NCL Aqua - review from a veteran cruiser.

Veteran NCL cruiser here, 8 cruises or so on NCL, 5 on Carnival. I love NCL in general so this is a positive review but calls out the things I didn't like as much for those veteran NCL cruisers out there. Traveled with a group of 12 that included 6 new to cruising on NCL, so that brought its own challenges revolving around planning dinners. Dining downsides but corresponding Upsides: all of the specialty dining spots sold out after we had boarded the ship. Usually we would book early, but with 12 people and some newbies to cruising, it didn't work out to play it by ear. Specialty restaurants filled and my dad and stepmom missed out on one of their dinners (Sapphire status) because all the restaurants were full. My sister booked Cagney's for us well before the cruise, but when we were seated it was at two tables of 6, which kind of spoiled the family get together a bit. THAT SAID.... the main dining room options were great, we didn't ever book a reservation and always got right in. (I usually do FOUR specialty dining nights, this cruise I only did two, but I have to say that they were great.) The Local is way underused on the ship. Wow, what a great option. It's basically a reverse buffet - all the stations are there but they bring you the food instead of you grabbing it in line. If you sit in a generic area, you can get all the things. If you sit at one of the "food trucks", just those things. Sit at a table and order whatever you want. TIP - The Local is a way better place to get buffet food for breakfast than the buffet which is way overcrowded. Favorite bar was The Belvedere on deck 8. You can see all the way down to deck 6 where activities happen. Like O'Sheehan's on Breakaway where you can look down to deck 7, but with TWO decks down. It was comfortable. If you go, tell Jason from Columbia that we said hello. Loved the infinity pools and the deck 8 concept outside. We were always able to get seats. The back of the ship seemed underused. We were always able to get into the infinity pools even on the at sea days. Eventually. Beer - I'm a beer fan. The only place to get good draft beer is the back of the ship, yet again, at The Local. That bar at the back of the ship on the inside has only 10 seats or so. Casino - craps was $10 limit the entire cruise. Roulette was $10 minimum with $2 chips. The Fleetwood Mac cover band show was the highlight of the cruise. Make sure to go. The Prince show is pretty good also. We didn't get tickets or seats - we got into the "pit" with no problem during the 930 show, enjoyed watching both. Got to watch a rocket launch from Port Canaveral from the observation lounge on the first day of the cruise. It's a nice spot. The game room has some free video games of the older variety - ms. pac man, etc. The bowling alley is $7 a game. They have crazy air hockey and other stuff too. I paid $300/person for the spa package. It feels smaller than Breakaway which has that supernice hot tub. Hard to explain, but this has a zig/zag layout for the hot tub that it's hard to get around in. I didn't like it, won't do it again, but would do it again on the Breakaway. We only used it twice, big waste of money there. Was able to get my stepson a one day pass for $100. maybe that was worth it to try it out. I don't know. Overall loved the cruise, bought some more cruisenext certificates, and have two cruises booked, including another on the Aqua.

AQUA WAS A-OK

Sailed on the Aqua May 17-24. Wonderful experience. Obviously, there were a lot of wrinkles that need to be ironed out in such a new ship but the good far outweigh the bad in this ship. With larger spaces designated for sitting, relaxing, ocean viewing and such we never found the ship to be crowded except for in the Surfside Grill (buffet) which was smaller than other ships' but for a good reason. Breakfast was served at numerous locations on the ship and crowded conditions were caused mostly by veteran cruisers who didn't try the alternative locations for breakfast and lunch. The "Indulge" eating area is a nice change of pace. You walk into a food-court with several different varieties of food. Once you've decided what you like you go to a table and order from an on-table computer. Nice. Yes, it was impossible to get a table at Cagney's, but we were successful in getting two other dinner reservations and the food and presentation were nice. Unlike other big ships, the Aqua is not nearly as noisy, but the pool side partying, games and contests were not just at poolside. They were all over so it would be hard to complain that there was nothing to do. The upper floors of the aqua are a veritable amusement park with all sorts of games and amusements. Service was good. The room (we had a balcony) was roomier and so was the bathroom. The room designers did a good job of making use of space. Daily freestyles were on in-room monitors but suffered sporadic glitches. The entertainment staff was delightful. We booked under the old "Free at Sea" package, so the drinks were free flowing and there were plenty of bars so no complaints there. Only big negative I have is that the premier show "Prince - The Revolution" was cancelled both nights due to an injury to a performer. That was the premier show, and its cancellation left the ship with some comedian fill-ins and a Magician, who was quite good but not the high-powered act that was advertised. I thought that Norwegian would have offered some kind of compensation for the cancellation.

NCL Aqua- Try it!!

I find it peculiar that this ship is only rated 3 stars. This is was a very nice ship with many perks. Let’s break it down Ship itself: The ship is absolutely beautiful. It’s a modern take on luxury and features many spots to hide away. The sitting areas onboard are plush and comfortable. Although the layout is untraditional, I don’t consider this to be a con. I think it’s different and intriguing. Food: This was noteworthy. The food was excellent in the specialty and main dining restaurants. As a vegetarian I appreciate the amount of options they had on the ship AND on the private island as well. Indulge food lounge is addicting and the stunning views of main dining room are gorgeous! Entertainment: This is an activity packed cruise. I must say the cruise director staff was phenomenal. I loved Cecilia in particular as she was always full of energy and fun. She hosted the murder mystery session, I highly recommend attending that! It was brilliant and one of the highlights of my cruise. The Latin party and glow party were certainly entertaining as well! They had endless activities from the Slide coaster, glow court, the stadium, tee time, and the drop slide. I never was bored. Excursions/Ports: Everything went smoothly and we were blessed with great weather. One thing I appreciated about NCL is that on the way back to the ships they had cold towels and cold water. Customer Service: Excellent. The staff were friendly and attentive. I loved Ruth the wine steward. She was so friendly and kind for the duration of the cruise. Overall: This was a great experience and enjoyable cruise! No cruise is perfect, but if you’re looking for a fun vacation on a luxury looking ship, this is it.

The best ship!

Just came back from the best cruise experience I’ve ever had — seriously, nothing compares so far! This ship offers the perfect mix of Celebrity’s luxury and Royal Caribbean’s fun atmosphere. The cabins, service, and food were all top-notch, and the entertainment options were incredible. What I loved most was how well everything is organized depending on what kind of experience you want. If you’re in the mood for a party, music, and a lively pool scene, Deck 17 is the place to be — it’s full of energy and great vibes. But if you’re like me and enjoy a quieter, more relaxing spot, head to Deck 8. It’s peaceful, with two pools, a bar with wake views, and and restaurants around deck 8 with amazing sea views. It’s the perfect place to unwind with a drink and just watch the ocean go by. Definitely a cruise I will never forget!And will Be looking forward to book NCL Luna next year.