I am currently sailing on the christening cruise for Norwegian’s newest ship, the NCL Luna. This is incredibly exciting for me, because I was actually a performer for Norwegian Cruise Line for five years. I used to live at sea for up to eight months at a time, and getting back onboard feels like going back home–even if it’s a completely new ship! The Luna is the newest ship in NCL’s next-generation Prima class, with its sister ship being the NCL Aqua, which made its debut last year.
Since I’ve primarily sailed on older NCL ships (including one of its originals, the Norwegian Sun), I was extremely excited to see how the newer, more modern ship would feel. Immediately when entering the atrium, I knew that I was in for a completely different experience. Instead of feeling like a classic cruise ship, with the same chairs and tables copied and pasted all over the main area, it felt like a chic hotel. The style of the ship is very modern, however it’s still cozy and inviting. There are sleek light fixtures, interestingly designed chairs, and fun pops of color throughout the design as well.
Marc Kazlauskas, the President of Norwegian Cruise Line, said at the Christening Ceremony, “It’s not just a cruise ship, she is a world class resort at sea. She is a playground, she is a collection of experiences. Food, music, energy, quiet moments, stacked deck by deck into something that feels alive.” This quote alone got me feeling very excited, so let’s go through the ship together and I’ll tell you what I actually experienced.
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A New Way To Enjoy A Ship
Melissa Cabey
On deck 8 of the Norwegian Luna, there is an area called Ocean Boulevard. This is a completely new design unique to the next-generation Prima class ships. It’s an outdoor area that extends the perimeter of the ship, with large walkable paths and various areas to enjoy. One thing that I noticed while living onboard ships is that the main places to enjoy outdoor areas tend to be up on the pool deck–which can be very crowded.
Ocean Boulevard provides a nice escape from the crowded pool deck, but guess what–there are actually small pools here as well! There are infinity pools on both the starboard and port side, and there are also large lounge beds that have shallow pools of water around them. If you want to enjoy the outdoors but prefer to stay in the shade, there are sections of Ocean Boulevard that are completely covered, so that could be a perfect spot to read a book or relax and take a rest.
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Staterooms
My stateroom onboard this cruise was in the Haven Balcony Penthouse, which is a premier area for guests. This room is spacious, has tons of storage for all of your belongings, and has tons of plugs to charge all of your electronics. I did sail on the NCL Aqua, which is Luna’s sister ship, and I stayed in a regular balcony cabin on that visit. In all honestly, I didn’t find the Haven Balcony Penthouse to be much different. The regular balcony cabins still had a ton of storage space, a large balcony, a sitting area, and places to charge your devices. The main difference is that there is a little more open surface area in the Haven, and the shower is slightly bigger. When it comes to rooms at sea, however, I feel like the Luna provides ample space no matter what type of room you’re staying in.
Melissa Cabey
In total, the NCL Luna has 1,809 regular staterooms, which includes Club Balcony Suites, Balcony, Oceanview, Inside, and Studio. There are 36 Suites and Penthouses as well, which can accommodate up to four people. Finally, there’s the Haven–Norwegian’s exclusive area where guests staying in a Haven room can receive concierge and butler service, private dining, and exclusive areas to relax in. There are 153 Haven rooms onboard the Luna.
Restaurants, Bars and Lounges
Since I’m used to smaller ships, the offerings on the Norwegian Luna definitely excited me. There are 12 public bars scattered throughout the ship, and many offer more than just bar service. At Swirl Wine Bar, for example, you can browse through a variety of types of wine on a tablet, and also talk with your waiter to find the best glass of wine for you. It’s a chic, intimate bar that not many people tend to congregate in, so if you’re looking for a quiet place to enjoy a glass of wine, this is perfect.
For restaurants, there are five complimentary dining options that include two sit-down dining rooms, a pub and indulge food hall–which I wish with my whole being I had when I was working on cruise ships. This food hall completely takes you out of the “cruise ship” world, and instead it feels like you’re at a trendy food hall in a bustling city. There are varieties of different cuisines to order from here, including Indian, vegetarian, tapas, barbecue, Asian noddles, and more. You don’t have to stick to one cuisine, either, you can order as many plates from as many different areas as you want right on a tablet at your table.
Melissa Cabey
There are also a ton of specialty dining options, which do cost extra, however in my opinion I think trying out one or two of them is definitely worth it. There are eight different restaurants that cover a variety of cuisines, from Italian, French, American steakhouse, and even teppanyaki. Many of the restaurants onboard the Luna are also available on the other NCL ships fleet wide, however there are two restaurants that are completely new to me: Sukothai and Palomar. I was able to get a reservation at Palomar, which is Mediterranean seafood, however that’s not until later in my voyage, so I can’t give any opinions just yet.
For my first evening onboard, I ate at one of the main dining rooms onboard, Hudson’s. The menu and offerings are the same when compared to the other ships in Norwegian’s fleet. I, personally, have always loved the dining room on Norwegian, and have found that I’m able to modify and get exactly what I want from the menu options. Here on the Luna, the staff was incredibly accommodating, and even had a gluten-free cake made for me because I can’t eat gluten. I did enjoy the ambiance of the dining room, as it had large windows that provided sweeping views, gold ornate chandeliers, and an intimate vibe even though it’s such a large ship.
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Entertainment
Coming from someone who performed for Norwegian’s main stage productions for years, I am very critical when it comes to onboard entertainment. Over the years, the company has scaled back on its large Broadway shows–which I must admit is very disappointing. Onboard the NCL Luna, there are a few shows offered that are unique to this ship.
Melissa Cabey
First is Rocket Man: A Celebration of Elton John. This was conceived just for Norwegian Cruise Line (I can attest, all of the performers for the company were vying for a spot in this creative process). I will be doing a full review of the show once I see it–so stay tuned! There is also HIKO: Innovation Meets Wonder, which is specifically inspired by the celestial style of the ship. This show features futuristic technical aspects, a full cast of performers, and a storyline to follow for the audience.
There are other performances to see around the ship, too, like Syd Norman’s Pour House, which is one of my favorites. I’ve seen various productions of Syd Norman’s on other NCL ships, and I always have a great time. It’s made up of a group of singers who do tribute sets to various musical artists or styles. On the Luna, there is an Eagles tribute show performed by them, which I’m excited to see. There is also a special show that costs extra onboard, an adult-only production called LunaTique Pop Circus. I will be covering a review of that show as well, so stay tuned.
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Other Activities To Enjoy Onboard
After being used to small sized ships, I am completely in awe of all of the things to do on the Norwegian Luna. Since there’s so much more space onboard, entire areas are dedicated to games, sports, rides and other forms of enjoyment. Up on the pool deck, there are two featured slides that can spice up your sea day. First is the Aqua Slidecoaster, which is part roller coaster, part water slide. I’ve been on this slide on the Norwegian Aqua, and I personally thought it was tons of fun. It goes extremely fast at first, and then the rest of the ride is smooth and relaxing. The other slide is a drop slide–which I won’t be partaking in. But, for thrill seekers out there, be my guest!
Melissa Cabey
One of the areas onboard that I’m most excited about is The Stadium, which is an area full of games to play. This is completely free, and has games like ping pong, shuffle board, beer pong, and corn hole. On other cruise ships, including Norwegian as well as other cruise lines, these games tend to be scattered around the ship, and are near other passengers who are just walking past. On the Luna, it’s a dedicated gaming area. There are chairs for people to watch or wait their turn, places to put your belongings, and lots of shade. I spent my first afternoon playing games in this area, and felt like it was a great addition to the ship for both adults and children.
Kiran Smith, Chief Marketing Officer, said at the christening “From families with young children to older children, to couples, and for solos wanting a more elevated experience, Norwegian Luna is a perfect proof point.” I would say this sentiment rings true to what I saw onboard activity wise, there’s truly something for everyone.
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How To Get Onboard
Norwegian Luna is sailing her inaugural season in the Caribbean throughout the rest of the year. She will be porting out of Miami, and making stops at Costa Maya, Cozumel, St. Thomas, Great Stirrup Cay, and much more. In Spring of 2027, she will change her home port to New York, and will sail back and forth to Bermuda on 7 night voyages.
For more information, visit www.ncl.com/cruise-ships/norwegian-luna
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