HAVEN ON EARTH
The luxurious ship within a ship is just one of the highlights aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s amazing new vessel
By Richard Jones
We climbed inside our inflated rafts, staring at the two giant pale blue tubes ahead. As the magnetic conveyor belt inched us forward, Martin and I sat staring at each other, anticipating the sudden adrenaline rush, before we were thrust forwards and upwards from zero to 30mph into the dark tunnel ahead. With my breath taken away, I then relaxed for a minute or so as I cruised down the flume from side to side, before being splashed with cold water and seeing my smiling mate at the bottom.
Although the Aqua Slidecoaster has all the hallmarks of a waterpark attraction in Florida or the Mediterranean, the pair of us were actually on deck 19 of Norwegian Cruise Line’s gleaming new vessel, the Norwegian Aqua. For me that’s the key to a good cruise – enjoying life on the open oceans or seas, while also – just occasionally – forgetting you’re actually on board a huge liner. Norwegian Aqua hits that particular sweet spot with sailors waking up in some of the world’s most spectacular places while also enjoying the luxuries and privileges usually associated with a high-end hotel – or even a theme park – on land.
Martin and I were on board NCL’s 20th ship during one of her short inaugural European voyages, before the Aqua crossed the Atlantic to Boston ahead of being officially christened in Miami with Modern Family actor Eric Stonestreet serving as her godfather. The Aqua will then home port in Miami, Port Canaveral and New York City and sail around the Bahamas, Caribbean and Bermuda for the next two years. From the distinctive ‘Where the Sky Meets the Sea’ hull designs by Allison Hueman to the cutting edge amenities on board, the ship is nothing short of spectacular.
The first vessel in the Prima Plus Class, it has an overall length of 1,056 feet (322 metres) and can comfortably accommodate 3,571 guests in 1,659 staterooms, alongside 1,600 crew. And comfort is the key word – the Aqua may not be the biggest cruise ship out there, but it has noticeably more space on board than other vessels in similar classes.
One of its many highlights is The Haven By Norwegian, an exclusive ‘ship within a ship’ enclave home to its most luxurious and spacious accommodations.
Martin and I were fortunate enough to be allocated a two-bed family villa on deck 14, which felt more like a luxury hotel room than a ship cabin. The stateroom had plush seats both inside and outside on the balcony, while the master bed was among the comfiest I’d experienced – on land or sea. Among the suite’s amenities were a Nespresso machine, luxury L’Occitane En Provence bath products, cutlery and crockery, and a welcome bottle of sparkling wine, with fruit on embarkation day.
As tends to be the case, the best suites come with the best staff, and also included in the Haven fare are the services of a concierge and butler, while our friendly stateroom steward Randolf would greet us with a chat and a handshake in between keeping our room spotless. Thanks to our Haven card, we were able to sample its private bars and lounges and restaurant, as well as a secluded sun deck and courtyard. Although Norwegian’s wine and spirit menu is the same across the ship, the smoked drinks and other small touches at the Haven Bar and Lounge on deck 16 elevate it above the others. The same applies to the adjacent restaurant which serves the best of the best from the other eateries on board.
While the inside amenities are impressive, it’s The Haven’s exterior spaces that really blew our minds. Martin and I had no problem finding somewhere to soak up the spring sunshine on the sundeck spanning two floors, and although the temperatures weren’t quite the same in the English Channel as they are across the Atlantic, we could both imagine the infinity pool to be the perfect place to cool off in the Caribbean.
Away from The Haven, there are plenty of other treats on board Aqua, and to make the most of their trip, sailors can take advantage of NCL’s new add-on package which was introduced at the beginning of 2025. More at Sea, priced at around £249 per person for a seven-day cruise, allows sailors to customise their experience with added benefits, including extra specialty dining options at Cagney’s Steakhouse, Onda by Scarpetta, Le Bistro, Los Lobos and Nama Sushi. If you’re partial to a drink on board, the More to Sea unlimited open-bar beverage package includes top-shelf brands like Grey Goose vodka and Casamigos tequila, while you can indulge in spirits that previously came with an extra charge at the Whiskey Bar. If you’re wary of racking up Wi-Fi bills when cruising, then More to Sea allows you to stay connected via Starlink’s high-speed technology.
Even without splashing out on The Haven and More to Sea upgrades, there are plenty of complimentary dining options including NCL’s first-ever Thai specialty restaurant Sukhothai, as well as Hudson’s and The Commodore Room. Martin and I enjoyed breakfast and lunch at the Surfside Café & Grill buffet, The Local Bar & Grill, which offers classic pub fare and comfort foods until the small hours, and Indulge Food Hall, with its Southeast Asian, Italian, Chinese and plant-based bites.
At the heart of the ship’s entertainment programme is the three-storey Aqua Theater & Club. During our short voyage, Martin and I checked out Revolution: A Celebration of Prince, as well as Rumors: A Fleetwood Mac Tribute Experience, and Elements: The World Expanded.
There are 17 lounges and bars to go at on Aqua, our favourites being the Waves Pool Bar and Vibe Beach Club outside, and the Belvedere Bar, the Metropolitan Bar, Syd Norman’s Pour House and comedy club-turned late bar The Improv at Sea inside. Many have an iPad containing the ship’s cocktail list on the bar and we sampled our fair share of them.
Throughout the day, there are no end of swimming pools and hot tubs in which to cool off (or warm up), with the Main Pool and Kids’ Aqua Park overflowing with excitement. Norwegian’s youngest guests will love the Guppies programme, while older kids will have a blast at the complimentary Splash Academy and Entourage programmes.
Aqua Game Zone is Norwegian Cruise Line’s new gaming experience venue and Martin and I had a go at shuffleboard, Tee Time crazy golf, arcade games, and some immersive play at the hi-tech Glow Court. For those who want to chill out, the Mandara Spa & Salon has several noteworthy features, including thalassotherapy loungers, an amazing two-storey waterfall and the first clay sauna at sea.
After a relaxing afternoon there, Martin craved some excitement and headed for the Aqua’s eye-catching slides. The Drop is Aqua’s thrilling free-fall dry slide which sent us spiralling 10 storeys down, but best of all was the aforementioned Aqua Slidecoaster, dubbed ‘the world’s first hybrid rollercoaster and waterslide at sea’.
Although the temperatures were on the chilly side 19 decks up, our adrenaline was soon pumping, but after being shot up the tubes, slaloming back down and splashed with water, we couldn’t wait to get back to the warmth of the hot tubs at the stern of the ship.
Yes, the Slidecoaster was great fun, but once you’ve tasted a little piece of Haven on board the Norwegian Aqua, you won’t go back.
FACTBOX
A seven-day cruise on Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship, Norwegian Aqua, departing Miami, Florida, and calling at the Dominican Republic, the US and British Virgin Islands and the Bahamas is priced at £1391pp based on two people sharing a balcony stateroom and sailing on Sunday 26 October 2025. To book and for more information on More to Sea and The Haven upgrades go to ncl.com
Virgin Atlantic flies direct from London Heathrow to Miami with return fares from £498 per person including complimentary food, drink, in-flight entertainment and taxes. Go to virginatlantic.com or call 0344 8747 747.
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