Norwegian Cruise Line

Go karts, laser tag, aqua coasters and much more.

A go kart racing track on the top of a cruise ship. Think about it and let your brain process that sentence. Yes, Norwegian Cruise Line tried that... and it worked. They also tried the first aqua roller coaster at sea, a VR entertainment center and modern laser tag arenas. You know what? I am impressed. Good job, Norwegian, you make mega resorts at sea proud.

Norwegian Cruise Line operates a total of 20 ships, positioning itself as Royal Caribbean's main competitor while offering what they call freestyle cruising. That means no dress code and no fixed dining times. The onboard experience blends Royal Caribbean's mega resort scale with Virgin Voyages' sense of freedom, creating massive entertainment complexes with Broadway shows, comedy clubs, Wheel of Fortune game shows, piano bars, casinos and waterslides. Lots and lots of waterslides.

Eight ships rank among the world's 50 largest vessels, though NCL also operates smaller ships aimed at Alaska and Hawaii. One of those ships is Norwegian's Pride of America, which sails exclusively in Hawaii and is one of the best options if you want to explore the Aloha State. Norwegian is also big in Alaska, the Caribbean, Europe, South America and basically anywhere you can think of. They are one of the biggest cruise lines in the world, so it makes sense that they are present all over the globe.

Much like MSC Cruises, Norwegian also has luxury suites as part of what they call The Haven. This exclusive area includes twenty four hour concierge service, personal butlers, priority boarding and exclusive access to sun decks. The Haven takes the idea of a mainstream cruise line and does a complete one hundred eighty degree turn, making it a great choice for romantic couples or anyone who simply wants to cruise in style while still enjoying ships filled with entertainment options.

Norwegian welcomes solo travelers with special pricing and dedicated cabins, which is a huge advantage often missing on mainstream cruise lines. They also offer the More at Sea promotion that bundles several perks, such as a drink package, Wi-Fi usage, access to specialty dining restaurants and shore excursion credits. Of course, our guides tell you all about it, and Famvia is always ready to help you secure the best deals.

Norwegian Cruise Line really is for everyone. Families will have a blast here, children get tons of entertainment options and adults have plenty of spaces to enjoy. Their ships are huge and, much like Royal Caribbean, they are often considered the jack of all trades of cruising. Still, I would give them an advantage if you are looking for more niche destinations like Alaska or Hawaii, since they have been sailing to those places for quite a while.

So, are you ready for a mega resort experience or do you prefer to chill at The Haven? Welcome aboard. It might even be a good idea to pack a racing helmet and channel your inner Lewis Hamilton just in case.