Norwegian has unveiled a new cruise ship complete with a food hall, Starbucks, and its largest staterooms ever - see inside
Norwegian Cruise Line has unveiled its latest ship: Prima.
The new vessel has several of the company's firsts, including a unique food hall and glass bridges.
The new vessel, with Norwegian's largest-ever staterooms, will begin sailing in the summer of 2022.
Norwegian Cruise Line has unveiled its latest cruise ship: the Norwegian Prima.
"As we emerge from this global crisis, this announcement marks a strong sign of hope for the cruise sector," Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri, the Italian shipbuilder that constructed the Norwegian Prima, said in a press release.
The announcement comes at a hopeful time for the cruise industry.
On May 5, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new guidelines on how cruise lines should go about trial voyages. These test trips are meant to precede the COVID-19 Conditional Sailing Certificate needed to resume passenger sailings again after a year of no large cruise ships in US waters.
However, cruise lines that can prove that 98% of its crew and 95% of passengers are vaccinated will be allowed to skip these trial sailings.
This may include Norwegian, which plans to require vaccinations.
Norwegian's new Prima ship is the first of six upcoming vessels under the cruise line's new "Prima Class," its first new class in almost a decade.
The new ship is aptly named after the Italian word for "first."
This new ship will be able to accommodate 3,215 guests.
In total, it'll stretch 965 feet long and will weigh 142,500 tons.
The new ship will have features that have never been seen on previous Norwegian ships, such as a food hall, two glass bridges, and a decorated hull.
It'll also have more outdoor and pool deck space than any other Norwegian ship.
Prima will also have Norwegian's first "Ocean Boulevard" section filled with different leisure and entertainment options.
This 44,000-square-foot "boulevard" will wrap around the eighth deck and will be lined with views of the ocean.
One of the boulevard's offerings will include the Indulge Food Hall, Norwegian's first food hall concept.
This take-out dining hub will have 11 eateries, beverage shops, and dessert offerings.
Craving a Starbucks coffee, southern American comfort food, or Thai noodle dishes? Just head to Indulge.
The food hall will also have an Indian eatery, a salad bar, a Tapas "food truck," and an ice cream shop.
If you'd rather dine in, you can head to one of Ocean Boulevard's three restaurants, which will all be equipped with both indoor and outdoor tables.
The three establishments include the Onda By Scarpetta, Los Lobos, and the Local Bar and Grill.
Onda by Scarpetta - which will serve up modern Italian meals - is also available on the Norwegian Encore and Spirit ships.
If you're craving Mexican food, you might want to opt for Los Lobos instead. But if you're in the mood for an "upscale beach club atmosphere," head to the Local Bar and Grill, which has cocktails and American food.
Not in the mood for a meal on Ocean Boulevard?
The boulevard will also have "The Concourse," an art and sculpture garden with seven pieces valued at a total of over $2 million, according to the cruise line.
Ocean Boulevard also has leisure areas that cater to guests who'd rather spend a relaxing afternoon by the pool.
This includes the boulevard's two infinity pools, two glass bridges for unique views of the water, and the La Terraza lounge.
Guests can book a stay inside a stateroom or one of Prima's 13 types of suites, including the biggest three-bedroom suites "of any new cruise ship," according to Norwegian.
Prima's inside, oceanview, and balcony staterooms will be larger than the ones aboard any other Norwegian ship.
If you're looking for more luxury, you could book one of the 107 "Haven" suites.
These passengers will have access to Haven-only areas, including private elevators exclusively for Haven guests.
Haven guests can also access a shared sundeck with an infinity pool, and an outdoor spa with a sauna and cold room.
There's also a Haven restaurant and a combination lounge and bar.
Norwegian Prima's future itineraries are already available on Norwegian's website.
The new vessel will spend the summer, fall, and winter of 2022 and 2023 in Europe, the UK, Bermuda, and the Caribbean.
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