Katy Perry, racing, dancing, food: first cruise on the new Norwegian Prima

I won’t lie. I’ve never seen myself as a cruiser. My sea legs are unreliable, and I’d rather a chaotic public train over an organised tour. Theme nights and carefully choreographed fun? Also not my scene.  

But when an invitation to experience the Norwegian Prima came along, I was intrigued because the newest vessel in the Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) fleet is very much a ship of, well, firsts. 

To start, it’s the first in a new class of ship for NCL, with five more Prima-class vessels to follow. And when pop superstar Katy Perry — its official godmother — smashed a bottle of Champagne across her bow in late-August, Prima also became the first major cruise ship to be christened in Iceland. 

Just hours after the bow was wet, we sailed south out of Reykjavik. Next stop, Ireland, with two full days at sea for me to discover whether I had been wrong all along about cruising. 

Globally it’s an industry of relentless innovation as brands build better, bigger and brighter ships to compete for the custom of the 30-million people worldwide who book a cruise holiday each year. Well, that was the picture in 2019 at least. 

Cruise holidays ground to a halt when Covid-19 hit. Crews were sent home, ships were left at anchor, and a $154bn (about R2.7-trillion) industry was set adrift. But that tide has turned, and though the Prima has been years in the planning, her inaugural sailing is also something of a happy bellwether for the global industry. 

In July, the US Centers for Disease Control dropped its monitoring and protocols for cruise ships, and rules around pre-departure testing fell away. Major lines — including Norwegian, MSC Cruises and Royal Caribbean — no longer enforce a vaccine mandate, though unvaccinated guests will have to provide a negative Covid-19 test. Even New Zealand, with its (in)famously tight border restrictions, last month welcomed the first international cruise ship into Auckland harbour. 

And as the spectre of Covid fades, the pent-up demand for travel has seen a huge rebound across the industry. 

“Cruising is well and truly back,” notes Jane Davidson of Johannesburg-based travel sales agency Development Promotions, who expects cruise holiday bookings in 2023 to meet or beat the heady days of 2019. 

And a few hours into the North Atlantic, it was easy to see what the fuss is all about. On board, Norwegian Prima was dishing up an endless stream of entertainment. 

THE RACE AND THE RUSH

Let’s start with the downright crazy: the three-storey go-kart track at sea. The Prima Speedway is the first triple-decker layout afloat, and it’s enormous fun. 

The track stretches to 420m with a dozen all-electric karts speeding around at up to 40km/h. It’s fast enough to be fun without being too frightening. Future cruises will also see a “You and the Track” championship offering guests the chance to win prizes for setting, and defending, the record for the fastest lap. I’m rather proud of my 58.25s, even if I was only ranked seventh. 

Kids? They’re well taken care of, of course. Aside from letting them loose on the Galaxy Pavilion and Prima Speedway, there’s a dedicated Kids’ Aqua Park with water fountains, and a Tidal Wave waterslide that sends you careering up and over the side of the ship before splashdown. The Splash Academy kids’ club has staff on hand to keep youngsters entertained while parents have some downtime. 

There’s plenty of after-dark entertainment on-board, from bars offering live music and stand-up comedy to the flagship Prima Theatre. It’s an impressive 750-seater venue across three levels, with staging technology so good I had to remind myself I was in the Atlantic, not on dry land. After the final curtain of Summer: The Donna Summer Musical rows of seating quickly folded away to transform the space into a vast nightclub, complete with a 60-ton, three-ringed chandelier lighting up the venue. 

I’ll be honest: I spent more time in my stateroom than on the dance floor. 

Prima sits comfortably in the mid-size category of ship, carrying 3,100 passengers across 1,646 passenger staterooms. There are more than 30 categories of cabin — the most of any similarly sized ship at sea — but it’s oh-so-worth spending a little extra on a Balcony stateroom. I loved sleeping with the door ajar to hear the rushing of the ocean waves, and taking quiet moments on the balcony searching the sea for whales and dolphins. 

Balcony too pricey? The Oceanview staterooms have large windows and plenty of natural light, with family options making them an affordable way to run away to sea. There are also Inside and Studio cabins if you’re really watching your wallet. 

But if budget’s no problem, head straight for The Haven, the exclusive ship-within-a-ship concept. On Prima, The Haven wraps around the upper levels of the stern, with suites — some with private hot tubs — offering extravagant amounts of living space. All have expansive balconies and enjoy access to the rarefied public areas of The Haven, including an exclusive restaurant, lounge and bar. Also pay attention to the art on the walls, including a handful of works by acclaimed Miami-based artist Carola Bravo. 

ART ABOUNDS

The art collection was another pleasant surprise on board. 

“Each area has its own look and aesthetic, and around 80% of the collection in the public areas was created by the artists for this vessel,” said Sarah Hall Smith, art director for Norwegian Cruise Line. “It’s about what works in the space, but there’s definitely a focus on more contemporary and modern art. We want it to feel like the art someone has collected for their home.” 

There are more than 250 works on board — price tag? About $7m — with a self-guided art tour, and QR codes alongside each work allowing art lovers to delve into the collection. There’s also an outdoor sculpture garden, another first at sea, featuring works by Alexander Krivosheiw, a renowned American sculptor known for his bold abstract forms. 

“Our goal was to create something that didn’t look like a cruise ship,” said Harry Sommer, CEO of NCL. “We didn’t want huge, gaudy public rooms. We wanted to create something that was really upscale.” 

And with culinary adventures becoming a key point of difference for competing cruise brands, that certainly shines through in the dining experiences.