Table Of Content
We were told that since it is two reservations we might not be on the same flight out and when we asked if they could at least put a note on our reservations Family Traveling Together they said no. They were very happy to take our money but no so much to accommodate our needs. Standard staterooms range from 160 square feet to 412 square feet and sleep between two and four passengers. Staterooms have ample closet space and lots of shelf space in the bathroom. Bathrooms are efficiently designed, and there’s a clothesline in the shower for hanging wet clothing to dry.
Hotels
I often choose to sail in an inside cabin because the price is always right and I never spend too much time in my cabin anyway. We also discovered an outdoor buffet that was located not too far from the Garden Cafe that featured classic pool deck food like hamburgers and hot dogs; however, we didn’t have enough time to try this one out. In addition, Norwegian Cruise Line is the only mainstream cruise line to have round-trip sailings from Hawaii. Back in 2012, I sailed on Pride of America with my family when I was in high school exploring the Hawaiian Islands. This was my first and only experience with the cruise line, but it left a lasting, positive impression. Norwegian Cruise Line is one of the most popular mainstream cruise lines in the industry.
Cobranded Cards
The venue features street food from various countries but leans heavily Asian. I enjoyed too much good food in the free and specialty restaurants and did not spend nearly enough time in the gym or spa. On this trip, I did one ship-sponsored shore excursion to Normandy and the D-Day beaches, which was on the first day. My Latitudes status gave me a 10% discount on the tour itself, and the Free at Sea perk gave me $50 in onboard credit after completing the excursion. The ship had a small shore excursion desk where the staff mostly sold ship-sponsored excursions and offered limited information about the ports themselves.
Food For Any Taste. At Any Time.
The onboard shops, which are clustered on Deck 8, sell everything from snacks, toiletries and logo apparel to designer purses and duty-free jewelry, cigarettes and alcohol. Evening shows include Broadway-caliber musicals, comedians, magicians and more. The Local is often crowded because it's free and the choice for anyone who wants a waiter-served meal not in one of the fancy dining rooms. It's also located just above the stage and screen area in the main atrium, so it draws crowds wanting to sit and watch what's happening below.
Norwegian Viva has neither a stand-alone ice cream shop nor a bakery, which was disappointing. The Commodore Room and Hudson's are the ship's two complimentary main dining rooms on decks 6 and 7 aft, respectively. I only ate dinner at Hudson's once on my voyage, but I was so impressed with the pad thai that I would have asked for seconds if I hadn't been so full. One of the most noteworthy aspects of dining on this ship is that you don't have to shell out additional funds to have truly superb meals. The food you'll find in the two main dining rooms, the 24-hour pub and the food hall is pretty darn tasty — and it won't cost you an extra cent. However, some of the areas — particularly those allocated for outdoor dining — seemed underutilized.
Meet The Fleet Built for Freestyle Cruising
Certain Norwegian ships are best for budget travelers, while others are best for luxury travelers. There’s a 20% gratuity on specialty dining, beverages, and spa and salon services. A per-passenger service charge of between $20 and $25 per day covers gratuities for most onboard staff. Guests are also welcome to provide additional cash tips to individual crew members on board.
There is an aqua park for kids, a waterslide and a few hot tubs and smaller pools and lounging areas on other decks, but no one large gathering place for water and sun fun. You will only earn cruise points on eligible sailings where you are paying a traditional fare; promotional sailings with a heavy discount might not be eligible, although you would still receive the benefits at your tier. Also, sailings on sister lines do not qualify for Latitude Rewards cruise points. Norwegian Cruise Line pioneered many features aboard its ships, some of which other cruise lines have imitated. These are some of the special features you'll find aboard some or all of the ships in NCL’s fleet.
Norwegian Star review: What is this 20+ year old ship really like? - Cruise Blog
Norwegian Star review: What is this 20+ year old ship really like?.
Posted: Tue, 28 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
The port valet service
Norwegian Viva definitely isn’t the kind of ship that feels like family. You’ll be greeted with a smile, but it’s unlikely you’ll be greeted by name. Restaurant and bar service is hit or miss, and it can be a challenge to find information about things like beverage plan inclusions and in-port transportation options. There are 41 accessible staterooms on board the Norwegian Viva, including inside and oceanview staterooms and a penthouse suite.
Hayley and I laughed, especially considering we had literally just gotten onboard a few hours earlier and we were so excited. Guest services indicated that those of us joining for just two nights didn’t have any options for purchasing drink or Internet packages, much to our surprise. This explains why boarding was very fast, as most guests were visiting Malaga as a port of call and were not embarking on a two night journey like we were.
While you can leave the tuxes and ballgowns at home, men should pack a couple of pairs of pants for fine dining venues like Le Bistro, which has a dress code. From waterslides to Broadway, there’s something for everyone on the Norwegian Viva. Laugh your heart out at an Improv show, experience a live version of the Press Your Luck gameshow or let the nostalgia take you away while a cover band plays your favorite songs at Syd Norman’s Pour House. Or take a leisurely stroll among the sculptures on the ship’s promenade. Don’t miss the cruise line’s take on the classic game rock, paper, scissors. If you’re a solo traveler, you’ll be able to book one of 73 studios without having to pay a single supplement.
We handed off our checked luggage to the porters, who put it in a giant pile to eventually go on the ship. About a day after filling everything out, you can go in and download the eDocs, which serve as your boarding pass. You’ll need either a printed or mobile copy to show at the embarkation point.
The oddly placed closet, which ran the length of the wall on one side of the bed, offered two sides for storage — one with a bar to hang clothes and another with shelving for shoes, hats or items you'd like to fold. Although our specific cabin was designed to accommodate up to three people, we had trouble fitting all our clothes in the closet and drawers with just two of us. The bathroom had ample storage, but the shelving wasn't deep, forcing us to take everything out of our toiletry bags to store it there. The closet was also in a strange location next to the bed, and due to the sliding-door setup, only one side could be accessed at a time. For example, singalongs and gameshows like "Deal or No Deal" were held in the atrium. Although it's a central location, the space felt too small to accommodate everyone who wanted to join in or watch.
The Food Republic cocktail menu has only five drinks, but it was difficult to choose among them. Another shoutout-worthy space is the Galaxy Pavilion, a giant indoor space on Deck 17 that's packed with the latest virtual-reality experiences and video games, as well as a 4D cinema and an escape room. On the two outer decks directly above it, passengers will find laser tag and Speedway, the ship's go-kart track. If you're wondering whether you'd enjoy a sailing on Norwegian Encore or one of Norwegian's other similar ships, keep reading. I'll share a rundown of what it was like to experience the vessel's cabins, restaurants, shore excursions, entertainment and more.
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