Norwegian Aqua

Elegant in design, cabins are roomy enough and comfortable, with a big wall-mounted TV. Beds (either as separate twins or pushed together as a king) are always on the outside edge of the cabin, while a small sofa is always between the bed and bathroom; in regular cabins there is no way to curtain off the sitting area from the sleeping area. (Inside cabins are a big smaller and have a different layout without the small sofa.) You do have to insert a card in the slot by the door to keep your electricity on. While the cabin has multiple USB-A and USB-C charging ports and plugs by the desk area (both U.S. and European), there are charging ports on only one side of the bed (the other has a plug). And the beds don’t have skirting, so if you put your larger luggage under the bed, as most people do, it will be easily visible from the open door. Lighting is good, though, and everything can be turned off at night, or you can leave on a nightlight. Storage is more than sufficient for a one-week cruise, but it’s partitioned off into two smaller sections (each with a hanging rod and two drawers), though a larger section has no door, which may be less than idea if you like to keep all your hanging things hidden. Balconies feel spacious and have sufficient room for two comfortable chairs and a small table; clear-glass partitions allow you to look out to the ocean while seated comfortably, but because most of the balconies on the side of the ship hang over the Ocean Boulevard promenade on deck 8, noise can carry up. On the whole, though, cabins are very inviting, and they feel open and bright. Despite the presence of a fold-out sofa, regular balcony cabins would feel snug for more than two people, but slightly larger family cabins are available.

Bathrooms don’t feel cramped at all. A glass-walled, walk-in shower is roomy and has plenty of space for whatever you might need to bring in there. It also has a clothesline for drying wet swimsuits and such. It may take a few minutes to figure out the shower, which has a complicated, multi-head apparatus with separate water and temperature controls. Two towel/robe hooks are adjacent to the shower. Wall-mounted dispensers contain shower gel and conditioning shampoo, but there is no separate conditioner, so you will probably want to bring that. Another wall-mounted dispenser next to the sink has hand soap, but there is no lotion provided. There is plenty of storage space in the bathroom for two people.

Wheelchair-accessible cabins are available with wider door frames, roll-in showers, shower benches, handrails, and high-rise toilets. Most other areas are accessible, though deck 20, where the entry to the Aqua Glidecoaster can be found, is not.

With two main dining rooms and eight specialty restaurants, supplemented by the Indulge Food Hall, Local Bar & Grill, Surfside Cafe & Grill (the buffet), and a Starbucks coffee bar, there are plenty of options for eating. Hudson’s, the largest of the main dining rooms, is especially attractive, with wraparound windows; it serves breakfast, dinner, and (on sea days) lunch. The smaller Commodore Room serves the same menu but is open only for dinner. Surfside Bar & Grill is open for all meals, as is Indulge Food Hall, but the Local Bar & Grill is the only venue open 24/7.  The Haven has its own restaurant, open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Food in the main dining rooms is good but not great. But both Indulge Food Hall and Surfside Cafe & Grill are surprisingly good, though they can both be very busy, especially on sea days. The Observation Lounge also has grab-and-go breakfast and light snacks and sandwiches at lunch.

The specialty restaurants include Sukhothai (Thai); Onda by Scarpetta (Italian); Le Bistro (French); Palomar (Mediterranean and seafood); Nama (sushi and sashimi); Hasuki (Japanese teppenyaki); Cagney’s (steakhouse); and Los Lobos (Mexican). The food is quite good at all of these, but surcharges can be especially high if you don’t have an inclusive package.

All the dining venues on deck 8, as well as Surfside Bar & Grill, have both indoor and outdoor seating, which helps alleviate crowding as long as the weather cooperates, though the buffet never really feels uncrowded during meal times.

There are so many bars that you can almost always find a seat when you want to have a drink. Each of the three levels of the main atrium (on decks 6, 7, and 8) has its own bar (not to mention the other bars scattered around the ship), and each bar has its own signature drinks, so you may want to drink around. There are also two specialty bar: Swirl, a premium wine bar, and the Whiskey Bar. Premium drinks packages include most of the premium spirits, wines, and beers available on the ship and are included on the “More at Sea” packages. Otherwise, drinks cost upwards of $16 in some cases. Packages don’t include super-premium wine vintages by the bottle or whiskeys.

Starbucks on deck 7 sometimes seems to be the busiest place on the ship. You can get an inclusive coffee package for Starbucks beverages, but at more than $15 per day, you need to really want your coffee to afford that (otherwise, coffee is pretty expensive and will set you back no less than $5 per cup once the gratuity is included).

Norwegian Aqua really shines with regard to entertainment, which is top-notch. “Revolution: A Celebration of Prince” may be one of the best shows at sea. “Elements: The World Expanded” is more like a Cirque du Soleil show with extra dancing and some magic thrown in, but it’s an enjoyable hour. Rumors, the Fleetwood Mac tribute show, has moved from Syd’s Pour House to the main theater to accommodate more guests and remains a favorite. Syd’s still excels at music in a smaller venue and has a standing-room-only crowd every night. The Improv at Sea also packs in the crowds. But there’s music in the atrium and elsewhere most nights as well. It’s amazing how many musicians and other entertainers are on this ship—and how good they are. Even still, getting a seat at one of the shows can prove difficult, so make reservations early, or plan on lining up more than 30 minutes in advance (especially for “Revolution,” which does have a unique standing-room section on the main floor that suits the show nicely if you are willing to forego a seat, but which cannot be reserved). There are also the usual trivia and bingo during the day, as well as a Price is Right LIVE show. But getting access to the more popular activities and entertainment venues can be the biggest chore on this ship.

The multi-level spa by Mandara is truly impressive, and the thermal area is large, with several different wet and dry sauna areas. But it can still get crowded, especially during sea days. A wide range of treatments is available, but prices are high, starting at over $150 for the cheapest massage. There’s also a large fitness area that faces forward on the ship, offering sea views while you work out, and a full-service salon. There’s also a full range of fitness classes, including yoga, pilates, and cycling.