Why Norwegian Cruise Line: 10 Compelling Reasons
Thinking about an NCL cruise? We’ve got ten solid reasons why Norwegian Cruise Line is an excellent choice.
As avid fans, we’ve sailed with NCL multiple times, including a memorable stay in the Haven on the Norwegian Getaway. While our experience on the Norwegian Epic wasn’t perfect, it didn’t deter us from booking another NCL cruise soon after.
So, why Norwegian?
Norwegian sets itself apart with its innovative Freestyle Cruising concept and top-notch entertainment. They offer an affordable, high-quality, laid-back, and comfortable vacation. With Freestyle Cruising, you can personalize your experience with flexible dining, dress codes, and activities.
We feel at home with NCL.
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Choosing the right cruise line is crucial. This article explains why Norwegian Cruise Line is a great choice for your vacation, providing compelling reasons to consider them. If NCL doesn’t align with your preferences, that’s fine—many other cruise lines cater to various tastes and needs.
NCL Are Pioneers of Freestyle Cruising
A standout reason to choose Norwegian Cruise Line is their groundbreaking Freestyle Cruising concept. Norwegians lead freestyle cruising, meaning their ships have no fixed dining times or obligatory formal nights. You can dine at your preferred time and venue, with a myriad of dining options to choose from.
Norwegian Cruise Line is the perfect pick for a carefree cruise experience where attire and dining schedules are up to you. This flexibility is the driving force behind our choice to sail with them.
Casual Dress Code
Freestyle cruising extends to a casual dress code—no need for formal wear on a Norwegian cruise. Most nights, the dress code is relaxed, and you can comfortably wear shorts for dinner. Optional theme nights, like White Night for the Glow Party, offer a chance to dress up a bit.
Norwegian is the hassle-free choice for those averse to packing formal wear, making cruise prep a breeze. While the overall experience remains comfortably casual, note that upscale specialty dining venues have a smart casual dress code, often requiring long pants or jeans and no tank tops for men.
Read More: What to Avoid Wearing on a Cruise
Entertainment and Onboard Activities
Entertainment on NCL
Norwegian cruise ships offer top-notch entertainment, a vital part of the cruising experience and a key reason we keep returning. Their ships feature Broadway-like shows (and sometimes actual Broadway shows), comedians, and acrobatic performances every night, most of which are included in your cruise fare. For stellar entertainment, Norwegian is the ultimate choice.
Onboard Activities on NCL
Norwegian Cruise Line offers a wide range of onboard activities. From water slides, go-karts, arcade games, and laser tag to competitions, trivia, Deal or No Deal, and Bingo, their ships are fun. Thanks to the cruise director and their team, which host various daily activities, including nightly themed parties, there’s always something happening throughout the ship.
Great Value for the Money
Norwegian Cruise Line offers a budget-friendly cruise without compromising quality. While not the cheapest, they provide substantial value for the price. Positioned as a mid-priced cruise line, they offer numerous inclusions, delivering a resort-style experience without breaking the bank.
One standout feature is their Free at Sea promotion, which includes free specialty dining, an open bar, shore excursion credits, and Wi-Fi. Other cruise lines don’t offer similar packages, and adding these amenities already included with NCL can become expensive.
NCL’s CruiseNext program also allows you to deposit on a future cruise at a discounted rate, providing even more savings for your next adventure.
Modern Accommodations
Norwegian Cruise Line provides various accommodations catering to all preferences, from basic inside cabins to lavish suites. They offer specialized options for families, solo travelers, and those with special needs.
Their modern and sleek designs set their cruise cabins apart, a departure from the typical uninspiring wood features found on other ships. Newer ships now take cues from NCL, breaking away from standard cabin plans to create a more resort-like atmosphere. Have you seen their new Prima Class ships?
For an exclusive and luxurious cruise experience, explore The Haven by Norwegian—a ship-within-a-ship concept that, while pricey, offers unparalleled amenities and the chance to be treated like royalty.
Read more: Key Items to Bring on Your Cruise
Solo-Friendly Cruising
Norwegian Cruise Line is a standout choice for solo travelers. NCL was one of the first to cater to those cruising independently, offering well-designed studio cabins with a dedicated common area exclusively for solo passengers, with no additional supplement fees.
In 2023, they expanded their solo category cabins across their fleet, allowing solo travelers to book other cabin categories at special rates, not just the studio cabins. Solo travelers still get access to the Solo Studio Lounge and its events.
Beyond accommodations, NCL provides diverse events and activities tailored for solo travelers to connect with fellow cruisers. We even encountered an inspiring story of an older couple who initially met as solo travelers on a Norwegian Cruise, staying in these unique solo cabins. Now, they continue to cruise and travel together.
Variety of Dining Options
Norwegian Cruise Line offers a diverse range of dining options. Cruising with NCL means enjoying many dining choices, from buffets to specialty restaurants—all at your own pace!
The only catch? Specialty restaurants come with an additional charge. Yet, their unique dining experiences can be well worth it, especially if you love trying new things on vacation. Indulging in a meal at Le Bistro, their specialty French restaurant, is just one of the reasons we keep booking Norwegian Cruises. It’s the first restaurant I have ever tried escargot, and we can’t get enough of their dessert – île Flottante.
Read More: NCL Specialty Dining Restaurants Listed With Menus
Enticing Free-At-Sea Promotions
Norwegian Cruise Line consistently features their enticing Free-At-Sea promotions. For the uninitiated, Free-At-Sea offers various complimentary perks based on your booked room category and cruise length. Timing matters, as sometimes all the perks are bundled for the best deal.
To maximize value, look for Norwegian’s Free-At-Sea promotions when booking. These perks include a free beverage package, a specialty dining package (covering two dinners), complimentary shore excursions, free Wi-Fi minutes, and more. The promotion for the third and fourth guests is also a significant money-saver.
Note that “free” beverage packages and specialty dining incur gratuities/service fees. While the specialty dining fee is modest and, in our opinion, worthwhile, you’ll have to check if the service fee for the beverage package aligns with your drinking habits.
We explain everything you need to know about the NCL Free at Sea promotion, including drink costs and a handy calculator.
Designed for Everyone
Norwegian Cruise Line stands out by being designed for everyone. Unlike some cruise lines tailored to specific demographics, NCL welcomes families, solo travelers, honeymooners, and vacationers seeking diverse experiences.
Whether you prefer a social or private atmosphere, you can tailor your vacation on a Norwegian cruise. Engage in major ship activities or find serenity in quiet areas. Opt for specialty dining or stick to the buffet—it’s entirely up to you.
The cruise experience is yours to shape. Unlike ships that may lack amenities for families, solo travelers, or those seeking modern luxury at a reasonable cost, Norwegian Cruise Line offers it all, from waterslides for kids to studio cabins for solos.
With Norwegian, there’s no pretense—just good old-fashioned fun with modern conveniences and a touch of luxury. They’ve elevated their cruise experience to appeal to everyone, making them a great in-between option compared to other major cruise lines.
Broad Range of Itineraries
Norwegian Cruise Line offers a broad range of itineraries to suit every preference, whether you’re after a quick getaway or an extended vacation.
A standout is their Hawaii itinerary aboard the Pride of America cruise ship, a year-round cruise covering the top Hawaiian islands in just seven days. With Honolulu as the home port, there’s no need for lengthy sea days from the U.S. West Coast. Plus, it’s the only American-flagged cruise ship.
In addition to the popular Hawaii route, NCL offers a variety of other sought-after itineraries, including Bermuda, Alaska, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, and more.
Read More: 122 Quick & Helpful Cruise Tips
The Drawback: Nickel and Diming
While Norwegian Cruise Line remains our preferred choice, we can’t overlook the nickel-and-diming aspect.
NCL charges extra for various items across the ship, including certain foods, specialty coffee (like Starbucks), and a room service surcharge—expenses that other cruise lines might include in their cruise fares. Even the service fees associated with their “Free at Sea” promotions raise eyebrows. Is it genuinely “free”? Arguably, they could incorporate it into the overall cruise price, but NCL does allow cruisers to save that money if they choose to.
Despite these considerations, neither we nor other cruisers are dissuaded from booking a Norwegian Cruise. Most of these fees don’t significantly impact our overall cruise experience.
Read More: Proven Money-Saving Cruise Tips
What is the Norwegian Cruise Line famous for?
Norwegian Cruise Line is famous for its Freestyle Cruising concept and innovative ships. Most recently, they are known as the first cruise ship to offer a race track at sea with their new vessels, Norwegian Bliss and Norwegian Joy.
Is Norwegian a good cruise line?
Yes, NCL is a good cruise line. Norwegian is built with the modern cruiser in mind. They offer new ships with innovative features and plenty of activities and entertainment to keep guests of all ages happy.
BEFORE YOU SET SAIL, HERE ARE SOME RELATED ARTICLES YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS:
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Kathy Ava
Meet Kathy Ava, a food, travel, and cruise writer based in Los Angeles/Pasadena, and the owner and main writer of Tasty Itinerary. With over 20 years of experience planning trips and logistics at her full-time job and for herself, she's become a pro at crafting unforgettable tasty itineraries. She's always on the hunt for delicious, fun travel destinations and cruise itineraries. She firmly believes that life is short and we must make the most of it, so always say yes to dessert.
You really do make me so curious about cruising. One day I will have to try one out. You especially were speaking to me with that solo travelers point. That’s so cool that they have stuff catered to solo travelers. I love that.
I also had no idea that some cruise lines require formal attire. I definitely wouldn’t want to go on a cruise like that. One night might be fun but that’s it.
This cruise line sounds flexible so that’s what I like.
One day! 🙂
Great post, thanks for sharing!
I want to know pros and cons of the encore. Going to the carribean in a few weeks. What to do for entertainment drinks and dancing
Hi Sue – We have a review of Norwegian Encore when we sailed her to Alaska this past summer: https://www.tastyitinerary.com/ncl-encore-review/. There is a theme dance party almost every night on all NCL ships and it was no different on the Encore. Choir of Men in the theater was excellent and so much fun. If you love the Beatles, make sure to make it to one of their shows.