Are NCL Fans Right About Norwegian Prima?
Вставка
- Опубліковано 3 чер 2024
- The fans of @norwegiancruiseline have some strong opinions on the line's newest cruise ship, Norwegian Prima. Are these critiques justified? We take a look at the common complaints to see if NCL made a big mistake with Norwegian Prima!
Subscribe to the Eat Sleep Cruise UA-cam Channel if you love to travel and cruise the world!
/ eatsleepcruise1
If you enjoy the video, please make sure to give it a BIG THUMBS UP!
ARE THE NCL FANS RIGHT ABOUT NCL PRIMA?
0:00 Introduction
1:05 Public Venue Décor
2:02 New Penrose Atrium
3:32 Show Reservations
5:50 All New Bars
7:38 Upcharge Activities
10:00 Not for Families
11:40 New Main Dining Rooms
13:15 The Haven
15:28 Venues Are Too Small
17:07 The Ship's Layout
19:22 WiFi and NCL App
COMPLAINTS ABOUT NORWEGIAN PRIMA
When Norwegian Prima launched a few months ago, the ship did not get a very warm welcome. Since the debut, there have been a number of negative reviews about the ship. In this video, we take a look at the most common issues cruisers have with the ship to see if Norwegian Cruise Line made a big mistake.
One of the top critiques has to do with the design of Norwegian Prima. Many do not like the color palette, ship layout, or overall ascetic. Personally, we like the more subdued finishes and intimate atmosphere on the ship. Norwegian Prima's elevated and more elegant design is exactly what the cruise line was aiming for with this new class of ship.
Further, the redesigned Penrose Atrium is a more functional area than this typical midship space. While some cruisers do not like this setup, we think it is an ideal arrangement. Support services and shops are strategically situated around this three deck area without detracting from the lounge spaces. This makes the space a true hub of activity.
Others do not like the layout of the ship. True, this is a new design for NCL. Now, the ship's deck plans more resemble Virgin Voyages than previous NCL ships. But, that is the point. The cruise line was going for a mega-ship with a more intimate feel. For us, the cruise line delivered on this vision.
While we don't agree with some of the other complaints, we are not fans of the outdoor pool deck on Deck 17. If the cruise line is trying to compete with premium ships, like Celebrity Cruises, this pool deck falls short. It is certainly not as attractive as ships like Celebrity Edge
WHERE NORWEGIAN PRIMA MISSES THE MARKS
While we generally like Norwegian Prima, the ship is not without its flaws.
Unfortunately, some of the public areas are too small. Venues like the Improv at Sea and Syd Norman's Pour House should have been bigger. Getting seats at shows at these venues is extremely difficult.
Likewise, some restaurants like the Indulge Food Hall and the Surfside Cafe should have more seating. These dining venues get too crowded during meal times.
The sports deck on Deck 18 is not well situated either. This outdoor space can get very windy, making it difficult to play darts and mini-golf.
While others are disappointed that many activities on NCL Prima are an upcharge, frankly, that is true of all Norwegian Cruise Line ships. So, we were prepared to pay additional fees to use these innovative spaces. Although, we do agree that charging for mini golf on a cruise is bit much.
Lastly, another big miss for the ship is the internet and app. The Wi-Fi was very slow, making it difficult to get things like social media and email to load, never mind trying to stream or download anything.
Not to mention, the app was a glorified digital daily. When compared to the features and functionality of other cruise line apps, NCL's app needs some enhancement for sure.
GET ALL THE DETAILS OF NORWEGIAN PRIMA ON OUR BLOG:
eatsleepcruise.com/are-the-nc...
TRENDING VIDEOS FROM EAT SLEEP CRUISE:
Norwegian Prima Cruise Review: • What It’s REALLY LIKE ...
Norwegian Prima FULL Ship Tour: • COMPLETE NORWEGIAN PRI...
Everything New on Norwegian Prima: • Everything New on Norw...
What's Included on NCL: • EVERYTHING INCLUDED IN...
Make sure to SUBSCRIBE to our channel to get the latest cruise tips, cruise reviews, packing guides, port guides, travel tips, and more.
Join us on Social Media as we “Sea the World, One Port at a Time.”
Instagram: / eatsleepcruise
Facebook: / eatsleepcruise
Twitter: / eatsleepcruise
TikTok: / eatsleepcruise
Pinterest: / eatsleepcruise
Royalty-Free Music Courtesy: www.epidemicsound.com/
Some Promotional Photo/Video Courtesy: Norwegian Cruise Line
#norwegianprima #norwegiancruiseline #norwegiancruise - Розваги
![[柴犬ASMR]曼玉Manyu&小白Bai 毛发护理Spa asmr](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/0TsXQ7z2Dh4/mqdefault.jpg)
What are your thoughts on the new Norwegian Prima? Do you agree with our assessment?
NCL is becoming more expensive than Royal Caribbean (cruise fare wise). Yes, they are charging wayy to much, charging for darts tells you that the company reached a point of no return since I can't go on NCL without thinking I'm gonna get charged for breathing.
@@cesiliaduarte1781 one assumes that if passengers start to feel ripped-off they will vote with their wallets. NCL have been masters of the onboard surcharge for decades now! Freestyle saw to that with only half (or less) dining choices being free (included).
Loved everything about the Prima. She’s beautiful. Crew is awesome. 🤗 Excellent food. Love the decor. Modern and calming. Inside cabin, so clean and bright. Love the bathroom.
Some venues are “intimate.” Lots to do. 😜 Want colors? Sail with Carnival.
I’d love to sail on the Viva around the Mediterranean. ⚓️🌴
I took the Prima Dec 3rd from Miami with my daughter and her husband. I booked a solo cabin but offered $300 total to upgrade to a double cabin with window and got it. so being alone in the larger cabin was sweet. We all liked the Prima. Single complaint was the woefully few shows in the main theatre. Ridiculously few. Crazy few. Astonishingly few. Every night should have a show and occasionally two. I have sailed on NCL about 8 times. Would travel on Prime again but hope they increase the shows.
We are booked on NCL Prima for a 11 day Transatlantic from Spain to NYC , in 2023. We have done 4 NCL since 2015 Breakaway x 2. Encore . and Joy.
3 x as Haven guests 1 time as Spa suite guests.
Prima is booked Haven Aft Penthouse suite .
One thing I learned was it is either Haven or dont go.
• Haven guests have reserved show seating.
• Haven guests have priority boarding and disembarking.
• Haven guests dont have to wrestle or get up at 6 am to get a deck chair.
• Haven guests get a ship phone to call their butler 24 / 7 for service no matter where they are on the ship.
• Haven guests on Breakaway class ships can use service elevators when in port. No waiting or crowded elevators.
• The Haven has its own resturant / bar.
• There are enough lounge seats for every Haven guests and the butlers will set them up with umbrellas when requested.
• IfI choose to enjoy the main areas of the ship we can, if we wish to get out of the crowd we retreat to the Haven pool / Sun deck / hot tubs.
• The Haven Cosigneries desk makes all excursions, dining. and on board activities reservation upon request.
• I see the Prima has a bank of elevators for Haven Guests only. Diffrent from Breakaway class.
• This is kind of creepy but the Butler and Consigniers know where you are on the ship and will just show up and ask if they can do anything for you.
Maybe they track the ship cell phone .. I dont know but i think it is creepy.
I KNOW IT IS EXPENSIVE to go as a Haven Guest . But imo worth it .
We skip a vacation , save up and then really enjoy.
Im excited about my first trans Atlantic voyage.
Thank you for the video n
The Haven do get a lot of benefits. Have a great cruise.
If you find the butler and concierge creepy on this ship/haven, then you'd find the Genies on RCL to be worse. But we did love the personalization in both classes.
I found the décor refreshing on the Prima as compared to my Carnival sailings. Comparing the Prima with my previous Norwegian sailing, I didn’t find any differences from the sailing I had on the Encore. Darts and mini golf were not activities that I was drawn to, so the up charge for them wasn’t relevant for me.I loved the observation area on the Prima, and didn’t find it crowded at any time I was there for my afternoon cocktail.
Thanks for the feedback. Happy cruising.
Give me a ship like this than some ship that looks like a multi rainbow coloured Disneyland theme park ride.
I think the decor looks stunning! I’ve always thought cruise decor is too busy! This looks more like a high end hotel ❤
We agree!
Same. That’s what has me drawn to it. I love the decor in all the areas & lighting.
I think this reflects that the average cruise goer is not known to be particularly modern sophisticated or classy and cruise companies are now trying by to increase the audience. This ship is probably designed to try an attract as new crowd instead of the existing ncl
@@Nopi9 are you implying that I’ve got no taste or class? Elegant traditional cruise decor is fine, but the brown/orange/wooden vibes date quickly (because cruise lines don’t have $$$ to do it like high end/wealthy people on land).
@@therantingmum7872 erm I’m literally agreeing with you.
i was on the 2nd sailing for prima and got on the ship by 12:30 and there were no reservations left for the theatre shows. i found talking to a lot of people that many that first got on the ship booked every single slot for every shingle show, even if they were not going and some people booked for more than one person. So i disagree with your comment that it is no issue to get a reservation as long as you book it early. Also you did not cover the spa. the lounge in the spa had this annoying thumping noise while trying to relax. this noise was from the fitness centre directly above. you could hear them running on the treadmills. it was like this every day . for these 2 reasons i would not ever book this ship unless they got rid of all reservations and made it first come first attend to the shows. and move the fitness centre to remove the unwanted noise in the spa. the remainder of the ship was nice and your review was accurate
The ship looks great agree with your feedback. I actually like the shady space on the pool deck and wish the Edge has more shady spaces. 😂
Glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for your feedback.
We love Prima. It is kind of a way to do an Adults Only without making it Adults Only. So many families with kids sailed at Christmas on Prima and the kids were miserable. As a parent, the first thing I look at is the activities on board. I would never pick Prima for a family with kids cruise. But as an empty nester now, I would love it.
I loved everything about the Prima. The small venues were refreshing... tired of the mega look and feel of some ships. Never had an issue doing everything we wanted. Excited to try the Viva. Until then, we have the Escape and Joy to keep us busy.
Looks like a great ship to me and I cant wait to sail her someday. It not having a teen club makes me like it even more 😉
Yeah, now you can go to the splash academy
Also side note: I never went to the teen club when I went on my cruises
We are sailing for the second time on Prima in March. Almost kid free, great food ( Indulge Food Court is worth the ticket alone) wonderful casino, staff, and spotless rooms.
The 70's Disco night was a stone gas!!🎉❤
We love NCL and cruise with them around 4 times a year. We love the Gem and occasionally take the Breakaway when the Gem is not in NY. Based on your review and many others, we have no intention of cruising on the Prima!
We are fans of Breakaway and Breakaway plus class ships. It is true Prima is different.
Love the gem, got married on the gem
Really loved the Jade... Didn't love the Getaway... Small small cabins
NCL is taking monetization to a whole new level for cruises. Last cruised with them in December 2021 and won't be cruising with them any time soon. Beautiful ship the Bliss is. But, too many upcharges venues and activities, resulting in included venues tend to be small (like the club shown in this vid). The value for our money just isn't there with NCL.
Thanks for watching! Unfortunately, NCL does have more upcharge activities than other brands.
Their new President has got to go. I don't know where they found him but he is more concerned about Woke nonsense than the ships and their customers. Trying to make it a premier cruise line while penny pinching all the way and charging for every little thing on top of it. I know allot of people that were frequent Norwegian customers who will not book with Norwegian anymore.
@@richards2411 complaining about woke nonsense automatically makes your comment nonsense
@@Eatsleepcruise1 which makes no sense. If I'm paying 6+ thousand dollars, why are am i being nickle and dimed? Ncl is on its way out the door
@jasonmccallan2102 agreed. I'm on the Prima now and, while I'm no fan, the last thing I'd call it is "woke"
It does appear to be a great ship, although our initial opinion makes us think it is very very cramped. Like they tried to cram too much onto the ship.
I get a Virgin Voyages vibe which we have been on. It feels like a very big yacht as opposed to a ship....
I completely agree..
I love NCL but this ship is way
Too cramped….I feel as though this
Ship should have been larger for the
Ideas that they had
NCL made some great improvements with the new Prima Haven by relocating the entire complex to the aft of the ship and making it larger with it's own elevators. However, there's no excuse for making major venues like the buffet and Syd Norman's smaller. So many NCL passengers have been giving the feedback to make Syd's larger or just have the show in the theater and NCL just doesn't listen. The buffet is a joke, many people cruise for the casual feel and variety of a good buffet.
Have a 10 day cruise scheduled for next September on the Viva. Greek islands and Italy. Looking forward to being on a new fresh ship.
Great video as always. I feel like the production quality is just getting better and better. Felt like the tittle was super clickbait and misleading though. I know it’s an algorithm game, but maybe you could find a title a little more accurate. If I knew it was more of a review rather than what I thought was a specific critique, I would have clicked much sooner. As always great work. Thanks for the terrific content.
Going to Syd Norman’s every night made me forget all the stuff I didn’t like about the Prima. It was a hoot seeing the same people every night and I found the high energy performers absolutely endearing, especially the 80’s prom night. I found selections in the Indulge food hall was like the “Garden buffet all-stars” that got promoted to their own venue, like the Indian food that I’m a huge fan of on other NCL ships. I really wish the Prima had a proper pub (I initially thought Syd Norman’s was a pub, but they only serve alcohol during performances, which I thought was an oddly restrictive use of space onboard)
It should have a proper pub.
Great review! I do think NCL is steering away (no pun intended) from families. This ship has barely any attractions for kids, but there's also a bigger trend: the Guppies not offering any dop-off anymore and Splash Academy drop-off being offered only on cruise-days, plus many laser-tags for other ships are being discontinued in September, I think NCL is leaving the family market to RC, Disney and maybe MSC. Even Princess with the Discovery at Sea seems more interested in catering to families now!
On UA-cam, the decor of the Pr1ma appears elegant and tasteful. I will find out when I cruise on her in May. The details that concern me have to do with the dining. The fixed MDR menu, the smaller complimentary restaurants, and the much smaller buffet seem intended to push me towards the specialty eateries. I will have to see if the new Indulge Food Hall will compensate for these changes. Thanks for a well-made and balanced review.
Have a great cruise. Thanks for watching.
This is one of the most thorough, specific cruise video I’ve seen. Thank you for all the details. We are cruising on the Prima later this month and I feel very prepared for the ups and downs.
Glad it was helpful. Let us know what you think of the ship when you return. Is this your first NCL cruise?
@@Eatsleepcruise1 Not our first on NCL. We’ve cruise 3 times in the Bliss. Going on Jewel in the fall.
We are back from our cruise on the NCL Prima. I now understand all the comments about the spaces on the ship. We were able to adapt fine to the smaller atrium; it was new and interesting! I don’t like the very small venues of Sydney Norman’s and the Improv. There just isn’t enough room for the number of people who want to be there to see the shows. I would like to see those bigger with lots more seating! The theater was one of our favorites of all the ships we’ve cruise in. Plenty of seating and we liked the way it can be converted to a night club. We only went for theater shows though. Finally, the buffet was ridiculously crowded! We ate there off and on but really preferred Indulgence and The Local. Again I really appreciated your video in preparing for the trip!
I just came across this video. I hope by now, there have been some improvements. I am booked on the PRIMA for northern Europe this summer and I'm concerned with how easy it would be for me to access breakfast before early morning excursions when there is a lack of adequate seating in the buffet and other eateries. I hate feeling crowded and seen other videos with Atrium and other areas that are too small. Trying to decide if this cruise is worth it as I want to see Iceland and Norway, the main draw for booking this.
A good grab and go place for breakfast is the Indulge Food Hall. There was usually seating in the morning. Lunch is another story. Have a great cruise.
We just booked the Iceland and Norway cruise on Prima for summer 2024. How was your experience?
I ended up cancelling the cruise and opted for a land trip to Portugal instead. Hopefully, I'll get to do Iceland and Norway in the future@@mchadwilson
I loved our stateroom, big bathroom and balcony. I loved Indulge food hall and the Local bar. But over all the spaces are to small!! No space felt not crowed and we could never get into the Syd Normans.
Thanks for your review. We tend to agree.
I just recently cruised on an Alaskan cruise on the Encore. It was a nice ship! My main complaint is also the decor. The deco is much to modern. Im not saying it looks bad but it doesn’t look good in a ship. The ship lacks nautilus/mariner theming. I want that experience. After all, I’m on a ship.
Thanks for your feedback. We like Encore, it is a great ship.
The decor is fresh and clean. Looks very nice and a bit more upscale. I'm booked to sail aboard her in 2024 and I'm really looking forward to it.
We agree. Very different for NCL but more elegant and upscale.
If you have kids and teens, go for RCC or Disney..from the looks of the Prima its more focused for Relaxing and kind of laid back..
Huge NCL fan here and I sailed on Prima last year …She’s Beautiful but I found the ship very cramped…I think NCL made a mistake with going smaller…I felt
The ship should have been larger for the ideas that they had
We were on the ship that left from NYC and disembarked in Galveston TX Oct 15th through October 27th celebrating our 35th wedding anniversary. We are NCL platinum members, although we cruise on other lines we prefer NCL. It was indeed a beautiful ship but we did not find it inviting and cozy especially in the small atrium. Too much lighting and not enough seating areas between the 6, 7 and 8 (in the immediate atrium area). We thought the local was a pretty good place to eat if you wanted something fast, although even in the included restaurants they were quick in getting food out. Cagney's didn't disappoint us as usual. Surprisingly the buffet up on deck 17 wasn't that crowded but that's probably because it's October and the ship only had 2100 passengers. Also seemed like the elevators were mostly empty and easy to get one quickly. The simulation rides on deck 17 I thought were so so, graphics seemed like old technology. The race track was pretty good. Just a short review, to us it wasn't a must get on this ship again. We like the Breakaway class, even the smaller ships like the Gem are still very good ships. The Joy, Bliss and the Escape are just as good if not better in different ways. We'll be on the Getaway in February 2023. My 2 cents.
Thanks for your review. We appreciate it!
Through the years, cruising has drastically changed. One benefit of cruises that was different then other types of vacations was that you had everything paid for before cruising. You could actually unwind. After COVID, having to pay for extras, reserving activities, and waiting on activities does not lend to unwinding. It feels like you're on land. We understand things have had to make changes and that their are more cruisers than before. This means a restart for our vacations by seeking other types of vacations that meet our needs and help us feel we are not on vacation in NY. In my opinion, Prima did not improve the overall appeal of cruising. This will be the 1st time I've used my cancelation insurance.
Missed several shows because our phone wouldn’t connect to app! Hot tubs too small! Dinner menu doesn’t change all week! Ship is like a maze to get anywhere! Cabins are large and very nice bathrooms but not enough to offset the rest of the ship! We are one and done on this ship!
While we did like Prima, breakaway plus class might still be our favorite.
How cool I'm going to travel on this ship
I like this ship a lot but the venue was a little too small.
great review, I am just wondering....how did you get all that footage with no one else there! Was this a private boarding tour? I will be on the Bliss this next May going to Alaska.
Lol. I wish we had a private tour. Just strategically get videos at off times.
We can't wait for our cruise next March.
I would love to experience this ship. But I've always been a person that appreciates a sophisticated airport terminal, a posh shopping mall and all that kind of stuff, so I understand for some that it is jarring to their expectations of a cruise ship
This is a great, objective but not highly opinionated video. I’m as loyal to NCL as it gets. 26 of 29 on NCL lol. I think the small pool deck is dumb. They learned this on the breakaway/getaway, improved it on the escape and nailed it on Joy, Bliss, Encore. Not sure why they made it small again. I guess to get people used to utilizing the ocean boulevard. I agree they should make Hudson’s and the other MDR different menus and keep them the same nightly. Wife and I love the decor. I think older folks just miss the loud neon colors of the mid 2000s LOL
Glad you found our review informative and objective. We strive to provide thorough and balanced reviews. Happy cruising!
attruim reminds me of a hospital 😔District Brewhouse missing is big for us as well, was hoping Norwegian kept the forward thinking mantra when it comes to beer.
Having watch videos, comments, etc. I am thinking of cancelling my cruise on the VIVA. You left out some other very common complaints/issuse. The are alot of comment about the cabin 1) not enought closet space, 2) have to be very tall to hang anything up and women mention if you have longer dresses the drag on thecloset floor, There ahs also bee a lot of comments about the cabin noise. Sounds like saving money by slipping enought sound profing. Also check out some reviews by people that stayed in the Haven -- the slides are next to some balconies nd you can hear the riders screaming, etc.
Love the design !!
Another awesome video!! Keep up the good work. I hope in the future you plan to do more content dedicated to the premium/luxury category (ie. Oceania/Explora/Regent/Seabourn/Siversea). Would love to know your opinions on those.
Thanks for watching. We have cruised with Oceania once and Viking a few times. Hopefully, we get the opportunity to test out some of the other luxury lines in the near future too!
I don't see a piano bar or Howl at the Moon the dualing paino's like the Getaway had.
the internet issue is for the whole fleet. NCLs internet access and app are aweful.
Thanks for letting us know.
A couple NCL ships have Starlink. It's suppose to be added to all by end of 2023. Wished that the newest ship would be first, as we're booked on Prima at end of January.
In your ‘ncl prima full cruise ship tour’ video… fast forward to 11:07. The cone on the right, at the bar. It’s missing a chair! I sailed on April 4th 2023 to Bermuda and it was missing!! Are you telling me that it IS STILL MISSING? I cut my leg on that and will spare the details. So from now until then it still hasn’t been fixed? That is what is wrong with NCL. Lack of details. But hey what do I know?…
At some point ships become too big. So I wouldn't mind going on this one at some point.
I just went on the encore, and I’d guess the wifi was a ship issue because mine was fine
That's good to know, Thanks.
We just sailed the mediterranean on Prima and loved every aspect of it, it's a new class of ship. It's modern, elegant and intimate, if you're into floating malls, this ship or the new Viva are not for you.
I like that they tried to make it elegant but miscalculated on some of the venue sizes. They need to revise the ship before coming out with the next ship after the Viva.
Are the slides on the Starboard side? I have a port balcony and don't want to have a view of the slides. Thanks!
Actually, there are slides on both sides.
I think it's a beautiful ship
problem is NCL won’t be able to address these issues with the Viva since it’s the same design. In all the videos the ship looks beautiful but they can’t change the venu sizes
Prima was not all it looked to be! Pool broke until day 5, all the kids were in the infinity pools jumping in and out! Hot tubs took turns braking! Half the elevators didn’t work! Best part was Hudson’s and Cagneys!! Our room Stuart was amazing!! Lacked signage to know where you were going.
You had a steward named Stuart?! :)
Whoa, hold up. Was that seafood on the buffet? Or was that stock video? Or elevated offering for inaugural sailing/media event?
another video on the ship said it was a one time thing.
NCL should try the ship in another market and see if it’s received well before building more in her class. After the ships NCL have in Australia or Asia it would probably do very well.
NCL has plans for 6 total Prima ships so they will be sailing all over the globe.
The venues are less than 1/2 the size they were. Comedy club holds 81 ppl syd Norman’s holds 150.
I have heard that they charge extra for miniature golf.
Yes, that is the plan.
This looks like a larger Viking Ocean Cruise. Same exact decor.
What can OBC be used for? Would it pay off a room credit for casino cash?
Yes, your OBC can pay off a room credit from the casino. There is usually a fee associated with taking money out of your account at a table, but OBC can pay for any room charges, like dining, retail, casino, etc.
@@Eatsleepcruise1NCL reps say not for casino cash.
With haven suite
Are you guaranteed to see any show you want?
Essentially, yes. The concierge will make reservations for you to the shows, and escort you down early to get premium seats. This is especially helpful for the rock shows in Syd Norman's. That venue is standing room only most nights. Same is true for the comedy shows.
Oh boy. I wouldn’t call Prima’s design “neutral” in any way whatsoever. Id moreso call it “new spaceship-heavy”. While I always appreciate a fresh new ship, this Doesn’t remind me of a water-going vessel. Not much of a nautical feel to the atrium. As much as people complain of gaudyness and tackyness on other cruise lines, this ship seems like they were trying to do way too much distract us from the fact that we are in fact on a great big boat on the water; and I’m not sure why. Just my opinion.
Getting rid of the teen club was a bad idea and making a smaller kid space was a poor decision . Disagree with your assessment that the Prima is family friendly. We are empty nesters so it doesn't affect us.
In our opinion, most of the contemporary cruise lines are family friendly; however, some are more family focused like Royal or Carnival with more activities for the little ones.
@@Eatsleepcruise1 I see a teen club and an adequately sized kids club as the minimum as opposed to the over the top activities on the Icon. Even Celebrity cruises has a separate teen space
It depends if there are activities for teens spread across rest of the ship I think most teens would definitely prefer that . I can’t think of anything lamer than being 15 years old ina fancy ship like this and being stuck in a specific teen area
Just sailed Prima last week, and I must agree that the decision to remove the teen club was a poor one. With no organized activities, the teenagers just roam the ship and cause havoc. One night, about 30 of them started a pillow fight in the observation lounge.
@@johncorbett4910lol
The Prima class were designed to combine the modern luxury style of Celebrity’s newer fleet and make it more intimate to attract new people to the NCL brand. I’ve loved every NCL ship I’ve sailed and that includes Pride, Jewel class, and Breakaway Plus class. They all have a niche they fit and Prima is no different. I don’t want to go on a Celebrity cruise because I like my Freestyle experience. So now I get the Prima class as an option to fit that desire. NCL also knows that the majority of guests use the speciality restaurants so they are easing prep and provision needs in the MDRs. I’d still be happy sampling a few selections over 2-3 nights in the MDR knowing I’ll be in the specialities the other nights.
Celebrity is kind of freestyle with the Edge ships. The Edge ships and the Prima have a lot in common in terms of colors and design aspects but the Prima has more flair. I really find the Edge ships overrated. They do have better food courts and such and more room, but no intimacy in public mingle areas.
Syd Norman's should add more seats and be doing the show twice a night.
I prefer subtle, or classic design (like you see on Viking and the newer Princess and Holland America ships). But there are definitely parts of ship that look like an airport shopping mall.
The venues are soooo small on the ship, and what adds to it, is that NCL forgot to innovate their schedule, when they innovated the ship - so most nights there would be 1 or 2 things on each evening, meaning that anyone wanting entertainment would flock to said small venues. If there had been 4-5 options, it would have naturally spread out the crowd.
In terms of Wifi, yes. Its shit, and its fleet wide. Its okay in off peak hours though, but worth the price? Hardly, unless you absolutely need it for work or something.
I also felt you defended NCL a bit too much in the beginning of this video. This ship is a failure. no doubt. I spent 32 days on her, and everyone I talked to prefer Breakaway (+) above the Prima
including the crew.
I do however agree on the decor - It is to my liking. Its by far the most beautiful ship NCL has, but what does that do when the ship is not functional/practical?
In the first half of this video - you tell people their opinion of the decor is wrong, you defend the choices on the ship by telling people they should have boarded first to get reservations, and they should be budgeting for the all the upcharges. This isn't good. Then you bury some big complaints at the end. I haven't been on the ship, but the layout looks strenuously difficult, and the wifi service you discuss sounds like an actual scam.
People are allowed to dislike the decor, there should be enough entertainment on board for every PAYING customer, and (IMO) the proportion of paid activities on the Prima is off balance. For me, it sounds like the Prima doesn't live up to the rest of NCL, and they need a rethink.
I just took this cruise in January and it was awful the service was nice but the upcharges and the main theater flooded so Donna Summers musical nor replacement :-(
I was on the transatlantic and was disappointed with the new design, but not for the reasons you cited. The Penrose atrium is gorgeous but awkward to navigate. Frequently you must walk through a bar to get from point A to point B. Indoor seating in public areas, Indulge, and the buffet is scarce. Seating designs tended to be both uncomfortably low for taller people and uncomfortably deep for short people. The Observation Lounge is tiny. The whole ship is geared toward being outside, so rainy days and cold itineraries will bring out the deficiencies. I’d book Prima for the Caribbean but nowhere else. I did love Belvedere - interesting drinks and a relaxing space.
Agree that the ship should function well in the Caribbean, but with other ships in the Prima class scheduled to cruise in other parts of the world, it will be interesting to see if any layout changes are made.
I get the feeling that someone at NCL wanted to make this ship class adult only.
It's not an original NCL design. It's basically the same ship as MSC Seaside and Virgin's ships.
It is similar to those ships.
You talk about the Norwegian Breakaway a few times but when i do a search on Breakaway on your channel, nothing comes up.
I love how if they get rid of a teen area it’s “not for families”….I mean like you’ll actually have to spend time with your own kids on a cruise? The horror.
Haha! We don’t have kids, but this is a common complaint of the ship.
The problem is having to spend time with everyone else's children.
If they don't have their own club, they're crowding adults out of other public spaces.
$40 to play darts is Nuts
More infinity pool levels would allow more to enjoy the pools as there are too many hoarders of the pools and they don't just use it and go!
Decor looks like work office or medical setting. No sure I cruise on this ship.
These problems don't bother me, I like this ship, especially the new design.
Glad you liked NCL Prima!
I find the tone of this review to be very negative. No reviewer that favors NCL would call a new ship for Carnival or RCL a mistake. Not a good message to pull people in.
ya
Prima isn’t a mega ship the only good entertainment is in syd Norman’s and you can never get in. The pool has no live entertainment. We are luL NCL cruisers. 20+ cruises. With them the Prima is a DISASTER
Just got off the Prima. Really disappointing. Venues way too small. Too many people standing room or you couldn't get in at all. Limited live music starts late and ends early. Terrible buffet, although Hudsons was good. Specialty dining was not special. Internet was difficult. Staff was nice but that is all. Going back to Carnival and RCL. Cruised over 25 times.
Thanks for your feedback.
I think to charge $5 for mini golf is a bit much (nickel and dime-ing your client)
We agree that mini-golf shouldn’t be an upcharge.
Just sailed on the Prima and did not like it. The flow of the ship is strange. Too many chokepoints and dead ends. The buffet is incredibly undersized for the ship. There are food delivery issues across all venues. I like the breakaway class much better. I want to go on a cruise ship to enjoy the grandeur and not look for quiet nooks that are mostly undersized.
I felt that it was a very beautiful ship but I agree that it was boring. There was no music or activity by the pool. The theater had only one good show, and its only saving grace was Syd Norman's but it was a very small space for that entertainment.
I am on it now! To small no where to have fun if you want to be alone! Hold a buzzer for 45 minutes to get a table for eating theater is half the size the buffet us half the size comedy show! Funny right you won't get in!
I would love an adults only NCL ship to be honest. I love all the NCL cruises so far, only from a european eye, I still don't get why most cruisers drink like maniacs on board. Sometimes you see peoples at 10am with a beer it hand.
Got off of the prima recently and i think it sucks. You use the word "intimate" a lot and thats fair, but it goes from intimate to simply just crowded when all 3000 people are trying to do something out of their rooms. Even on port days. The Prima sucks and NCL needs to have a realization that this is a SHIP, not simply a HOTEL.
Im on the Prima now
Not a fan. Slipped/fell my first day as they poorly maintain the decks (my left knee and left side/ribs were in horrible pain for 18 hours), was fat shamed on the Wave waterslide, entertainment isn't as strong as other cruise lines, too upscale, most the guest relations staff is indifferent and rude (thank goodness one of the managers understood my complaint and offered some discounts), small pool, too much nickel/diming, very limited shuttle service from Houston to Galveston terminal, poor Wifi, App is disorganized
Pros are few: it's beautiful, food is great, comfy cabin
Upcharges keep the rich in charge!
Never gone on NCL including the Prima, but, at least IMHO, there's quite such an excess on some of the complaints. For me the decor is minimalistic and simple, but with such a premium twist. Think Viking to the mainstream to an extent. Paid activities is a mainstream feature, show reservations a need as well... I won't comment more deeper subjects only ones whom go on these ships can evaluate, but there is from those videos out there something that falls on your and many others concerns and that is valid for pretty much every mainstream vessel being released these times, from MSC World Europa to RCI's Icon of the Seas: The lack of actual classic bar/lounge space to hung out at evening with an adult drink on hand while listening to great music, and the general feel of some venues as small for ship's capacity. Either way you have alternative restaurants, fun activities, shops or other pay for stuff like tea and coffee places, specialty bars and so on. Only time will tell, but for me this ship would to be a go despite the little flaws.
Thanks for providing some insight!
To me the colors just look drab. The pools look small. Small venues for shows that might be very popular is not very forward thinking. A bunch of small venues don’t translate to intimate if they are packed to standing room only. Lumping teenagers and small children together…No just no.
internet slow....well it is FREE. Only problem I see is you have to PAY for putt putt now that is stupid. What are the different LIVE shows names that I need to book asap when i board Thanks
Very bad we booked forward facing balcony suit we did not sleep 3 nights since the anchor was not properly attached; later i got little compensation... for it but it was nothing for 3 sleepless nigths! ye shows not that good, food is no longer available after 9pm in cafeteria, only food hall and some fast food joint open - food is very bad! except for pita made on premises and vegeterian menu
Where can you dance???? The theater???!!!! Well you have to dance to what they want no ball rom slow dancing! The atrium Hass carpet!
Exactly. Ships aren't just about food, staterooms, atria, spas and pools. They're about mingling and dancing in lounges as well. Where are the dance floors? Where does one swing dance or ballroom dance or slow dance? The Celebrity Edge ships are just as poor at this. Meanwhile Holland America has a number of them.
חזרתי לפני יומיים מקרוז של 10 לילות בפרימה וכגודל הצפייה, גודל האכזבה. כל מה שציינתם בכתבה נכון מאד ובנוסף יש לי הערות לגבי רמת האוכל והמבחר בבופט המזון. לא היו דגים מלוחים, לא היו שניצלים עוף, לא היו סטייקים למעט ביום אחד, לא היו ירקות לארוחת בוקר, יוגורט רגיל היה רק ביום הראשון וביום השני וזהו, מבחר גלידות דל ביותר ועוד ועוד. ראש המקלחת ענק ומבטיח ביותר אך זרם המים חלש ביותר. אסלה קטנה מאד שמתאימה אולי לילדים אבל לא למבוגרים ובטח לא למבוגרים שמנים. מחירי השטלים יקרים בטירוף וללא שום הצדקה. הקזינו נפתח בנמלי אטליה 5 שעות אחרי היציאה מהנמלים ועוד דברים קטנים ומעצבנים. אחרי 3 קרוזים בהם שטנו ומאד נהנינו מאוניות החברה, לא עוד, לא עוד. צר לי אבל לא נהניתי בפרימה כמו באחרות הישנות יותר.
I have made 17 NCL cruises. Last was Dec 2019. Then we know what happened. I will pass on the Prima.
This review is paid for.
The neutral tones and decor does look more modern and upscale. Folks who like the busy decor need to stay cruising Carnival.
We really like the new design.
I’m all for the up charge activities because I don’t want to pay for what I don’t use in my fare. You want to use it then you pay for it. Hate up charges go to an all inclusive resort instead.
I don’t like the way it looks like a mall.
Boring cruise, everything is an extra charge. No outside activities. Drink and eat only