When you think cruise ship you might think of the sun, sea and cocktails. You might even picture yourself sitting by the pool and lounging in the sun, but you do not think of Reykjavik, Iceland.
The Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) broke the mould when it launched the first of six ships in its groundbreaking Prima Class, the Norwegian Prima.
For the ship’s inaugural cruise, 2 500 lucky guests were invited for the christening in Iceland.
With my thickest jacket, furriest boots and warmest beanie, I hopped on a plane for the 15-hour journey from Cape Town to Iceland.
I was keen to understand how the ship compared to the hundreds of cruise ships I see entering the Cape Town port from my office window. I mean, if you’ve seen one cruise ship you’ve seen them all, right? Right?
Wrong!
Measuring 294m and weighing more than 143 535 tonnes, the Norwegian Prima has a capacity for 3 100 guests and the highest staffing levels and space ratio for any contemporary or premium cruise ship.
Upon my arrival in Iceland, no amount of jet lag or difference in time could stop me from staring, mouth agape, at the land of fire and ice.
As I stared at the snow-capped mountains, volcanoes, steam floating out of the ground and volcanic rock everywhere, I realised that nothing could prepare me for the natural beauty.
You can Google as many synonyms as possible but it won’t do Iceland justice. And yes the cold, very, very cold.
But my ship awaits and I was ready to “rest”.
All the build-up leading up to my departure could not have prepared me for the giant of a ship. With 18 floors and the first three-level racetrack at sea – yes you read right, a three-level racetrack at sea – this was not just a ship. It was a luxury resort that just happened to change the scenery daily.
Frank Del Rio, the president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd, described the ship as magnificent.
"With her stunning design and unique offerings, Norwegian Prima is in a league of her own," Del Rio said.
Balcony stateroom 11788 was assigned to me. On most cruise ships, the rooms are the place you spend the least amount of time because they are so cramped and the bathrooms so small that you are unable to even turn around but, guys, these rooms are proper hotel suites.
The suite was decked out with a queen-sized bed, a desk, two cupboards, a couch and a 40” TV. As a bonus, the balcony was big enough for two adults to lounge comfortably.
What surprised me most in the spacious and luxurious suite, was the bathroom. It’s easy to see that the bathrooms were designed with the guest in mind. Goodbye cramped shower and hello shower karaoke, with enough room to perform “Roar” by Katy Perry – with the arm and leg movements.
Talking about Katy Perry… The US pop star is the godmother of the ship and was on board for the inaugural sail. She treated the guests to a spectacular concert and, yes, Mr Orlando Bloom and little Daisy, who celebrated her second birthday, were also on board.
The Norwegian Prima has entertainment in spades, from The Price is Right Live, The Improv At Sea to Vibe Beach Club – Cabana to Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, you will always be entertained. I was. At times, it felt like there were not enough hours in my day to take it all in.
I know what you are thinking. What about the food, Kim? Well let me tell you, with so many speciality dining restaurants on the ship, I just knew I was in for a treat.
Excitement built up as I read: “Speciality Dining – Bring your senses on a journey they'll never forget,” on its website.
“Taste the essence of Greece at Palomar, our first-ever Mediterranean seafood restaurant, marvel at the hand-blown chandeliers and savoury French dishes at Le Bistro or see Teppanyaki in a whole new light at Hasuki.”
How could I not be excited? But, to my surprise, it was the complementary food halls that made me whip out my “chef’s kiss” hands.
Indulge Food Hall on deck 8 offered so many choices that, at first, I was intimidated. With all those choices and having to submit my order on a tablet – honestly, I thought it might be safe to just order one small meal, just to test the waters.
But, within 30 seconds, a waiter was at my table with my dish. I looked at him and asked if he was sure that it was mine because I had just placed my order, and he assured me that it was. What else could I do but test the speed of all the restaurants?
“Dine around the world with cuisine from India to Italy to Latin America and more.” And dine I did. First it was the ramen –2 minutes 10 seconds. Then the brisket – 90 seconds, how about some nachos? Twenty seconds (yes, I was timing it on my phone). And all the food was fresh, delicious and of high quality.
As any sane person would, I decided to take a walk around the boat to help digest the truckload of food I had no choice but to consume – all in the name of science, of course.
And in my food coma, I happened upon The Drop. At 10-storeys tall, The Drop is a slide that is said to be the fastest at sea. And also the fastest way to get to my bed because I needed to sleep off the food baby. So down the slide I went. The best part is you can race someone else and my husband (Did I mention he was with me on this trip?) is half my size and there was no way he was going to win this race, bless his soul.
I won!
There are a host of activities to keep you busy, and if lounging by one of the magnificent pools, with a cocktail and a good book, is not your thing, then how about a game of darts at The Bulls Eye? Or maybe you fancy some minigolf at Tee Time? How about a go down the waterslide? No, still not your thing?
How about a three-level race track at sea? The Prima Speedway is sublime. The speed and excitement while the fresh sea breeze blows in your face is so thrilling, you will book another round as soon as you get out of the car.
A spa, a gym and every drink and food you can think about or even wish for. The Norwegian Prima is a resort at sea that happens to change its backdrop everyday. This counts as a once-in-a-lifetime experience – if I were you, I would make sure to experience it.
* Norwegian Prima departed on its inaugural voyage to Northern Europe from the Netherlands, Denmark and England beginning September 3, 2022, before making her way to the U.S. She will then sail voyages to the Caribbean from New York City, Galveston, Texas, and Miami in October and November before settling into her homeport of Port Canaveral, Florida, and Galveston, Texas for the 2023 and 2024 cruise season.
IOL