In case you’re contemplating a cruise with Royal Caribbean or Norwegian Cruise Line, you are on the lookout for an lively, big-ship cruise expertise on a number of the largest ships on the planet.
These two firms give attention to cruises for everybody — {couples}, seniors and households — with actions and “wow” sights to match. Their ships are extremely well-liked, notably on routes to the Bahamas and the Caribbean.
Let’s evaluate Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean to see what they’ve in frequent — and what they do not — so you will discover the cruise that is best for you.
Measurement of ships
Each Norwegian and Royal Caribbean function megaships of various sizes — all floating resorts with onboard casinos, swimming pools, reside leisure, elaborate spas, full of life dance golf equipment and plenty of bars.
Whereas Royal Caribbean has a number of ships that carry fewer than 2,250 passengers, the majority of its vessels carry 3,000 to 4,000 passengers; its 5 largest ships — topped by Utopia of the Seas and Icon of the Seas — are the world’s largest cruise ships and carry greater than 5,400 visitors. The truth is, a number of the ships are so massive they’re arrange in a neighborhood format, together with a Boardwalk neighborhood patterned after Coney Island that encompasses a high-diving present, a carousel and a scorching canine stand. There’s additionally a leafy Central Park neighborhood with 1000’s of reside crops.
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Norwegian Cruise Line ships vary in dimension from about 1,900 passengers (quaint by megaship requirements) to greater than 4,100 passengers. The road will not be making an attempt to win the scale struggle, but it surely affords loads of pleasure on board. The most recent Norwegian ships are topped by multilevel go-kart racetracks that add vroom to the cruise expertise.
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Cabins and suites
Each cruise strains proudly provide a broad vary of lodging. Norwegian notably shines within the space of creativity and innovation.
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On high of the most recent ships within the fleet is The Haven, a collection complicated with a non-public restaurant, a sundeck, a pool and a lounge — mainly a separate boutique resort on high of the ship. Friends in The Haven get privateness in upscale, modern environment when they need, however in addition they have entry to all of the enjoyable actions elsewhere on board.
Norwegian pays particular consideration to solo vacationers, too. In The Studios, passengers touring solo can e book creatively designed inside cabins priced for one (a cruise rarity). They arrive with unique entry to a shared lounge, so you’ll be able to socialize with different solo vacationers if you want.
Elsewhere, household cabins are close to kids’s services, and spa cabins are positioned close to the spa.
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Royal Caribbean seeks to please all vacationers with the biggest number of cabin kinds of any cruise line. The road has all the things from tight and cheap inside cabins with digital balconies (sea views delivered through LED display) and solo rooms on choose ships to two-story loft suites.
Some suites have views of the high-diving present, whereas some standard-size cabins face the Royal Promenade, Boardwalk or Central Park neighborhoods of the ship. (You change ocean views for people-watching.) Royal has moved to match NCL by offering suite visitors entry to a non-public lounge, a restaurant and a sundeck on its newer ships.
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Foods and drinks
When taking a look at Royal Caribbean’s eating places versus Norwegian’s eating choices, each strains have a number of fee-based specialty eating places that surpass what they provide of their complimentary venues. To some cruisers, these eating places may appear to be a cash seize, however foodies do not thoughts paying for the improve in meals.
Years in the past, Norwegian developed what it calls “Freestyle Cruising,” a mannequin that sought to show some cruise traditions — reminiscent of assigned tables in a big primary eating room and formal evening gown codes — on their heads. As a substitute, passengers eat when and the place they need. Nonetheless, in lots of circumstances, reservations are nonetheless required.
NCL goes all-out with selections; massive ships, reminiscent of Norwegian Viva, provide greater than two dozen eating experiences. You possibly can eat totally free in smaller eating rooms or the buffet or splurge on steak, French, Brazilian and Asian fare. Norwegian pays specific consideration to offering outside eating choices.
For meals included within the cruise fare, Royal Caribbean focuses a lot consideration on its Windjammer Market (the buffet) and primary eating rooms; within the latter, you’ll be able to go for assigned tables or anytime eating. A shining level of the fee-based choices on choose ships is Jamie’s Italian with British movie star chef Jamie Oliver. Followers additionally rave in regards to the line’s fancy chef’s desk expertise, a multicourse affair with chef commentary on what you are tasting.
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Youngsters actions
Realizing that oldsters admire some downtime, each cruise strains have well-established programming to maintain children joyful. You possibly can have a therapeutic massage on the spa, hit the on line casino or in any other case do grown-up issues understanding that your kids are in a camplike program with youth counselors who’re main age-appropriate actions like arts and crafts, scavenger hunts, science experiments, gameplay or movie-watching. There are additionally enjoyable golf equipment for teenagers and tweens to name their very own.
Royal Caribbean’s Journey Ocean program (for ages 3 to 12) affords an academic spin, that includes an opportunity for teenagers to change into licensed journey scientists. Particular applications are additionally accessible for infants, toddlers and older children ages 13 to 17.
Norwegian’s Splash Academy (for teenagers ages 5 to 12) entertains with inventive play, together with a Circus College. In the meantime, Entourage (for ages 13 to 17) retains teenagers occupied with video games, sports activities and events in a hip membership.
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Onboard sights
Each Royal Caribbean and Norwegian have developed their latest ships to be lively floating playgrounds with supercharged indoor and outside actions for all ages. Royal is tops in its capability to push the envelope, however Norwegian is approaching sturdy.
All Royal Caribbean ships have rock-climbing partitions and FlowRider simulators that permit passengers to surf and boogie board. The road’s lengthy roster of exercise selections on its numerous ships consists of ice skating rinks, carousels, zip strains, miniature golf, laser tag, escape rooms, waterslides, simulated sky diving setups, a 10-story thrill slide referred to as Final Abyss, an amusement-park-like mechanical arm that lifts a London Eye-style pod excessive above the ships for views and different mind-blowing options. The bigger the ship, the extra onboard actions you may discover.
Norwegian’s much-touted and most spectacular sights on its newest ships are a multistory go-kart racetrack occupying a portion of the higher deck and a digital actuality arcade referred to as the Galaxy Pavilion that is discovered on choose ships.
The vessels additionally provide Aqua Parks with thrilling twin racing slides, full-size basketball courts, escape rooms, laser tag, miniature golf, darts, bowling and ropes programs. New on ships within the line’s 3,250-passenger Prima Class are pairs of 10-story freefall thrill slides billed because the quickest at sea.
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Leisure
Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean have a battle of kinds by way of signing Broadway reveals for onboard productions. Each cruise strains recruit expertise from Broadway, London’s West Finish and all over the world to rehearse in their very own studios in Florida and have massive casts of performers on their ships. The reveals are barely shortened variations of what you’d see on land.
Royal Caribbean’s roster consists of such well-liked reveals as “Grease,” “Hairspray” and “Cats” on its largest ships. On Norwegian ships, you’ll be able to catch productions of such well-liked Broadway reveals as “Beetlejuice,” “Six” and “Summer season: The Donna Summer season Musical,” in addition to the super-fun pub present “The Choir of Man.”
However the leisure choices do not cease there. Choose Royal Caribbean ships function efficiency areas you won’t anticipate finding at sea. There are outside reveals that includes acrobats and excessive divers on the line’s AquaTheaters, and ice skating reveals with skilled skaters happen in its Studio B ice skating rinks. Excessive-tech reveals, reside music and dancing the evening away are additionally well-liked onboard pastimes.
Norwegian options extra-fee, adults-only present productions, themed on wine or prohibition cocktails, that include drinks. Comedy is a part of the scene — Prima Class vessels even have improv golf equipment — and Norwegian’s themed events are notably well-liked with the late-night crowd. Enjoyable bars embody the Skyy Ice Bar, the place you put on a parka to get pleasure from vodka on ice. Choose ships have a Cavern Membership, that includes a Beatles cowl band, full with shaggy hairdos.
Whereas each strains provide a big number of video games and contests, Norwegian has floating, participatory variations of well-liked TV sport reveals like “Deal or No Deal” and “Press Your Luck.”
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Who’s on board?
Norwegian’s “Freestyle Cruising” is designed to be extra modern and fewer conventional, and the gang on board tends to embrace the carefree nature of the expertise. The gown code is no matter you want — gown up for a date evening or down for an off-the-cuff meal in a pub.
On cruises from the U.S., the gang is usually from North America and represents all ages, from children to seniors. Some adults keep up late partying within the dance membership or making an attempt their luck at Norwegian’s award-winning casinos.
Royal Caribbean’s crowd is a mixture of worldwide vacationers and people from North America, together with {couples}, households and singles from all walks of life. You may discover evening owls on Royal, too, although the gang is a tad extra upscale than Norwegian. That is partly as a result of Royal Caribbean ships have a better proportion of lavish, expensive suites on board and appeal to individuals who have cash to spend to e book them.
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Itineraries
Each Norwegian and Royal Caribbean place the majority of their ships in North America, however in addition they sail ships to locations all over the world.
Norwegian is the one cruise line with a ship — U.S.-flagged Delight of America — that sails year-round within the Hawaiian Islands. Norwegian focuses a lot consideration, too, on the Caribbean, the Bahamas, Alaska, New England and Canada, the Mexican Riviera and Bermuda. The road affords well-liked, reasonably priced sailings within the Mediterranean and Greek islands. Different locations embody Northern Europe, Africa, Australia, New Zealand and South America.
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Likewise, Royal Caribbean places a lot emphasis on North America — the Caribbean, the Bahamas (together with the road’s personal extravagant non-public island, Good Day at CocoCay), Alaska, Canada and New England, and the Mexican Riviera — but in addition sails a number of areas in Europe. Its ships additionally ply waters in different areas of the world, together with Australia, New Zealand, China and Singapore.
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Backside line
Both of those cruise strains is an effective selection for a first-time cruiser. Go together with Royal Caribbean for those who’re on the lookout for a barely extra upscale, conventional cruise ship environment. Think about Norwegian for those who’re in search of a up to date tackle informal cruising.
Have cruise questions? TPG has solutions:
