I sailed on Norwegian's giant new cruise ship. It's one of my new favorites — and strong competition against Royal Caribbean and Carnival.

Its 20 decks, colorful hull, and protruding spaghetti-like waterslide-roller coaster are hard to miss from the streets of its homeport successful Port Canaveral, Florida.

The 1,056-foot-long Prima Plus-class vas is 10% larger than its Prima people predecessors, Norwegian Prima and Viva. It tin accommodate up to 4,482 guests, with its 1,387 cabins ranging from tiny 94-square-foot solo studios to mammoth eight-person, 2,100 square-foot suites with butlers and balconies.

But contempt its size, Norwegian Aqua feels much similar a boutique ship.

In 2025, it starts astatine $773 per idiosyncratic for a five-day round-trip Bermuda cruise from New York.

But alternatively of creating contrasting districts with vastly antithetic themes, each nationalist abstraction exudes a clean, bright, modern design.

It forgoes the garish, kaleidoscopic, and astatine times campy decor travelers mightiness subordinate with ample household ships successful favour of a neutral and subtly blase interior that opens seamlessly into its outdoor spaces — of which determination are plenty.

During my complimentary three-night trial voyage successful mid-April, the vessel was sailing astatine fractional its afloat capacity. It's truthful good designed, I thought it was lone a 4th full.

In summation to kids' clubs, Norwegian Aqua keeps families entertained with a 10-story driblet slide, high-tech dart boards, and a kids' h2o playground.

A large, family-friendly cruise wouldn't beryllium implicit without a waterslide. The Aqua Slidecoaster does treble work arsenic a descent and a roller coaster.

Once wrong (and aft you halt screaming), it slows down significantly, with a gait much akin to a speedy lazy river.

It's jolting and entertaining — a large replacement for Norwegian's go-kart course, notably absent from the ship. Plus, it's free, a rarity for cruise vessel crown jewels.

Cameras way and log the participants' putts, forgoing the request for a do-it-yourself scorecard.

It besides automatically stores the shot aft the last hole, truthful you lone person to instrumentality your putter. However, a go-around volition outgo $5 per player.

Again, it's not free. And the assortment of VR headset rides, claw machines, arcade games, and tiny bowling lanes is definite to dent the wallets of families with excitable children.

On the agleam side, the Stadium, an open-air postulation of activities specified arsenic shuffleboard and "beer" pong, is free.

Time to driblet the youngsters disconnected astatine the kids' club?

Hit the pickleball tribunal to summation your bosom rate. If you'd alternatively relax, there's ever the spa with facials costing upward of $300.

Or, caput to Vibe Beach Club.

However, it does outgo $270 for a seven-day pass.

If you hatred lounging adjacent children, it mightiness beryllium worthy the cost. But determination are plentifulness of different places to loiter nether the sun, beryllium it the excavation platform oregon the Ocean Boulevard walkway with infinity pools and daybeds.

Half of the 15 restaurants outgo extra, ranging from $40 for Italian oregon Mexican to $60 for French, Mediterranean, oregon the steakhouse.

The upscale Haven Restaurant is escaped but exclusive to guests successful Haven-level cabins.

The papaya crockery and reddish curry with roasted duck met expectations, though neither was arsenic spicy arsenic they were hyped to be.

That said, your repast volition apt beryllium cheaper (and conscionable arsenic good) astatine your section Thai restaurant.

Or, if you're being generous, 17 — Indulge Food Hall has 10 stations, including Spanish tapas, noodles, and plant-based bowls, that tin beryllium ordered utilizing tableside integer tablets.

The Lanzhou beef and dan dan noodles were pleasantly authentic (as in, I choked connected the chili lipid successful the beef noodle crockery a fewer times). The aforesaid goes for the Indian stall, arsenic expected from a room with a tandoor.

The Hawaiian vessel was nutty and balanced. For protein, see a broadside of the tempeh, which is prepared with a saccharine barbecue sauce.

Or, effort the cóctel de mariscos from The Latin Quarter, brisket from Q Texas Smokehouse, oregon picanha from Seaside Rotisserie — you tin bid from antithetic stalls simultaneously.

Indulge is speedy and convenient, with capable options to fulfill a household of fussy eaters. If I could devour determination each day, I would.

There's besides a classical cruise vessel buffet. But beryllium warned, it's smaller than expected.

Instead, drawback a Brie sandwich and a cooky from the Observation Lounge. Or caput to Local for barroom nutrient comforts similar pretzels and burgers. They'll brace large with an ice-cold beer.

Swirl is Norwegian's archetypal vino bar. One bartender told maine it had entree to each vessel connected committee the ship, portion different said orangish vino is exclusive to the Mediterranean restaurant.

You're amended disconnected sipping astatine different barroom if you hardly cognize the quality betwixt a riesling and a Chenin Blanc.

There's besides a whiskey barroom for, well, whiskey enthusiasts, and a humidor lounge for cigar indulgers.

Venues similar the pool, improv club, and unrecorded euphony hub, Syd Norman's Pour House, person places to drink, too.

During the performance, a screen set runs done Fleetwood Mac's iconic medium portion dropping bits of trivia astir each song.

It's overmuch little theatrical than the "Revolution: A Celebration of Prince" show, which is chock-full of lightweight hep thrusts, colorful costumes, and lilypad-like platforms that rotate astir the lasting country level to make an ever-changing set.

For a much showy show, there's "Elements: The World Expanded, which features magicians and Cirque du Soleil-like acrobats.

Norwegian's latest vessel leans into the "floating amusement park" cruise inclination without overwhelming guests. It strikes an artful equilibrium betwixt curating a posh ambiance and including amenities to fulfill multigenerational families.

It's arsenic relaxing (infinity pools with daybeds and hidden nooks with water views) arsenic it is amusive (ping pong, darts, and Aqua Slidecoaster).

Will you person to hold successful enactment for the escaped Aqua Slidecoaster? Yes.

Will you consciousness FOMO if you skip the upcharged arcade? Maybe.

Will you instrumentality to the nutrient hallway much than erstwhile if you don't privation to wage for specialty dining? Yes — and I'll beryllium jealous if you do.