When Norwegian Cruise Line extended an invitation for a behind-the-scenes tour of their upcoming ship, Norwegian Aqua, it was an opportunity that couldn’t be missed for several reasons.

 by Doug Parker

 

After all, shipyard tours allow you to spend time with the actual builders and meet the brilliant minds behind the structure.

Along with a small press group, I traveled to the Fincantieri shipyard near Venice, Italy, to get a first look at what will soon join NCL’s fleet in March 2025.

For 90 minutes, we explored the ship with the guidance of Nelson Martins, Regional VP of Fleet Hotel Operations Strategic Initiatives, who gave us an exclusive glimpse into the progress on the first Prima Plus-class vessel, Norwegian Aqua.

 

Nelson Martins, Regional VP of Fleet Hotel Operations Strategic Initiatives explaining the spaces onboard.

“We have designed the ship with passenger flow in mind,” Martins explained, speaking on Norwegian’s commitment to frictionless experiences.

Expanded Spaces and Stages

Though it was hard to fully grasp what the spaces would look like in their completed state, illustrations helped us imagine what the final product might look like.

Many areas on the ship have been expanded by adding capacity to entertainment venues. For example, the Metropolitan Bar will feature a stage where entertainers can perform, and the Improv At Sea area has been given more floor space.

The Penrose Atrium has also been redesigned to incorporate more seating and an improved outdoor view near the Starbucks outlet.

The main show theater coming to life on Norwegian Aqua

Other entertainment venues, such as the show theater, were still in the early stages of construction. Still, it was easy to imagine the space where the newly announced show, Revolution: A Celebration of Prince, would be held. 

 

New Dining Venues

With more cabins on Aqua—which will have 10 percent more capacity than previous ships in the class—NCL recognized the need to expand complimentary dining spaces.

According to Martins, the Commodore main dining room will now seat 596 guests, up from 476 on previous ships, in a larger space.

Another addition is Sukhothai, the line’s first Thai restaurant, which will take over the space previously occupied by Food Republic. 

 

Outdoor Decks

One of the things people have responded extremely positively to on the Prima-class ships is the expansive outdoor spaces. These are also found on Aqua but have been expanded to include a larger midship pool and splash area. 

Another notable change is repositioning the seaside movie screen, which has been moved higher to improve sightlines from other decks, addressing previous guests’ visibility concerns.

The Aqua Slidecoaster

You’ve probably seen the video of Norwegian’s ground-breaking top-deck attraction, the Aqua Slidecoaster.

Although it’s being introduced on Aqua, it will also be the featured attraction on the line’s next ship, Norwegian Luna, when it debuts in the spring of 2026. And while the video is very cool, seeing the structure in person gives you a true sense of what makes it unique. 

Initially, some compared Norwegian Aqua’s attraction to those found on several ships in the Disney fleet or waterslides found elsewhere. However, the big difference is that guests must walk stairs on vessels like the Disney Fantasy to access the actual ride.

The newer Disney ships use a relatively slow-moving conveyor belt system as the starting point. However, Norwegian Aqua offers something entirely different.

Norwegian’s Senior Director of Guest Experiences and Innovation, Alex Tavernini, explained that the Aqua Slidecoaster operates on the same principle as a land-based roller coaster, using magnets to propel guests uphill for an approximately one-minute ride.

This system will allow the attraction on Deck 18 to hold over 200 guests per hour as they zoom across three decks at varying intensity levels.

When the ride was first announced, some were surprised that Norwegian intended the experience to be complimentary. While that could change at some point, as for now, that remains the plan.

Why Ditch the Go-Karts?

But why did Norwegian decide to abandon the go-karts that had proven so successful (and generated a considerable amount of revenue) on five of their other ships?

“We’re not Norwegian Racetrack Cruise Line,” said NCL president David Harrah. “We’re Norwegian Cruise Line. We’re innovators in this industry, always evolving and mixing things up.”

Norwegian Aqua will be NCL’s 20th cruise ship.

Currently Available For Booking

While we’ll have to wait until March to experience Norwegian Aqua, it’s clear that the company is continuing to evolve this class of ships rather than resting on its laurels.

Meanwhile, both Aqua and Luna — which are essentially twins of her slightly younger sibling — are now available for booking.