Choosing your cruise destination and duration can be exciting, but knowing which ship and cruise line to travel on can be confusing.

If you’re looking at a cruise through Norwegian Cruise Line, you might be wondering about the differences between the two fairly new members of their Prima-class fleet: Norwegian Aqua and Norwegian Prima.

While Aqua is newer and bigger, Prima still offers exciting amenities. I was just on Norwegian Aqua for a preview cruise, so I can’t wait to share my experiences and discuss how it compares to Norwegian Prima!

Meet the Prima-Class Sisters

Norwegian’s Prima-class are the largest vessels in the NCL fleet. Norwegian Prima was the first ship in this new class to set sail during the summer of 2022.

Since then, Norwegian Prima has been joined by Norwegian Viva in 2023 and Norwegian Aqua in 2025. There are plans to expand the number of Prima-class ships to six vessels by 2028, with Norwegian Luna set to join in late 2026.

While each Prima-class ship varies in its design, the main difference between the first two ships and Norwegian Aqua is the physical size of the latter.

Worth Reading: Next Two Prima-Class Norwegian Cruise Line Ships to Be Delayed

The first two come in at 143,535 gross tons, and Norwegian Aqua measures 156,300 gross tons, making her the largest in the entire NCL fleet. In fact, Norwegian Aqua is large enough to be classed as a Prima Plus-class vessel rather than just a Prima-class like her sister ship.

The launching of the first of Norwegian Cruise Line’s Prima-class ships was a big step forward for the cruise line, as it was the first new ship class to enter their fleet since the Breakaway class nearly 10 years ago. 

How They Fit Into the NCL Fleet

As the first of its class, Norwegian Prima immediately introduced cruise passengers to a broader variety of amenities than they were accustomed to seeing on an NCL cruise ship.

Going forward, NCL’s decision to order six of these mega-ships means that the brand will try to at least keep pace with other cruise lines known for launching mega-ships, like Royal Caribbean International and MSC Cruises.

I was fortunate enough to cruise on Norwegian Prima shortly after her maiden voyage. While the more spacious accommodations and eye-catching features, like The Haven, Mandara Spa, and Galaxy Pavilion, were all memorable, the more modern design and atmosphere really stuck with me. It felt like the type of experience I wouldn’t have previously associated with Norwegian Cruise Line.

Since then, two new Prima-class vessels have joined Norwegian Prima, so it is important that those planning to book a cruise through NCL understand the differences between these vessels.

While all of the ships in the Prima class are designed to cater to guests looking for adventure, luxury, and fun, they differ slightly in design and personality.

Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva are similar, but Norwegian Aqua is roughly 10% bigger than her two younger sister ships.

This means she can carry a greater number of passengers and has new and bigger amenities, which is why I’ll be comparing Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Aqua throughout this guide.

Quick Overview: Side-by-Side Snapshot

As mentioned above, Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva are very similar in design and features, but things get a little different when you add Norwegian Aqua into the equation.

To make it easier to visualize the differences, here’s a side-by-side comparison of the key specifications:

Stat	Norwegian Prima	Norwegian Aqua
Class	Prima Class	Prima Plus class
Launch Date	August 13, 2021	April 13, 2025
Gross Tonnage (GT)	143,535	156,300
Maximum Beam Height	133 feet	133 feet
Length	963 feet	1,056 feet
Passenger Capacity	3,099 (Double Occupancy)	3,571 (Double Occupancy)
Crew Capacity	1,506	1,388

Ship Size & Stats: Who’s Bigger and Better?

As the table shows, one of the main differences between the two ships is their physical size. Norwegian Aqua is the larger of the two ships, with a gross tonnage of 156,300 gross tons.

While this difference only translates to a few extra feet in length, Norwegian Aqua can accommodate nearly 500 more passengers than Norwegian Prima when she is at full capacity.

This increase in passenger capacity is due to the larger ship’s more spacious interior, which allows it to have 1,760 cabins and suites compared to Norwegian Prima’s total of 1,646.

The Interior Layout and Design

Norwegian Aqua also has a more spacious layout inspired by a mid-century take on New York City. This theme carries across most of the ship’s decks, giving it a larger-than-life feel.

While both are classed as mega-ships, the larger Prima Plus class designation of Norwegian Aqua is evident as soon as you begin exploring her interior.

Even the way the larger of the two ships is designed makes it feel like a larger ship from the inside. You’ll notice right away that crowds are more evenly dispersed throughout the ship, thanks, in part, to the clever layout. 

Norwegian Aqua’s numerous amenities are evenly spaced throughout her decks. Even during the disembarkation process, passengers are spaced out evenly, which makes things go a little smoother and faster.

While it is difficult to say which ship is better, as individual preferences tend to weigh heavily when weighing up one ship against another, there’s no getting around the fact that Norwegian Aqua is the biggest and newest of the two vessels, so most people would probably lean towards it over either of her younger sister ships.

New Features on Aqua You Won’t Find on Prima

As mentioned, Norwegian Aqua makes good use of its extra space, and this is where you can really start to differentiate between the two ships.

Sure, the larger physical size and greater passenger capacity are both critical differences, but it’s the newer amenities and accommodations you get with the newer vessel that really separate it from its sister ships.

Read Also: The Different Norwegian Cruise Line Ship Classes

Keep in mind that many of the most iconic features found on Norwegian Prima, like the two-story Penrose Atrium and The Drop Waterslide, can still be found on the newer ship, but many of them have been expanded in size and scale.

As for completely new features and amenities, here’s just a quick overview of some of the things Norwegian Cruise Line added to Norwegian Aqua.

The Aqua Slidecoaster

Norwegian Cruise Line describes the Aqua Slidecoaster as the world’s first hybrid roller coaster at sea. This unique 10-story high two-person thrill ride is one of the ship’s most iconic features.

This new thrilling feature replaces the Speedway go-kart track, which features all the previous Prima class vessels, as well as many of the Breakaway-Plus class.

The Glow Court

This digital interactive sports complex is another new and unique feature found only on Norwegian Aqua. By day, it acts as a sports court where guests can enjoy games on a high-tech LED-powered floor. With immersive twists on traditional sports and a variety of completely new games, it’s a fun area for passengers of all ages.

At night, it transforms into a lounge area and dancefloor, with the LED floor creating a fun atmosphere you won’t find anywhere else.

The Expanded Vibe Beach Club

While the Vibe Beach Club is not unique to Norwegian Aqua, this version of the 18-and-over retreat is roughly double the square footage and more elaborate than the one found on Norwegian Prima.

With a full-service bar, an expansive pool deck, several infinity hot tubs, and wraparound ocean views, it’s one of the most exciting areas on the ship for adults. Guests also have the option to pay for special access to a quieter and more exclusive version of the Vibe Beach Club on Norwegian Aqua.

There’s even a backlit waterfall that gives the area a unique ambiance. It’s bigger, more expansive, and has plenty of new features that really help make this space one of the most exciting areas on the ship.

Expanded Pools and Hot Tubs

Norwegian Aqua embraces its name, with pools and other water-based amenities taking center stage. While Norwegian Prima had its fair share of pools, the pool and hot tub areas on Norwegian Aqua are much more elaborate.

The main pool areas are the Aqua Park Main Pool and Kids’ Aqua Park. The Aqua Park Main Pool features a brand-new style of infinity edge pool,  larger than the infinity pools found on any other ship in the fleet. Here, you will also find the Aqua Slidecoaster and the new Oceanwalk glass bridge.

The Aqua Park is located near the Ocean Boulevard section of the ship, which offers a full 360° wraparound view of the ocean. With lounge chairs, water slides, pools, hot tubs, a swim-up bar, and much more, it’s one of the ship’s most popular areas and a huge improvement over the pool area found on Norwegian Prima or Norwegian Viva.

New Stateroom Categories and Layout Options

Not only does Norwegian Aqua have a greater number of staterooms and suites, but it also offers several new categories.

Most of these can be found in The Haven by Norwegian, a private section of the ship where the most spacious suites can be found, including the new Haven Duplex Suite.

These large, two-floor suites feature three bedrooms, a spacious loft lounge area, an enormous balcony, and the best in-suite amenities you’ll find on any NCL cruise ship. 

Did I mention all of the suites found in The Haven come with full 24-hour butler service and access to an exclusive cocktail party with the ship’s captain and officers?

Beyond newer and more luxurious accommodations, The Haven also provides guests a private sundeck with its own bar and swimming pool. For guests looking to enjoy a more private and luxurious cruising experience, the new staterooms and expanded version of The Haven make traveling on Norwegian Aqua pretty difficult to beat.

For those on a tighter budget but still wanting to enjoy more space, the new Club Balcony Suites offer plenty of room and a completely private balcony. The ship also has new Solo Studio Cabins suitable for solo travelers just looking to enjoy the ship without spending as much on their accommodations.

Shared Amenities: What Stays the Same

While Norwegian Aqua is outfitted with some new and exciting amenities, both Aqua and Norwegian Prima share signature Prima-class features that have become world-renowned draws for the NCL fleet.

Here’s a quick roundup of features Norwegian Prima fans will be happy to learn are also available on Norwegian Aqua.

Ocean Boulevard

Norwegian Prima was the first NCL ship to feature Ocean Boulevard, a wraparound outdoor area that features full 360° views of the water. On Norwegian Prima, Ocean Boulevard is 44,000 square feet long and home to a variety of outdoor activities and restaurants.

Norwegian Aqua’s version of Ocean Boulevard follows the same theme, but it has been expanded. It also has two major additions: the Infinity Beach, a large pool area home to an infinity pool and lounge chairs with foot baths.  

Indulge Food Hall

Indulge Food Hall is another incredibly popular feature of Norwegian Prima that was kept for Norwegian Aqua. This popular Prima-class dining establishment is a complimentary food hall-style restaurant featuring an expansive menu that showcases flavors from around the world.

Indulge Food Hall also has many of the same food stalls across both ships, including the hugely popular Tapas Spanish Eatery, The Garden Salad Bar, Nudls Asian and Italian Noodle Stand, and, my personal favorite, The Latin Quarter food truck-style Mexican eatery.

Q Texas Smokehouse and Seaside Rotisserie can also be found in Norwegian Aqua’s version of the Indulge Food Hall, while Tamara Indian Food Stand is only found on Norwegian Prima.

This expansive area is home to the Indulge Food Hall and the ever-popular Infinity Beach, a favorite for relaxing under the sun.

The Drop and The Rush Slides

When Norwegian Prima first set sail, The Drop and The Rush slides were considered to be amongst the ship’s signature attractions.

Lucky for thrill seekers, they were both added to Norwegian Aqua. Where The Drop stands 10 stories high, The Rush has a much steeper angle, making it one of the fastest dry slides on any cruise ship.

On both ships, these two huge slides hang from the exterior side of the ship, winding between each other.

Mandara Spa and The Haven

While they differ in size, both ships feature the Mandara Spa and the luxury-oriented area known as The Haven.

As you can probably guess, Mandara Spa is the main spa facility for both ships. Both versions of the Mandara Spa feature enticing amenities, like a sauna, hot and cold room, steam rooms, and massage areas.

I mentioned an expanded version of The Haven that can be found on Norwegian Aqua, but this concept was first introduced on Norwegian Prima.

Essentially, it is an area of both ships where you will find the most luxurious accommodations, private sundecks, and a dedicated 24-hour butler service that only caters to the needs of those staying in The Haven section of either ship.

Shared Dining Venues and Bars

I’ve already discussed how the two ships have many of the same restaurants and bars, so you won’t have to worry if you’re a fan of Norwegian Prima’s dining scene.

While Norwegian Aqua features a few new faces, most venues have been expanded in size and seating capacity, which makes sense given the larger ship can carry nearly 500 more guests.

Both ships feature a version of The Local Bar & Grill, Hudson’s, Surfside Café & Grill, Starbucks, The Commodore Room, Le Bistro, Cagney’s Steakhouse, and the Indulge Food Hall.

Onboard Atmosphere: Vibe and Flow

While the two cruise ships certainly share many similarities, including their polished and modern décor, there are some subtle differences that give them their own atmosphere and feeling.

Thanks to its more elegant and sophisticated décor, Norwegian Prima tends to have a more traditional cruise ship feel. The focus seems to be on spacious lounge areas and more formal dining experiences. 

On the other hand, Norwegian Aqua has a more open and laid back feel, which was intentional from the ship’s designers.

With more open spaces and a more vintage, New York City-inspired theme, it feels less rushed and stiff than Norwegian Prima, especially as you navigate the ship.

Issues with Norwegian Prima’s Layout

One common complaint about Norwegian Prima, if you search for reviews on social media platforms, is the layout, which is a bit confusing and crowded. Due to the ship’s design, guests must walk through active venues to reach some areas of the ship. 

Even reaching the main pool area from the main elevators means walking through the Hudson’s buffet area. While it’s not the type of thing that completely ruins the experience, it does impact the overall vibe as you navigate the ship. It’s clear NCL recognized this issue when designing the interior of Norwegian Aqua.

Scroll major online forums like Reddit, and you’ll notice posters regularly mentioning how the onboard flow on Norwegian Aqua feels a bit more relaxed and less congested. This is particularly noticeable during the disembarkation process.

While the older of the two ships has a few minor design faults that can impact the onboard atmosphere, especially during the busiest hours, both ships have a fun and exciting atmosphere that makes them excellent venues for both family-friendly vacations and adults-only getaways.

Accommodations Compared

Both ships offer a variety of cabins and suites to choose from. With cozy inside staterooms and solo cabins to more luxurious suites in The Haven section of the ship, both Norwegian Prima and Aqua allow you to customize your onboard experience through the type of accommodations you choose.

With that said, the two ships differ when it comes to passenger accommodations. Here’s a quick breakdown of those main differences:

Norwegian Prima Accommodation Differences

When she first set sail, Norwegian Prima captured headlines with its spacious staterooms. With 27 options for staterooms and suites, as well as an additional eight suite and penthouse options found in The Haven, passengers certainly have many options when they book a cruise on Norwegian Prima.

Most offer a classic interior design, with beds in most staterooms centering around a queen-sized bed that can be separated into two twin-sized beds.

New to Prima was The Haven section of the ship, as well as their Solo Oceanview and Sailaway Oceanview staterooms, which are both found on deck 5 and provide guaranteed ocean views on embarkation day.

Norwegian Aqua Accommodation Differences

While Norwegian Aqua did introduce some new stateroom categories, the main difference was how it expanded upon existing categories. Aqua features 73 solo studio cabins, compared to just 21 on Norwegian Prima.

NCL claims that Norwegian Aqua features the largest and most spacious accommodations across their entire fleet. Even some of the least expensive outside cabins feature floor-to-ceiling windows, so you don’t have to break the bank to enjoy stunning views of the waves.

The Haven also features 112 suites, including the brand-new Haven Premier Owner’s Suite, which has a 2,100-square-foot layout. The Aqua’s expanded version of The Haven also features the first three-bedroom duplex-style suite in the fleet.

Where The Haven was just a section of Norwegian Prima, Aqua’s version almost feels like a ship-within-a-ship, which was actually the designer’s intention.

Itineraries and Destinations

While Norwegian Prima has been in service for much longer, it has had the opportunity to sail to far more destinations. The two ships are intended to cater to different markets by offering different itineraries. Here’s a quick breakdown:

Norwegian Prima

Since her maiden voyage on August 27, 2022, Norwegian Prima has been generally focused on European and Caribbean itineraries, depending on the time of year.

Sailing from Port Canaveral and PortMiami, she travels to Caribbean destinations like the Dominican Republic and Cozumel, but she also regularly travels from U.S. ports to Bermuda’s Great Stirrup Cay, which is owned by NCL.

During the off-season for the American market, Norwegian Prima spends significant time catering to the European market, with regular voyages from Southampton in England to Reykjavik in Iceland.

Norwegian Aqua

Norwegian Aqua made her maiden ocean-crossing voyage in April of 2025. She also uses Port Canaveral and PortMiami as home ports while in the United States, with these voyages focusing on Eastern Caribbean itineraries. Like Prima, she will also regularly visit Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas.

There are also plans for her to visit Bermuda from New York City and a rumor that she will travel to Europe; those itineraries have not been confirmed yet.

Entertainment & Nightlife

Both ships share many similarities when it comes to entertainment and nightlife options, but Norwegian Aqua goes a little further.

For starters, the Glow Court area’s interactive LED floor transforms into a unique dancefloor and nightclub venue at night. Norwegian Prima’s hugely popular Broadway-style Elements: The World Expanded show also makes its way onto Aqua, but Aqua also debuts Revolution: A Celebration of Prince.

Both ships also feature plenty of pools, slides, mini-putt courses, arcades, and the two dynamic dry slides, The Drop and The Rush.

While you have more options on Aqua, Prima does have a few unique features, like a go-kart track, and its Red, White, and British show showcases tribute artists celebrating famous artists from the United Kingdom.

Dining Options: Any New Flavors?

While many of the dining venues remain the same between Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Aqua, including the freestyle dining venues, like the Indulge Food Hall, Norwegian Aqua was outfitted with a significantly larger version of The Commodore Room, which is the main included restaurant for either ship.

Specialty Dining Differences

However, the real differences in the dining offers were made in the specialty dining category. 

One of the biggest culinary additions to Norwegian Aqua is a new Thai-themed restaurant called Sukhothai, which also happens to be the first Thai restaurant featured on any ship in the fleet.

In addition to authentic Thai dishes, it also serves sushi and Asian fusion favorites. I dined there and can tell you first-hand that the food is incredible!

You’ll also find a Texas-themed American-style steakhouse, as well as Italian Onda by Scarpetta.

Many of the bars and lounges found on Norwegian Prima were also expanded on Norwegian Aqua, with The Local Bar & Grill having nearly double the seating capacity on the latter ship.

Given that it’s open 24 hours a day and offers a range of complimentary bar snacks, it was a hugely popular venue on Norwegian Prima. I’m glad it was given a much-needed seating boost for Norwegian Aqua.

While you certainly don’t need to pay extra to enjoy amazing meals on either cruise ship, those looking to treat themselves to some specialty dining experiences will have more options aboard Norwegian Aqua than Norwegian Prima.

My First Impressions

I mentioned that Cruise Hive staff member Paul Bartlett and I recently enjoyed a preview cruise aboard Norwegian Aqua.

We loved the expanded public areas and accommodations, like the Club Balcony Suites. Some of the design elements, like the floor-to-ceiling LED panels in the atrium and even the hull artwork wowed us.

The wide range of culinary options, like Le BIstro and the brand-new Sukhothai, were also amazing. The layout was also incredible, making it easy to explore the ship without ever feeling cramped.

By contrast, I’ve found Norwegian Prima to have a slightly puzzling layout in certain areas. Some of the busiest areas on  the ship act as choke points, making it difficult to get from one area to the next without fighting through crowds.

Worth Reading: Norwegian Cruise Ships By Size (Biggest to Smallest)

I can speak from experience and say that there is nothing inherently wrong with Prima, but Norwegian Aqua does have more to offer most cruisers.

Personally, I would just choose the ship that offers your preferred itinerary; however, if you’re looking for that extra bit of magic, the newer and larger ship has a more spacious feel and a greater variety of amenities.

Conclusion

NCL really stepped their game up when they introduced their Prima-class vessels. While Norwegian Prima is beginning to show her age, she still offers comfortable cruising experiences to exciting destinations.

On the other hand, the newer Norwegian Aqua takes things even further thanks to its more spacious interior design, newer attractions, and improved versions of favorites from Norwegian Prima.

Again, either ship can provide an unforgettable cruise experience, so I recommend choosing the ship that provides the better deal or visits destinations that match your personal preferences.