a great experience

I read so many bad reviews on NCL that I was prepared for a bad experience. On the countrary it was a superb trip. Rooms beatifull, food excellent, staff very nice. even though, due to inclement weather and destination, external decks were most of time unavailable, inside spaces were never overcrowded and without long queues for winner. I can't review the entertainments because I never enjoied them. I'm a peculiar cruiser. I like to travel solo, to stay on my one, searching for quiet spots were to read and relax. to me cruises are a safe, elegant and confortable way to reach my destination. If you are like me, I do suggest the tour and the spirit of Prima Cruise. On the contrary if you are looking a for glamorous settting you might be disappointed as the atmosphere is quite easy. On the contrary I suppose that you can find a sparkling experience you shoud book suites or appartement in the Haeven a sort of first on a flight. It must be really incredibly luxurious accomodation whith dedicates spaces, dedicated embarcation and so on. but if you are like me and looking for relax, nice excurtions, good food, luxurious staterooms I do reccomand. only one very bad review: the SPA. it 's autrageously expensive. I like to indulge in luxurious SPA and Prima's SPA is on the very high range but the service absolutly over rated. the cruise is for english speaking traverlers.

Long review - 11 night cruise + 6 night land

11-night cruise to Norway & Iceland and 6-night Iceland Land Tour Cruise: I booked this cruise about 6-7 months ahead. Booked an Inside IA cabin through an NCL cruise consultant, and then called and upgraded using NCL credit card points to do a double upgrade to an Oceanview and then Balcony cabin. It was very easy. I had figured out which cabin numbers I wanted ahead of time, which helped assure that I would originally book the right category (IA can upgrade to OA and BA, if you originally book an IB then you can upgrade to an OB or BB, etc.). Since we booked an inside cabin originally, we were only entitled to 2 specialty dining, but that didn’t both us. There were so many places to eat, and with the money we saved using points to upgrade we could have paid for other nights if we had wanted. We were so happy with this itinerary! Insurance: I purchase travel insurance through a 3rd party so I can include everything in one policy. I book it within the first 14-days so there are no pre-existing conditions, and increase the amounts as I pay for things that are not refundable. I usually use TravelGuard and this is the first time I have ever had a claim. I was very happy with the claims process as I was able to do it online and upload the documents. Within 2 weeks I received an email saying it was approved and a check was being mailed. Packing: We took mostly lightweight clothing that can be layered and also dry quickly. We learned from other trips that heavier things don’t dry well, especially in damp environments. Waterproof boots, comfortable walking shoes, a few nicer pieces of clothing like casual pants and shirts for dinner, although many times we didn’t even change. Itineraries like this are fairly casual. We never felt out of place in hiking pants and sweatshirts. Flights & Uber. Overnight flight from Indianapolis to London (with stop in Chicago). Used points on United for lie-flat seats. Reserved an Uber ahead of time, but they only wait 1 hour so when we arrived a few minutes late, they had already left. We didn’t realize it and waited for an hour watching how far away the driver was on the app. When we were finally able to get ahold of him, we found out he had left already and would be another hour before he could get back. Had to pay a cancellation fee, so I would not recommend reserving Ubers, as this is not the first issue I have had. Once we made a new request it only took a few minutes before another one arrived. Uber drove us directly to Southampton and dropped us at our hotel. We couldn’t stay awake in the Uber! Pre-cruise hotel. Overnight at VOCO Southampton (formerly Holiday Inn). This hotel is walking distance to the cruise ports so it does fill up early so recommend booking as early as you can. I reserved it 6 months ahead and it was almost full. It has been renovated and is very nice. Expensive, yes, but you pay for location and convenience. After checking in and getting settled, we walked around the historic town, shopped and had a drink in the town square then had dinner at a Turkish Restaurant (so good, but we ordered way too much food!). Breakfast is very good in the morning but is also quite busy. Great coffee, but it is single serve machines and there are long lines just for coffee. Many people get 2 cups at a time (makes sense for one person to get in line for coffee and get 2 cups but it does add to the line time). As many mentioned, the elevators are quite small (2 people + 2 large luggage will almost fill it) and super busy at check-in and check-out times so allow extra time. It wasn’t a problem for us. Embarkation (Sunday). We were in no hurry and weather was good, so we walked to the Horizon cruise terminal. It is a little farther than it looks, but we had manageable luggage and it was a beautiful day! It is a nice flat walk, but the sidewalk is a little bumpy and luggage wheels didn’t always roll smoothly. There were some luggage carts available along the way we could have used if we needed which might be easier with the larger wheels. I think a taxi is only around 10 Euros so most people would opt for that. We checked our luggage at the terminal, checked in for the cruise, and only waited about 15 minutes before boarding. Our boarding time was 11:00, but I think we were on the ship about then. We had lunch at the Indulge Food Hall because it was easy. Most of our luggage arrived early afternoon so we unpacked and then walked around the ship. One piece of luggage lost its tag, so it didn’t arrive until evening. Thankfully, we had airline tags on it in addition to the cruise tag, so they were able to determine where it went. We watched the sail-away from Southampton through the English Channel from the back of Deck 8 while having a drink. There is ample comfortable seating. It was a sunny and warm day. I went inside Indulge and ordered some food (you must sit at a table and use the kiosk). Once it arrived, I carried it outside to our chairs. We went to the Welcome Aboard Show that evening. NCL Prima ship. We loved this ship! I do not know why people have so many bad things to say about it. It is new, clean, beautiful and we had excellent service in every area! We were in a mid-ship BA balcony cabin on Deck 16 and it was the best cruise cabin I have ever stayed in! I was a little concerned about being up so high with motion sickness, but we loved it! The balconies on this ship had the most comfortable chairs – kind of a high-back wicker but had a reclining back and removeable cushions. We actually took little naps in them on the balcony more than once! Beds & pillow were so comfortable and we slept really well. It was a quiet location with cabins above and below us. There was plenty of storage for the 2 of us and tons of USB & electrical ports. Had a comfortable couch, flat screen television, nice desk area that I used to put on make-up and do my hair and I stored it all in the drawer at the desk. The bathroom was really nice with lots of storage and had one of the nicest and roomiest showers. The observation deck was awesome for sail-in/sail-out and we were usually able to find a spot to sit. There is also the Oceanwalk on each side of Deck 8 and outdoor area at the back of the ship on Deck 8 with tons of seating, a bar, and Indulge Food Hall right inside (like a food court). Entertainment was good – maybe not quite as good as our 2020 & 2023 cruises, but I know that they have made some changes in that area. The entertainment doesn’t seem to be as Broadway-like as it did before. Still, we enjoyed the shows that we saw. Food & service was good everywhere. Over our 11-night cruise, we ate at Hudson’s & Commodore main dining rooms, Cagney’s & LeBistro specialty dining rooms, Indulge Food Hall, The Local, and the Surfside Café buffet. Medical Center. Unfortunately, I did have to utilize the medical center. I cannot say enough good about it! On the 2nd or 3rd day of the cruise my tooth started hurting. On day 5, I woke up with an abscess tooth and my face was swollen and looked like I had a stroke. I knew I had to go to the medical center. I was up most of the night anyway, so was ready by 8:00 when they opened. The doctor knew exactly what antibiotics were needed and worked with me to find the ones I could take and what would have the least side effects. One thing that I learned is that they have a list of doctors and dentists in each port they can contact if needed. This is very comforting to know. They were going to try to get me into a dentist that day, but it was a very small port and there was no dentist there, so they tried for the next day. That was a Saturday, so nothing was open. The following day was a sea day, so the first available dentist was several days away. I ended up not needing it as the antibiotics worked. I ended up going back to the med center on the last day of the cruise to see if I could get additional antibiotics since we were spending another week on land after the cruise ended. Yes, I had to pay for it twice, but it was peace of mind that my face wouldn’t blow up again while we were in some tiny little Icelandic Village. For those who are curious, the office visit was $180 and the 3 medicines were about $160. I didn’t think this was bad at all and think that if I went into any doctor without insurance as a new patient here in my hometown it would be at least that much. The second time, they charged me for the extra medicine, but only charged $99 for the office visit because I was an established patient! Haha! My travel insurance did reimburse me for all of it. (Monday, Bruges) – Had breakfast at The Local. It is a small, sit-down restaurant with a small menu, but we ate there several times. They also have outdoor seating along the waterfront. We did not book an excursion for Bruges, but instead walked out and grabbed a taxi and shared it with another couple who were also waiting in line (you first have to get on a free shuttle from the ship to the port building as they don’t want people walking where there are service vehicles). Bruges is a picturesque medieval town that seems like a fairy-tale with cobblestone streets and surrounded by canals. It did get very busy later in the day. We walked around, took a canal boat ride, saw the beer wall, and had some lunch with a Belgian beer, and a Belgian waffle topped with ice cream, strawberries, and chocolate. Then we grabbed another taxi back to port. It is about 30 minutes from the cruise port. Very easy to do on your own. We ate dinner in the Commodore Room and went to 2 shows in the theater that evening: Rat Pack & Newlyweds Game. Both were good, but the Newlyweds Game was hilarious!!! Don’t miss it. Tuesday, Amsterdam. We didn’t schedule a tour today either. It was nice having no set time to get up and off the ship. We ate breakfast at The Local again, mainly because by the time we got ready it was the only thing left that was still open. The port is right in town so we just walked. We walked to where you take a canal cruise and did that first thing. The canals we very quiet. We had another beautiful day and enjoyed the cruise and seeing all the sites along the canals and all the houseboats docked along the canals. Then we explored on our own the rest of the day. Walked through the red-light district, shopped at a local market, had lunch on one of the canals, and tried the Stroop Waffle. Yum! We ate dinner sitting outside at the local and then sat out on the back of Deck 8 as we sailed 2 hours through the channel. We watched as we went through the locks. It is a new lock and was so interesting as there is a road at the front and the back of the lock that move into or out of place to allow the ship to enter or exit. That was our entertainment that evening. (Tooth was just starting to bother me a little) Wednesday, At Sea. It was going to be a 3-week trip for us so having some downtime to relax was really nice. And we got lucky with good weather as we sailed across the North Sea towards Norway! We ate breakfast in the observation lounge, lunch in the Garden Café, and used one of our specialty dinners at Le Bistro in the evening. We aren’t big fans of French food and I don’t eat seafood, but the steak was very good. I feel like we did something in the afternoon, but cannot remember what. We went to see the Ed Sheerhan Tribute with Matthew at Syd Norman’s after dinner. And we walked along the waterfront just about every evening. Thursday, Bergen. Another day without a tour. Breakfast at Garden Café. Yes, it is busy, but we wanted to get going and not take the time for a sit-down restaurant. We walked to the funicular and took it to the top of Mt. Floibanin. It has a nice view down on the town and the cruise ship. (It isn’t as high as the cable car, but is less expensive, more convenient, and we knew we would be seeing a higher up view the next day anyway). There are a bunch of goats at the top that are tame and fun to watch. Also, we walk around behind the visitor center to see the troll statues. We took the funicular back down and walked around town, saw some churches and a fort, and had a very fresh fish & chips lunch at the fish market. Later we shared a Bolle (or bun) at the mall shops. It was another beautiful and relaxing day. We got back on the ship and scored a table in the Observation Lounge right at the front of the ship to watch the sail-out. We waited and waited. Turns out we left several hours late as there was a mechanical problem they had to get fixed. We grabbed food from the Garden Café and brought it back to the Observation Lounge for dinner and waited some more. Decided to give up and went to the magic show with Christian Miro. (Tried to get medicine in Bergen for my tooth and ended up with a tube of sensitive toothpaste for $18Euros and some numbing medicine for babies that are teething). Friday, Geiranger. The sail-in to Geiranger lasts 2-3 hours and is spectacular! Since we were arriving late, we were actually able to see all of the sail-in in the daylight. I was up most of night with my tooth pain and now the face was swollen and hot, so went to the medical center first thing. We had independently booked an 8:30 bus trip to Mt. Dalsnibba, Eagle Road, and Seven Sisters Waterfalls with norwayexcursions. They had already emailed me saying they were aware of our delay and had rescheduled our bus time for 11:30. We went to a leisurely breakfast at Hudson’s and watched the lovely sail-in. It is also interesting to watch the floating dock deploy out to the ship. How ingenious! It ‘folds’ up by the shore and once a ship is anchored in the fjord, the floating dock comes out to the ship, operated by a motor. It was not as quite as nice of a day so was glad to be in a bus taking a tour. Geiranger is very small so taking a tour for a few hours was a good option. It takes you up and up and up and it was much colder and windier up at the top. There were curves and switchbacks and we were glad we were riding instead of driving. We took photos and had a little lunch at the Dalsnibba visitors center. We stopped several places for views and photos along the way. It was about a 3-hour trip and was plenty for me that day. There are other things we had planned like the waterfall walk, but I wasn’t feeling great because of my tooth infection so after a little shopping in the town we just got back on the ship and enjoyed the view from our balcony and watched the sail-out. Had dinner at Hudson’s and just relaxed on our balcony. We didn’t get to go to the Michael Bublé show as I was pretty worn out. Saturday, Alesund. We explored Alesund on our own after breakfast at The Local. Alesund is a beautiful city and easy to explore on your own. We took the little blue train right from the cruise port that takes you on a tour through town and up to Mt. Aksla viewing area. I think it was about 70-minutes total and the train only stops at Mt. Aksla for about 15-minutes and returns you back to the port where it begins. There is also a hop-on/hop-off bus that you can get off at multiple places. We were happy with the train and the commentary. It was another beautiful day and after the train, we walked around Alesund and had the best and least expensive lunch from a little convenience store on the harbor and did some shopping. We loved getting back on the ship early and relaxing on the balcony and enjoying the views after a day of exploring. Watched another beautiful sail-out through the fjords. Went to see Bossa Nova Beats at 6:30 and had dinner at Hudson’s after the show. We never had a problem getting into any of the restaurants at any time. Sunday, At Sea. After 3 days in Norway, it was nice to have another sea day as we sailed across the sea on the way to Iceland. Once again, we had calm seas and the captain mentioned how lucky we were. I saw the most stunning sunrise and then had a leisurely breakfast at Hudson’s with a group of 8-10 other people from all over, and enjoyed talking with them. By mid-morning we were so socked in by fog you could hardly see the water! Went to the Crew Talent Show and were blown away by the talent! I expected it to be kind of funny like amateur-talent, but it was a real show! Had lunch at the Garden Grill (stays open long after the café closes) and then soaked in the infinity pool for a while. Had it all to myself most of the time! We used our second specialty dining at Cagney’s that evening. This was my 3rd time at Cagney’s and it never disappoints. It is my favorite of all the specialty restaurants. Then we stopped at Syd Norman’s to watch a little of the violinist that we missed in the theater a few nights earlier. Was hoping to see the northern lights since we were in the Arctic Circle, but with the fog we couldn’t see anything. Monday, Akureyri. Another beautiful sail-in! Had breakfast at The Local again. I was glad I was feeling better and didn’t need to see a dentist, as this would have been the first day I could have gone to see a dentist and would have canceled our other plans. We had an all-day independent excursion booked to Godafoss waterfall, Myvatn geothermal area, and Myvatn Nature Baths through Fox Adventures. It was a great tour! We were picked up at the dock and went to the waterfall first. Then several places around Myvatn: rift between the two tectonic plates, to see steaming vents and bubbling mud pools, craters and lava formations, and then ended at the Myvatn Nature Baths. We had time to get changed into our swimwear, soak for an hour or so, get out and shower and change, and still had time to grab a snack/late lunch at the café. There were actually two tours on this bus. Our tour went to the nature bath and the other went on to another waterfall, so some people stayed on the bus the whole time. It was another 45-minutes on the bus to go to the next waterfall, time at the waterfall, and then 45-minutes back to pick us up from the nature baths, so I was glad we chose to do the nature baths. People who stayed on the bus weren’t sure it was worth it as it was a lot of extra time on the bus. We had about an hour drive back to port. We didn’t have time to spend any time in the town of Akureyri, but loved seeing all the little heart shaped stoplights as we drove through! They told us that after the 2009 economic crisis when they needed to replace/add stoplights they decided to put those in to send a message to be kind and love each other. I love that! We sat outside for the sail-out and had a quick dinner at Indulge Food Hall and made it an early evening. Another night in the Arctic Circle, but fog settled in again and couldn’t see any lights. Tuesday, Isafjordur. Isafjordur is a small Icelandic fishing village deep in a small fjord. Stunning beauty all around, but you can just imagine how cold and quite it would be in the winter! The Garden café was super busy, so we got our food and took it over to the Observation Lounge and had breakfast while watching the sail-in. The Observation Lounge has coffee and juice and some pastries, but not a full breakfast. We scheduled an independent excursion that went to Dynjandi Waterfall through West Tours. We had the unfortunate luck to be on one of their newer busses that have the smallest seat space of any plane or bus I have ever been on, while the person in front of my husband decided to lay his seat back. He literally had 4 inches between his face and the seat in front of him. Some people! And then he leaned forward in his seat the entire time fiddling with his camera. Not all their busses are like this, though, as we talked to others on the older busses that said it was typical bus setup. We were glad we were only on it for a short time. While all waterfalls are beautiful, this one you don’t want to miss! The drive there is an excursion all by itself. Stunning scenery and even some wildlife. After an all-day excursion the day before, we opted for this short trip to the waterfall and back. There are tours that go to this waterfall and stop at other places, but we were happy with this shorter one. It is about an hour drive each way, maybe a little less, and then have an hour or so at the waterfall. Dynjandi is actually 7 waterfalls to create this amazing scene. When the bus first came around the mountain and we saw it for the first time, the entire bus gasped. It is that stunning. After we got back to port, we walked around the little town, had a sandwich at a little 7-11 type place where the locals eat, and then went back to the ship. We went to the Rumors/Fleetwood Mac show at 6:30 and then to dinner at the Commodore. If you like Fleetwood Mac you will love the show! But the highlight of the evening was the show in the sky. Yes, finally! At 11 p.m. I saw a green light from my balcony. It was so windy that the steam from the ship was blowing and blocking my view so I went up on top only to find hundreds of people and the most amazing light show you could see with your eyes and not just through a lens! It was so windy on the 20th deck that it was hard to hold your body still, more or less a camera. It was still going at 1:00 a.m. and was hard to leave it and go to bed. I was hoping that we would see them again since we had about a week in Iceland, but never saw them again. Wednesday, Reykjavic. We arrived early in the a.m. and actually would stay overnight here so had all day with no all-aboard time. We had breakfast at The Local before getting off the ship. There is a free shuttle that takes you to the concert hall. We walked around Reykjavic, walked up Rainbow Road, saw Hallgrimskirkja, bought souvenirs, and walked along the Harbor. Also went to the Phallological (Penis) Museum – the only one in the world so just had to go! Then we picked up a rental car at Blue Car in town and drove out of town to the Reykjanes Peninsula as far as the lighthouse. The sites on this side of the peninsula were not that great and we eventually headed back toward the ship. We parked at the cruise port in a little lot right next to the ship. We were there by about 4:00 and there were only a couple more spots available. I had read to be there before 6 to get a spot, but by 5:00 it was full and by 6:00 there were cars waiting & hoping that someone was going to leave. We were keeping an eye on it from the ship just out of curiosity, and people were parked in the grass and not even in parking spots. They were still there the next day when we disembarked so I don’t believe anyone was towed. The cruise port is under massive construction, so I don’t know if that parking lot will still be there next year or not. I did hear employees complaining about people parking their rental cars there, but there was no sign with any restrictions. Anyway, we got back on the ship, packed everything except our carryon, and took it back out to the car. Some people were actually leaving the ship early so we had to make sure they knew we were coming right back. We had a quick dinner at Indulge and sat outside enjoying our last evening on the ship. <sigh> Thursday, Reykjavic-Snaefellsness. Had a quick breakfast at Surfside Café and were packed up and off the ship by 8:00 a.m. With the car right there and packed up, it was a quick exodus out of town. We stopped at a grocery store and picked up some breakfast and lunch food. I had packed a little cooler and an ice bag that we had filled with ice (thanks to a tip someone on here suggested and it actually came in handy as an ice pack and hot water bottle for my tooth pain too!). Our first stop of the day was a reservation at Hvammsvik Hot Springs. We arrived early and it was a little drizzly rain, but once in the hot springs you didn’t even notice. This was my favorite hot springs! Very natural and right on the fjord with mountains all around. It doesn’t have the blue color like some do though. We stayed a couple hours, jumping from one pool to another and even tried to do a cold plunge in the ocean water. Nope! Couldn’t do it. The facilities were amazing and they had everything you needed to shower and dry your hair, etc. Then we headed to the Snaefellsness Peninsula, driving through the Hvalfjörður Tunnel that goes under the water. You need to watch your speed as there are cameras and if you exit too quickly, they will issue a ticket, which will come much later. We stopped for lunch in Borgarnes at a place right across the bridge called Grillhusid. Good pizza and an ice cream shop. We drove through such stunning scenery. Basalt columns, craters, waterfalls, etc. Also stopped at Seal Beach, but it was busy and unimpressive with only a couple seals we could spot. We thought we might try again on our way back, but didn’t end up stopping again. We arrived at our Airbnb in Arnarstapi and got settled in and ate sandwiches we bought earlier that day while enjoying being on land in a real house. We even had a washer & dryer to get some clothes washed for the rest of the trip (we had taken advantage of 1 bag of laundry halfway through the cruise and I washed a few things out in the sink on the ship, but we still had things that needed washed). Friday, Snaefellsness Peninsula. After breakfast in the cabin, we walked along the Arnarstapi coastal walk to see the Arnarstapi Cliffs. It was early so there were no busses of tourists yet. It was a sunny morning and was so beautiful! Then we started our drive around the peninsula, stopping at Longdranger Cliffs, the lighthouse, did a tour down into the caves and took a tour into the lava tube of the Vatnshellir, Djúpalónssandur Beach. We stopped along the way for coffee and dessert at a little café at the Maritime Museum in Hellisandur. Best cappuccino ever! It started drizzly rain off and on so we didn’t stop at every place, but the scenery was stunning. We did stop for several photos including Church Mountain from Game of Thrones. We drove as far as Stykkisholmer and then continued our circle back to Arnarstapi. There was a little food truck called Frista in Arnarstapi where we picked up dinner and took it back to our Airbnb. We each ordered a meal (fish & chips & quesadilla) but should have shared one - they were huge! Another relaxing evening at our cabin. Saturday, Golden Circle. After a quick breakfast and packing up, we drove to the Golden Circle, which is Iceland’s most famous scenic route. It was about 2.5 hours drive to Thingvellir National Park. It was sunny, but we took our rain jackets with us and it is a good thing. It started blowing and raining during our walk to the waterfall then stopped as suddenly as it started. You walk through a gorge where the two tectonic plates have separated. It was interesting. Then you have to climb up quite a few steps to get to the Oxarfoss waterfall. It was pretty but not as large or stunning as the others we had seen so far. Then we drove on to Geysir to see the hot springs. There are many, but Strokkur is consistent and probably the largest and is right across the road from the parking lot & visitors center. Next, we drove on to Gulfoss Waterfall. It is very pretty and easy to access with a short walk. We also stopped to feed some Icelandic Horses on the side of the road (owner was there) and saw so many rainbows! We ate leftovers in the car for lunch and then had a nice dinner at Mika that evening. We stayed 1 night at Blue View Cabins with a private hot tub, hoping for a view of the lights while soaking. They are very small, but perfect for 2 people. Sunday, South Coast to Vik. We drove to Selfoss and ate breakfast at Byrja. Next door was a grocery store so we picked up some more food and snacks for the rest of the trip. Then we headed along the south coast, stopping at many waterfalls and places along the route, including Dryholey Beach. We checked into our hotel, Black Beach Suites. It is so windy in this area it was a challenge every time we got in or out of the car. We had an ice cave tour scheduled for 4:00 so headed into Vik to meet the guide. We were driven in a super jeep out to the glacier fields and then had to walk about 20 minutes, where they gave us crampons for our boots. It was at that moment that I realized we had to climb UP to the cave! It was a little scary crossing a rushing river of water by basically walking on a couple planks of wood laid across! But we made it up and back down without incident. We thought we were dressed in waterproof gear, but it wasn’t waterproof enough! With the rain and wind, our hats and gloves were soaked by the time we got done. It took 2 days for the gloves to dry! We treated ourselves to a beer and pizza at Black Crust Pizza and it was delicious! Then back to our hotel. The hotel was super nice and I booked it hoping for a good view of the lights at night, but it was so cloudy and the drive back and forth to/from Vik was not the easiest in the dark. Monday, Vik to Diamond Beach. We had breakfast in the hotel room and then headed out for Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon & Beach (aka Diamond Beach). The drive was really pretty with lots of waterfalls and the moss-covered lava fields. But it definitely seemed like a long drive. We had cancelled the Zodiac Boat tour that we had reserved once we saw the weather report the day before. As it rained off and on, we wondered if it was worth even making the drive at all, especially after getting cold and wet the day before. But once we saw it, we were so glad we made the trip. It is as stunning as the pictures, maybe more. When we got out at the beach it was raining and so windy it was hard to stay out there very long. And then right across the road at the lagoon it stopped raining and was sunny. Strange weather. We took some food in the car with us for lunch, and then stopped for a coffee and snack along the way. Once we got back to Vik, we went out to Reynisfjara Beach (Amazing!) and had dinner at The Soup Co. Stayed at Black Sand Beach a 2nd night. Tuesday, Vik to Reykjanes. We drove back along the South Coast, stopping at places we didn’t stop on the way. So many waterfalls you can’t count them. We stopped at Yoda Cave & Fjadrargljufur Gorge. We drove back through Selfoss to Kerid Crater. It was sunny and beautiful right up until 5 minutes before we got there and by the time we got out of the car it was blowing wind and pelting rain so hard! We ran up and got a few photos, but it was too windy to be enjoyable. 5 minutes later it was sunny again. We ate leftover pizza and snacks in the car and drove around the south side of the Reykjanes Peninsula. It was much more interesting than the north side. You can actually see where the recent lava flow was on each side of the road and they had to rebuild the road. We checked into our hotel near the airport and then went to the Blue Lagoon. Spent a couple of hours at the BL. We returned our rental car and took a taxi back to the hotel. As it turns out it would have been so easy to return the car the next morning, but we weren’t sure. We had dinner at the hotel. Wednesday, Fly home. Took the hotel shuttle to the airport, checked in, waited in line for VAT tax refund (2+ months and still waiting for refunds), and still had plenty of time before the flight. It was a great trip. Loved the itinerary, the ship, and everything we did. We also really enjoyed our land portion because you can see and do so much more than you can from a port day. If anyone has any questions, I will be glad to answer if I can.

Great ship, great itinerary

I had read many negative reviews concerning the Prima. My husband andI were pleasantly surprised to find a beautiful ship with soft colors making a very warm and welcoming place. The staff was excellent. I have a mobility issue, use a cane and every time we entered the buffet a crew member came up to me and offered me help, carrying my plate and drink. When leaving the ship, I was offered a wheelchair every time and when we returned from an excursion, there was one waiting for me. I never requested one but it was there. Our cabin was really very, very nice. There is ample storage space, plenty of room under the bed for luggage and closets with plenty of hangers and shelves. The balcony chairs were very comfortable, way better than other NCL ships. The food - we ate at Hudsons, the complimentary dining option, almost every night, Yes, the left side of the menu entrees stays the same, but the appetizers and right side change daily. There was not one meal that was not served hot, very good and large portions. We are sort of picky eaters but found something delicious every time. The buffet was good also. Yes it is smaller than other ships so you. have to search hard for a table. But part of the problem is that when people are done eating, they sit there and read or play cards. We ate at Cagneys twice, our favorite restaurant on NCL and the food was delicious. Service, no matter where we ate, was quick and efficient. We did hear some grumbling from passengers who could not book a shore excursion as they were full. We always book our excursions online as soon as we book our cruise and reserve speciality dining as soon as the reservations open so we are not disappointed. The one down side to this ship, and we only found one, is the size of the Atrium. With over 3000 passengersm, why they fet the need to reduce the size of this area is a mystery. They have so few chairs and some ridiculous chaise loungers so have metal folding chairs all over the place. I truly hope this is not a design for future ships. We found two nice areas to read and play cards in the Belvedere Bar and the Observation Lounge. On sea days you need to get to the Observation Lounge early because it fills quickly. All in all we had a very nice cruise and would recommend this ship and itinerary to every one,