Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian began in 1966 as Norwegian Caribbean Line, when Knut Kloster and Ted Arison started selling cruises from Miami aboard the Sunward. It pioneered the modern Caribbean cruise vacation and, in 2000, dropped assigned dining and formal nights in favor of Freestyle Cruising, which most of the industry has since copied in some form.

The fleet of around 20 ships is organized in classes. The Prima class, with Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva and the larger Prima Plus ships such as Norwegian Aqua, is the most modern, with the outdoor Ocean Boulevard walkway and the Indulge Food Hall. The Breakaway Plus class (Norwegian Escape, Joy, Bliss and Encore) and Breakaway class (Breakaway and Getaway) are the big Caribbean and Alaska workhorses, and Norwegian Epic stands alone. Older, smaller ships, including the Jewel class, sail longer and more port-intensive routes worldwide. Pride of America is a US-flagged ship that sails seven-night Hawaii inter-island cruises from Honolulu year-round, an itinerary few others can offer.

The mood is casual, upbeat and adult-friendly without being adults-only. Passengers skew from 30s to 60s, with plenty of couples, friend groups and families. There is no formal night and no strict dress code; resort casual is the norm, and you can dress up for a specialty dinner if you like. Ships are large, and the newest carry 3,000 to over 4,000 guests, with the biggest offering go-kart tracks and thrill slides. Freestyle means you eat when you want, but popular restaurants and shows fill up, so reserving through the app before or early in the cruise matters. The Haven, a keycard-access complex of suites with its own restaurant, pool and concierge, gives Norwegian a ship-within-a-ship luxury option.

Freestyle dining gives you two or more included main dining rooms (often named Taste and Savor, plus The Manhattan Room on some ships), the Garden Café buffet and casual spots like O’Sheehan’s pub. On the Prima class, the Indulge Food Hall serves a range of included and extra-charge small plates. Specialty restaurants, which carry a cover charge or come with dining packages, are a big draw: Cagney’s Steakhouse, Le Bistro (French), La Cucina (Italian), Teppanyaki, Q Texas Smokehouse, Food Republic, Ocean Blue seafood, and on newer ships Onda by Scarpetta, Palomar and Hasuki. Reserve the popular ones early, especially teppanyaki.

Bigger ships stage Broadway-style and West End-style musicals and production shows, plus comedy clubs and Howl at the Moon dueling pianos. Syd Norman’s Pour House is a rock club on newer ships, and The Cavern Club on the Breakaway class runs Beatles tribute sets. Daytime fun includes go-kart racetracks on the Breakaway Plus and Prima classes, laser tag, the Galaxy Pavilion virtual-reality arcade, water slides including the Aqua Slidecoaster on Norwegian Aqua, and big casinos. Some shows and attractions are included; go-karts and virtual reality cost extra.

Splash Academy offers free supervised programs for kids 3 to 12, grouped by age, while Entourage gives teens 13 to 17 their own space and activities. Guppies sessions invite parents with babies and toddlers to join in. Family-friendly water parks, aqua parks and family cabins make the Breakaway, Breakaway Plus and Prima classes the best picks for kids. Late-night group babysitting is available for a fee.

Norwegian has one of the widest cabin ranges at sea. Studio cabins, designed for one guest without a single supplement, share access to a private Studio Lounge, which makes NCL a favorite with solo travelers. Standard interiors, ocean views and balconies are comfortable and well designed on newer ships. At the top, The Haven offers suites with butler and concierge service, a private sundeck, pool and restaurant. Some older ships’ standard cabins are on the small side.

Norwegian often bundles perks into fares through its Free at Sea offers, which can include an open bar beverage package, a set number of specialty dining meals, shore excursion credits and Wi-Fi, depending on fare and promotion. You pay the associated service charges on those perks. Beverage packages can also be bought separately, and water, coffee, tea and lemonade are included in dining venues.

A daily service charge per guest is added automatically to your onboard account, with a higher rate for suites and The Haven. A separate service charge is added to bar purchases, specialty dining, beverage packages and spa services. The daily charge can be prepaid with your cruise.

Latitudes Rewards awards points for each cruise night, with bonuses for suites and certain fares. Tiers run from Bronze through Silver, Gold, Platinum and Platinum Plus to Ambassador, with perks including priority embarkation, specialty dining discounts and cocktail parties.