Norwegian Aqua Cruise
25th March – 28th March 2025
Myself and Freya were fortunate enough to have experienced Norwegian Cruise Lines brand new ship, Norwegian Aqua, for a 3-night sailing from Southampton to the lovely Brugge. This trip was hosted by JTA travel. As both of us were first time cruisers, we were excited to see what Norwegian Aqua was all about, and it did not disappoint!
Tonnes – 156,300
Passengers – 3,571
Crew – 1,760
Although this ship is predominantly aimed towards the family market, there is so much to do on board that would appeal to all ages.
ACCOMMODATION:
Norwegian Aqua offers guests a variety of cabin types to choose from such as an inside, ocean view, balcony, suite, and for those who are looking for that real luxury feeling, the haven. All cabin types are modernly decorated, clean and spacious.
NCL were offering guests on board a private tour of the famous haven, and it really is special. The haven is accessed by private lifts which take you to your personal concierge and 24-hour butler service. Enjoy a cocktail and view at the haven lounge and bar, dip into the infinity pool, or relax in the outdoor sauna – all exclusively for guests of the haven.
DINING:
Like most cruise lines, Norwegian Aqua offers many complimentary restaurants to dine in 24 hours a day. A personal favourite of mine would be the Hudson’s restaurant, which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner – Hudson’s is a sit down, table service style of dining. Each day the menu differed, offering a wide variety of food to choose from. The decor in Hudson’s is beautiful, especially as it has panoramic windows giving guests the chance to look out at the sea view while they enjoy their meal.
As well as this, Aqua has a complimentary indulge food hall which is a buffet style, a local bar and grill, and a surfside cafe and grill which is located near to the outdoor swimming pool on the top deck.
What makes the dining stand out on Norwegian Aqua is the specialty restaurants which have to be prebooked either before you sail or on board. (There is an additional cost if you’d like to eat at one of these restaurants). We were lucky to have a meal prebooked in Los Lobos, a Mexican specialty, hosted by one of NCL’s regional sales managers, Laura Croft. Also, while on board, we chose to book in another specialty meal at the Italian, Onda. The food at both of these restaurants was of a very high standard and I would definitely recommend booking in at any of the specialties.
ENTERTAINMENT:
On board Norwegian Aqua, there is so much to keep you occupied from morning until night. One of the many standouts would be the three-story theatre – every evening there is a different show. We got to experience a Fleetwood Mac tribute, and it was so good that it felt as though we were watching the actual Fleetwood Mac!
What really surprised me is that when the theatre show has finished, the room turns into a nightclub with multicolored lights all around. Me and Freya really enjoyed the nightclub – this particular night was 90’s themed, and there was a DJ playing all the songs from the 90’s.
The other evenings, we made use of the many bars on board. The service at these bars was excellent, and the live music was a nice touch.
EXPERIENCES:
When you look at the Aqua, the first thing you see is the Aqua slide coaster which is the world’s first hybrid rollercoaster and waterslide at sea. This two-person ride is located on the very top deck and is a striking feature which can be used by both children and adults who love the adrenaline rush.
Another great thing to experience is the Vibe Beach Club, which is a private retreat for guests 18 and over. Within the beach club are infinity hot tubs overlooking the ocean, and of course, a full-service bar. It’s a lovely area to relax and enjoy the sunshine while sailing.
If travelling as a family, adults can spend some time at the beach club while the kids are keeping occupied in the very entertaining arcade. From high-tech minigolf and VR games to interactive darts and retro arcade games, you could never be bored on this ship.
We felt honored to have a tour of the world class Mandara Spa aboard Norwegian Aqua. I felt instantly relaxed after stepping into this environment and was shocked to see all that is involved within the spa area. The number of services and treatments that are available is amazing and certainly something to think about making use of after a day of shore excursions.
This was my first time cruising, and after experiencing the Norwegian Aqua, I will be considering cruises for future holidays.
On behalf of myself and Freya, I would like to thank Holiday Lounge and JTA for offering us this brilliant trip.
Olivia Dainty – Lutterworth Office , Freya Bardill-Hinckley office