9 Nights Italy, France & Greece from Barcelona, Spain Cruise

NCL Haven 4/26 Lisbon to Rome - 5 Stars!

Wonderful services, food, cabins and ports! Such a wonderful experience for our first cruise from Lisbon to Rome! I learned a lot, including the fact that deals on things (spa/art/shops/next cruise) improve as the days pass. Live and Learn! The excursions offered were excellent and reasonably priced. Had a few local experts that either weren’t loud enough and didn’t use Vox and/or didn’t speak English very well, but not NCLs fault. We had one day at sea and took advantage of the Spa and Gym. One thing I learned is the Spa is an unrelated party from NCL and every time you come in contact with the staff there’s a sales pitch for their products. The Haven is definitely the way to go! The butler service, bartenders, concierge, stewards, restaurant staff were friendly, helpful, accommodating and we developed a fondness for many of them! Overall an excellent experience that I look forward to repeating!

NCL Viva is a fabulous cruiseship!

I was a bit concerned after reading some pretty negative reviews for the Viva. This was my second NCL cruise and 5th cruise overall. I was traveling with my sister and we both thought it was a fabulous cruise. The ship is gorgeous, clean and not very difficult to find your way around. The food options were numerous and all were excellent. We did not eat at the buffet as we normally avoid those anyway on other cruises. The Indulge Food Hall was incredible. It's so fast, fresh, hot, and delicious. It has something fo everyone. We loved the Local as well, especially the wings and burgers. Waiters were spot on. We ate at the main dining room Hudsons 3 times for breakfast, and 4 times for dinner. Again, great food and service. We had no reservations at Hudsons (you can't reserve precruise), and never waited more than 5 minutes. Onda Italian was superb! We had reserved our dining time several months before for the specialty dining. The Los Lobos Mexican was pretty good, but not our favorite. The guacamole and service was great. Our favorite quiet and relaxing place was the Observation Lounge, just gorgeous with the best bartenders on the ship. The only long wait we had for drinks was at the main bar in the atrium area, but it was understandably very crowded. There was always some organized activity going on there. I agree with most reviews that the entertainment venues such as Sid Normans and comedy club should be much bigger. We loved the Oceanwalk area, but generally avoided the main pool area which is always packed. We did catch the Fleetwood Mac Rumours show. We got there an hour early and just chatted with some nice folks while waiting in line, no big deal. The show was definitely worth the hour wait. I will say we did not care for the Beetlejuice show at all. It was awful. With that said, there are so many activities on the ship going on, it would be impossible to get bored. We booked all independent excursions through the Shore excursion group website and Viator for Aruba, Curacao, St Lucia, and St Kitts. Much cheaper than the cruise line excursions, smaller group size, and all great. We also had great massages at the spa and played slots in the casino. I wish NCL sold 1 day spa passes instead of just the weekly. I really am baffled at the negative reviews especially regarding the food and the ship itself. I always preplan my activities, specialty dining reservations, and spa appointments ahead of time, so maybe it just comes down to precruise organization and planning for a smoother cruise? The crew overall was excellent and our cabin steward was always available. He kept our cabin spotless and we saw him several times a day, so he was always available for any requests. Our balcony cabin was on deck 14 midship and very spacious and quiet. Don't hesitate to book this ship and if you have already, no worries, you will have a great time!

Absolutely Brilliant Experience on NCL Viva

We recently returned from a week-long Caribbean cruise aboard the stunning NCL Viva, and we are still buzzing from the experience. As first-time cruisers, we weren't entirely sure what to expect, but everything from start to finish exceeded our expectations. Boarding was effortless—far easier and more relaxed than catching a flight—and once we stepped onboard, we were immediately struck by how beautiful and thoughtfully designed the ship was. The NCL Viva is a beautiful, modern ship with immaculate facilities. The staff and crew were exceptional—always courteous, professional, and eager to help. Whether we were relaxing in the Observation Lounge, soaking up the sun on the Pool Deck, or enjoying the ambience of the Atrium, we were consistently impressed by the attentiveness of the team. We also really enjoyed some of the unique features of the Viva, including the Oceanwalk—with its glass walkway offering breathtaking views over the ocean—and the Infinity Pools, which created the perfect relaxing escape with unbeatable sea views. These thoughtful design touches added an extra layer of magic to the overall experience. The staff and crew deserve a standing ovation. Every interaction was warm, genuine, and helpful, and we felt incredibly well cared for throughout the cruise. The Freestyle Daily made it super easy to plan our day and ensure we didn’t miss out on all the great activities—whether it was racing around the go-kart track, checking out art auctions, or catching a high-energy show at the theatre.