Everything... project Leonardo/Prima class!

[Sand and Seas]

3 hours ago, Karaboudjan said:

 

Onda is on other ships so you can find menus online.

 

No Palomar menus that I have been able to find.

We really love Onda so very happy it's on the Prima.  Palomar is listed as 'Mediterranean' with Seafood as the 'star attraction'.   Very intriguing so can't wait to try this one.  

[Sailing12Away]

9 hours ago, renji said:

I agree, although that's their choice, but it is soooo frustrating to look for a 12.  And when one is left you can't even see which as it's just "Best Available" ...easier now to look for 11 in its own category,  

Rooms on 11 (at least right now) are not owners suites though. That's the difference. So you have to pick between being in an owners suite with those bonus perks - but potentially no hot tub, or being on deck 11 in a 'regular' cabin but know that you have the hot tub.

[renji]

5 hours ago, Sailing12Away said:

Rooms on 11 (at least right now) are not owners suites though. That's the difference. So you have to pick between being in an owners suite with those bonus perks - but potentially no hot tub, or being on deck 11 in a 'regular' cabin but know that you have the hot tub.

What are the bonus perks that The penthouse on 11 doesn’t get?  I didn’t realize there was something other than room size/features itself.    I suspect I would choose the private hot tub 🙂.  

[Sailing12Away]

Owner's suites get free soda, water & booze in your room. For a regular Haven room, your butler can't bring you cocktails or even soda really to the room, even when you have the drink package. Well, they can, but you'll be charged for them which is silly since they're free if you walk and get them yourself.

 

But with the owner suites, your kitchenette area is fully stocked with your choice of mixers, sodas, water and a few bottles of liquor (# depends on the length of the cruise). And they replenish them all (except the booze) throughout the cruise. 

So think of it like a free mini bar, whereas the other rooms don't get that. It's minor, but for folks like us who like brining a soda or cocktail back to the room - it's definitely better knowing we don't have to double fist them and walk the entire ship to bring them back. They're already waiting for us in the cabin.

 

Jack & Bacardi in the back, and the sodas, mix-ins, and still/sparkling water are in the cabinet on the other side of the bar.

[BenCoudon]

Live webcam at the entrance of Port Southampton

We can see the Prima  arriving at 5h25 am  

 

[Steff79]

great vid, at the bow the brown way must be the public way to walk around? I think. 

 

 

 

Edited August 20, 2022 by Steff79

[Markj]

She looks amazing. Credit to whoever gets up that early in the morning to go and shoot drone footage too!!! The posts it that very morning! 

 

We've booked the Iceland/Norway cruise next September so hopefully by then all the teething issues will be sorted 😃🤣. Really looking forward to seeing how it compares to the Bliss.

 

Have to say Its been interesting reading through this thread too it will be a good history of the Prima in the fullness of time.

 

One thought. Do we think Norwegian designs ships for specific cruise areas? For example the Bliss and Encore have such big Observation decks are they more for Alaska/Scenic cruising and is the Prima set for cruises that are not for hot places seeing as the pool area is small?

[steamboats]

Another slight change in the itinerary... On August 30th the port is Cobh Cruise Terminal instead of Ringaskiddy.

 

steamboats

[cabincop]

1 hour ago, steamboats said:

Another slight change in the itinerary... On August 30th the port is Cobh Cruise Terminal instead of Ringaskiddy.

 

steamboats

Make sure you watch ship come into port. There is a beautiful church & view there 

[Karaboudjan]

4 hours ago, Markj said:

One thought. Do we think Norwegian designs ships for specific cruise areas? For example the Bliss and Encore have such big Observation decks are they more for Alaska/Scenic cruising and is the Prima set for cruises that are not for hot places seeing as the pool area is small?

 

I believe the Bliss and Encore were in fact designed with Alaska in mind.

 

Not sure about Prima.  Both the Prima and Viva will be cruising the Caribbean, and I believe that Viva is going to spend quite a bit of time in the Med.  It could be that NCL just believes that people don't care that much about a big pool.  I saw a video review of a trip on the Scarlet Lady, which apparently has a particularly small pool, and the reviewer said that they were told by a Virgin marketing executive that that decision was based on customer feedback.  Of course NCL is not Virgin, but I'm sure they have plenty of customer input also, so maybe the pool is smaller because of other considerations than destinations.

[BenCoudon]

17 minutes ago, Karaboudjan said:

 

I believe the Bliss and Encore were in fact designed with Alaska in mind.

 

Not sure about Prima.  Both the Prima and Viva will be cruising the Caribbean, and I believe that Viva is going to spend quite a bit of time in the Med.  It could be that NCL just believes that people don't care that much about a big pool.  I saw a video review of a trip on the Scarlet Lady, which apparently has a particularly small pool, and the reviewer said that they were told by a Virgin marketing executive that that decision was based on customer feedback.  Of course NCL is not Virgin, but I'm sure they have plenty of customer input also, so maybe the pool is smaller because of other considerations than destinations.

Before ordering a ship, they always have in mind where would be her main area of sailing.  Correct that Bliss and Encore were designed mainly for Alaska. It is a huge market for all cruiselines. Also, you may remember that NCL ordered a ship (I forgot which one) that was designed for the Asian market.  Most of the decor was asian colours with specific venues that are prefered by Asians people.  It turned out that the sales on that ship were far to be good and, after a minor refurbishing, they repositionned her elswhere.  We will have to wait a couple of seasons to see exactly where the Prima class ships will be positioned.  At this time, itineraries are made to allow as much as possible people to sail on those new ships.  It has been already announced that the Viva will be position in Lisbon, Portugal.  That would allow itineraries to the mediteranean and also British isles and Norway.

After the Viva, the ships will be bigger.  After the introduction of Leonardo #3 and 4,  I think we will see some prima class ships replacing older ships. The Star, the Jade, the Gem and others will be almost 30 years old by the time all Prima class ships are released.  It will also depend of the demand.  6 new ships will mean over 20,000 additional beds to sell every week, year around.  If they sail at full capacity mainly in high seasons, they will keep the older ships a bit longer.  If they don't, as the new ships will be more energy efficient, they will retire several old ships. Del Rio's bet is the Prima class ships will steal a significant volume of passengers from Royal, MSC and Celebrity. I don't think he is targetting the Carnival clients.  NCL cruises are too expensive for them.

 

Now concerning the size of the pool, although it is true that the upper deck pool is small, keep in mind that they have 3 additional infinity pools.  One on each side on deck 8 plus the aft one in the Haven.  In total, I think there is more space in those 4 pools than what you have on a normal NCL ship.  It will only split the crowd between 4 locations on the ship instead of everyone on the top of the ship.  I think it is a wise decision.  Not everyone is pleased with 1500 people packed on one deck around the pool.

[hallux]

1 hour ago, BenCoudon said:

Also, you may remember that NCL ordered a ship (I forgot which one) that was designed for the Asian market.  Most of the decor was asian colours with specific venues that are prefered by Asians people.  It turned out that the sales on that ship were far to be good and, after a minor refurbishing, they repositionned her elswhere.

This was the Joy.  Still lots of Asian influence in the decor in places.

[BenCoudon]

43 minutes ago, hallux said:

This was the Joy.  Still lots of Asian influence in the decor in places.

Thanks for the info.

I have not sailed on the Joy (yet) hence, I did not remember.

I think the idea of having a ship oriented towards the Asian guest was a good idea.  My point of view is they over estimated that market.  At 3800 + passengers, it was a huge challenge to fill her up every week of the year

Edited August 20, 2022 by BenCoudon

[RVACruiser43]

1 hour ago, hallux said:

This was the Joy.  Still lots of Asian influence in the decor in places.

More background I found interesting on the Joy.  It was originally to be names Bliss, but Bliss apparently translates into something undesirable in Chinese so the name was changed.  And Bliss used for the next ship.

[kessdarln]

Happy Saturday, hope this makes you laugh. 

[RVACruiser43]

1 hour ago, BenCoudon said:

Thanks for the info.

I have not sailed on the Joy (yet) hence, I did not remember.

I think the idea of having a ship oriented towards the Asian guest was a good idea.  My point of view is they over estimated that market.  At 3800 + passengers, it was a huge challenge to fill her up every week of the year

I don’t think that was so much an issue as the eating habits.  Wrong thread here for that discussion, but they probably lost $$ on food.  And the waste was unbelievable.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

6 hours ago, kessdarln said:

Happy Saturday, hope this makes you laugh. 

 

My take on this?... you can save a ton of money on a Studio !!

 

Tom

[AlanRRT]

8 hours ago, kessdarln said:

Happy Saturday, hope this makes you laugh. 

NCL's website is so glitchy.  I was looking at a Pacific Coastal cruise, airfare from Vancouver to Los Angeles, which would be one way, was $20,000,000.

[phissy]

13 hours ago, Karaboudjan said:

 

I believe the Bliss and Encore were in fact designed with Alaska in mind.

 

Not sure about Prima.  Both the Prima and Viva will be cruising the Caribbean, and I believe that Viva is going to spend quite a bit of time in the Med.  It could be that NCL just believes that people don't care that much about a big pool.  I saw a video review of a trip on the Scarlet Lady, which apparently has a particularly small pool, and the reviewer said that they were told by a Virgin marketing executive that that decision was based on customer feedback.  Of course NCL is not Virgin, but I'm sure they have plenty of customer input also, so maybe the pool is smaller because of other considerations than destinations.

NCL Pearl was their first ship designed for Alaska cruising. Loved the Pearl.  Bliss and Encore improved on Pearls features like the Spinnaker Lounge.  

Miss The Great Outdoors on the newer ships. (Aft area off Garden Cafe, that was open with tables and Buffett.)

[deliver42]

I love3d the Great Outdoors on Jewel Class ships. Even the Norway had it. Of course now on the Encore, there isn't even a H2O. Just pay for events. $$$$. mean everything.

[FreestyleNovice]

Are they taking on the first "passengers" today? If so, perfect Prima photo party today! 

[Karaboudjan]

35 minutes ago, deliver42 said:

I love3d the Great Outdoors on Jewel Class ships. Even the Norway had it. Of course now on the Encore, there isn't even a H2O. Just pay for events. $$$$. mean everything.

 

But now with the Prima class isn't Indulge everything that the Great Outdoors is an more?

[Steff79]

do the Prima leave Southampton today?

then they stream live ( not sure if i rember correct i think it was planned for 7:30 pm uk time after a intermission, but not sure )

 

 

Edited August 21, 2022 by Steff79

[steamboats]

The port website lists her as leaving tonight at 8 pm. Marinetraffic says she´s to arrive in Reykjavik on the 25th at 4 am.

 

So it looks like she´s leaving in about 1.5 hours.

 

steamboats

 

PS: Bag is packed (yes, it´s early but I sleep better). But temps in Reykjavik making me freeze with 11°C/51°F).

Edited August 21, 2022 by steamboats

[Steff79]

from now about 1,5 hours

( 8:20 pk uk time )

i think they stream little earlier