smaller Norwegian ships we have been on to the Aqua (the largest Norwegian ship). My husband and I both agreed that four days was too short to do everything, but it did give us a nice taste of what the ship has to offer. I want to see what a longer sailing is like on this ship, as four days was not enough time to see/do everything!
DON’T WAIT TO BOOK
Enjoy a relaxing and luxurious vacation at sea with Norwegian Cruise Line!
Blog by: Frances Sherlock
Frances is an Orlando local who visits the Disney Parks weekly. She is a Disney College Program alum and a former Disney Store Cast Member. Frances is also an avid Disney pin trader and she and her fiancé enjoy trying new restaurants on Disney properties.
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