Norwegian Cruise Lines

With the introduction of a new generation of cruise ships comes the opportunity to rethink conventions and try new things. Sometimes those innovations work... and other times they need some tweaking to get right. Norwegian Prima is a great example of this and it appears to be an indicator that Norwegian Cruise Line is moving in a new direction, where passenger comfort and enjoyment are just as important as bullet points on a feature list.

Bigger is always better... right? Well not always. Sometimes simply making things better is better and that seems to be the direction that the designers at Norwegian Cruise Line and the builders at Fincantieri who have begun building the first of six new cruise ships for the line. You already know how much we loved the last few ships in the Breakaway and Breakaway Plus class because they brought "Mega Ship" features like race tracks and VR arenas to cruising. With the introduction of Norwegian Prima the direction is decidedly small, more refined, and more luxury focused. I'm sure there are tons of new features that we can't even imagine yet that they will be announcing before it begins sailing next year, but we're already pretty darn excited about what it represents.

If you are as starved for positive cruise news and something other than more shuffling of the deck when it comes to schedules then you're going to love this update. Norwegian Cruise Line, our hands-down favorite large-ship cruise line for guys looking for a great experience is back at what it does best - great entertainment and having fun.

One of the things I love about the newest cruise ships by Norwegian Cruise Line is that they've invested heavily in what they refer to as Studio Rooms. For those looking to do a guys trip at sea, this is the perfect option since you get privacy and can save money compared to the traditional cost of booking your own room.

Norwegian continues to impress me. I had the opportunity to celebrate the launch of Norwegian Encore with them in Miami last month and it is absolutely the best ship out there for a guys weekend getaway. That isn't to say that other lines aren't good or that you can't have fun on an older NCL ship like Sky or Sun (I do) but Encore is the ultimate manifestation of Norwegian's vision for what cruising should look, feel, and taste like. Let's take a look at six reasons why Norwegian Encore is the world's best cruise ship for a guys weekend!

Norwegian Spirit is the latest cruise ship in their fleet to undergo a huge revitalization including new dining venues, double the spa space, and a very chic modern new look. Based on the news today and photos and video below, we're pretty excited to see the new look. Plus, once she returns to the fleet after dry dock, Norwegian Spirit will have some awesome itineraries that include stops in Bali, Abu Dhabi, Israel, and South Africa.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to sneak into the exclusive Haven area on a Norwegian cruise ship? This area is designed as a private retreat complete with a private pool, bar, restaurant, and lounge area. It also has some of the most luxurious cabins available anywhere on the ship. Let's take a look at what things would look like if you booked the Owners Suite in the Haven complex on Norwegian Joy!

Opting for a cruise on the Mediterranean Sea this summer is a sure-fire way of making sure that you will have the perfect vacation experience. We've sailed often in the Caribbean and even explored Alaska and the maritime provinces of Canada but the Mediterranean is at the top of our list now. 

Last year we sailed with Norwegian Bliss for the launch of the company's biggest, fanciest and most feature filled ship ever. At the time, Bliss was everything we saw on Norwegian Joy but had to wait just a bit longer for. That wait represented refinement, learning, and further time for innovation. When it arived as the first Breakaway Plus ship in North America it truly lived up to it's name. Seizing on it's incredible popularity, the folks at Norwegian Cruise lines abruptly pulled Joy out of the Chinese market and instead of just re-positioning it, did a complete overhaul of the ship. So, was it worth it? Does Joy deliver on it's name the way Bliss did? Yes .. it absolutely did though there are a few awkward areas that reveal it's journey to this point.

Norwegian Cruise Line invited me on a seven-day cruise of the Hawaiian Islands and it changed my view of this state in a profound way that I didn't expect. While we had visited Hawaii a month earlier and had a great experience - I had no real understanding for the diversity of terrain, culture, and opportunities for adventure that would await us on this cruise. With more than 100 hours in port and no scheduled sea days, this was a profoundly different cruise experience - but one that anyone looking to truly experience Hawaii must try.