NCL Prima

[Maggienc6009]

I just finished reading reviews of the Prima and am so upset that the reviews are sooo bad.  The design of the ship doesn’t sound customer friendly at all nor can they handle the number of people/capacity.  We got the premium drink package, extra specialty restaurant meals.  The reviews consistently complained about too few bars and those didn’t have full selections.  
 

What recourse do we have for our upcoming transatlantic trip to Iceland?  Can we downgrade our drink packages?  Can we cancel due to poor reviews?  (I know the answer but….). How can we find out the occupancy of the ship to date?  Any suggestions?

[Host Kat]

4 hours ago, Maggienc6009 said:

I just finished reading reviews of the Prima and am so upset that the reviews are sooo bad.  The design of the ship doesn’t sound customer friendly at all nor can they handle the number of people/capacity.  We got the premium drink package, extra specialty restaurant meals.  The reviews consistently complained about too few bars and those didn’t have full selections.  
 

What recourse do we have for our upcoming transatlantic trip to Iceland?  Can we downgrade our drink packages?  Can we cancel due to poor reviews?  (I know the answer but….). How can we find out the occupancy of the ship to date?  Any suggestions?

 

Howdy @Maggienc6009 and welcome to Cruise Critic and the message boards!

 

Thank you for your new topic on the Ask a Cruise Question forum! However, it is the forum for general questions regarding cruising. Your inquiry concerns a specific cruise line and is off topic there.

 

To help you out I have moved your topic to the Norwegian Cruise Line forum where it will be on topic. The majority of your fellow Cruise Critic members that have sailed Norwegian Prima frequent this forum and provide feedback here. Browse through the thread titles on this forum looking for threads of interest. You will probably find your fellow Cruise Critic members have already posted questions and received answers that may be of interest to you.

 

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[nybumpkin]

4 hours ago, Maggienc6009 said:

I just finished reading reviews of the Prima and am so upset that the reviews are sooo bad.  The design of the ship doesn’t sound customer friendly at all nor can they handle the number of people/capacity.  We got the premium drink package, extra specialty restaurant meals.  The reviews consistently complained about too few bars and those didn’t have full selections.

Hi Maggie - I'm brand new to NCL (so no, I'm not a cheerleader), but not to cruising. I'm booked on Prima with my daughter-in-law in three weeks. Yes, I've seen the reviews - but I also realize that in my past experience, I've seen reviews for the same sailing I was on that I wondered whether the reviewer was even on the same ship. That's why, when I write reviews, I always say "Your mileage may vary." I'm going with an open mind.

[bortman23]

4 hours ago, Maggienc6009 said:

We got the premium drink package, extra specialty restaurant meals.

 

We upgraded to the FAS+ package on our recent prima sailing (Jan 15), and the sailing was slightly over capacity (capacity is based on double occupancy, and there are some rooms that sleep more than two).

 

The ship felt busy, but nothing unmanageable for us. We LOVED having the premium plus beverage package. You can get certain bottles of wine and champagne at dinner. We never had any trouble getting served, but we avoided the busy bars at peak time (atrium etc). We always grabbed bottles (well boxes) of water when headed back to the room, and every day when we left for an excursion. 

 

That said, depending on how busy being prepared to make advance reservations will go a long way. We booked four specialty dining reservations 120 days out and had no issues getting what we wanted. 

 

The issue I have found with the ship is that even though there are more places to eat, they are smaller. People are creatures of habit, so everyone would still go to the buffet even though other places were open for Breakfast/Lunch etc. We often went to Indulge for the grab and go breakfast, or Hudson's for lunch (it was empty when we arrived and didn't even full up at the peak time). We never had any trouble getting food. 

 

The ship is a new design and people like to complain. It's a beautiful ship. 

[FLAHAM]

Prima is a fine ship—perhaps not ideal in its layout, but nevertheless very enjoyable.  The Indulge food hall is a great new concept, and most enjoy the extensive outdoor facilities on deck 8.  Ignore the bad reviews and enjoy your cruise.

[Liljo22]

Go look at every new ships first reviews and they usually overwhelmingly negative.

[The Traveling Man]

My wife and I were on Prima's second ever revenue cruise this past September, so we'll cut the staff some slack for the difficulties we encountered.  The ship is of a significantly different design than other NCL ships, so it is understandable that they had not yet gotten a feel for how to best make use of the facilities.  That said, however, the ship has an unusual flow.  Many of the venues are too small for their intended use.  Some of the lounges where musical entertainment is performed have poor sight lines, poor acoustics, or seating that is strangely arranged.  NCL is trying out a new set of menus on this ship.  Unlike other ships where the selections vary from one day to the next, the menu choices on the Prima remain the same throughout the cruise.  There may be enough variety for a short cruise, but several have posted on Cruise Critic that the selections seemed quite repetitive toward the end of longer cruises.  I might be willing to give the Prima a second look, or perhaps try the Viva, but it's probably going to be a one and done experience for me.

[BirdTravels]

7 hours ago, Maggienc6009 said:

I just finished reading reviews of the Prima and am so upset that the reviews are sooo bad.  The design of the ship doesn’t sound customer friendly at all nor can they handle the number of people/capacity.  We got the premium drink package, extra specialty restaurant meals.  The reviews consistently complained about too few bars and those didn’t have full selections.  
 

What recourse do we have for our upcoming transatlantic trip to Iceland?  Can we downgrade our drink packages?  Can we cancel due to poor reviews?  (I know the answer but….). How can we find out the occupancy of the ship to date?  Any suggestions?

Welcome to cruise critic. Curious on why you created another account.
 

First and foremost, don’t believe everything you read on the internet. 
 

We have sailed on the Prima twice and find it above average for an NCL ship. 
 

The biggest ‘problem’ is that people insist on comparing her to her bigger cousins the Breakaway Plus ships. You are comparing a 4500 passenger ship to the Prima which is 3100 passengers. People try to do a side by side comparison of completely different design concepts. 

People compare the traditional pool decks and don’t consider Ocean Boulevard which is the biggest and most upscale sundeck on any ship. 
 

People try to compare buffets without considering that the Food Hall is designed to replace part of the buffet and serves some of the best food in the fleet. 
 

People don’t like change. They are too narrow minded to understand that the Prima is a new concept,,,, which is not supposed to align with the old BA class ships. 
 

Best that you cancel and book an old fashion ship. 

[mypleasure]

I am due to sail on Prima in September. We booked this month for a few reasons. Firstly it is a time when children will be back in school so it is likely there will be far less families onboard and it will be sailing at or undercapacity.

We are sailing from a UK port so less will want the expense and associated hassles of 2 transatlantic flights.

We are sailing in early autumn to Iceland and Norway when weather will be changeable with some good days and some inclement days.

So, we are not expecting the ship to be massively over capacity. I think a lot of my reasoning may well apply to you too.

Prima is definitely a very different vessel to those that came before. It appears to be far from the older concept of a corridor running from front to back with all venues somewhere on that corridor. I think many people have struggled to understand this. The pool deck is smaller than what people are used to but the new concept is to also have the ocean boulevard with it's infinity pools.

Take the recent reviews and apply a pinch of salt. This was a carribean season when a lot of kids were on board. A totally different personality to when you will sail.

[dexddd]

We sailed Prima TA to NY.  Not sure how many people on board but some spots did feel full and some venues too small.  Indulge hard to find seat so this popular venue, indeed popular.  Ship really designed for warm weather.

 

Really didn't have any issue with layout and getting around.

 

My biggest issue is price too high for nothing really different than other ships.

 

Oh, and don't believe everything you see on the internet said a wizard.

[ontheweb]

There are some recent threads in this forum by passengers who have just completed cruises on the Prima. Perhaps reading them will give you a better idea of the ship.

[FlGoodShips]

We were on the Prima Dec 2022. It is an absolutely stunning ship. The decor is beautiful. Cabins were bigger. We had a balcony and it was great. Food at every restaurant and drinks at bars were great.

Design routes people different ways...we did not feel it was crowded.

Try it...you'll like it😊

[AKR2011]

I’ve learned to take reviews with a grain of salt and go into them just thankful that I am able to travel. I have not sailed on Prima, but the reviews are not all bad. Have you read @sid_9169’s review? Also, Transatlantics historically are not as full. I can’t wait to take one someday myself. In general, longer cruises tend to have less passengers and an older and less party atmosphere. I prefer longer cruises for that reason and have not been disappointed at all with my choices. I hope you have an amazing cruise! ❤️⚓️

Edited March 8, 2023 by AKR2011

[destar]

Going on a cruise with negative mindset will result on a bad cruise experience.

 

We cruised on the Prima on the October 31st cruise out of Galveston.

First off, don't judge the ship based on some negative reviews you read online, everybody has different likes and what is good for me might not be good for you and vise versa.

 

The Prima is a beautiful brand new ship, with abundant outdoor space, many bars, specialty dinning, and the food is great. Never had a problem getting a drink at any of the bars. The Prima theater is huge and the shows are great.

 

The only negative design for me are, the 6th floor atrium, I think it should be fully open to be seen from the 2 decks above, and Syd Norman should be triple in size. 

 

I will definitely cruise on the Prima again, will be on her sister ship the Viva early next year. Happy cruising!

 

[graphicguy]

If you want a recent Prima review...this is an EXCELLENT one....

 

 

[SeaShark]

12 hours ago, nybumpkin said:

Hi Maggie - I'm brand new to NCL (so no, I'm not a cheerleader), but not to cruising. I'm booked on Prima with my daughter-in-law in three weeks. Yes, I've seen the reviews - but I also realize that in my past experience, I've seen reviews for the same sailing I was on that I wondered whether the reviewer was even on the same ship. That's why, when I write reviews, I always say "Your mileage may vary." I'm going with an open mind.

 

Not for anything, but the OP literally just joined CC and likely has no idea what a "cheerleader" is or how/why the insult is used on Cruise Critic. Not sure why you'd even throw the term out here. Perhaps you should have an open mind about what everyone has to say and try not to label them in such a dismissive fashion.

[Karaboudjan]

3 hours ago, SeaShark said:

 

Not for anything, but the OP literally just joined CC and likely has no idea what a "cheerleader" is or how/why the insult is used on Cruise Critic. Not sure why you'd even throw the term out here. Perhaps you should have an open mind about what everyone has to say and try not to label them in such a dismissive fashion.

 

If "cheerleader" is an insult what does that make "apologist"?  🤔

[SeaShark]

10 minutes ago, Karaboudjan said:

 

If "cheerleader" is an insult what does that make "apologist"?  🤔

 

Same...its just a dismissive label that people use to attack the person rather than the position.

[JGmf]

The most recent reviews I've read from seasoned travelers/reviewers on this board have provided high praise for the Prima.  Looking at you @sid_9169 and @BirdTravels! 

 

So much so that I booked a cruise in April. 

 

OP: go on your cruise.  I'm sure it will be a great time.

[The Traveling Man]

4 hours ago, destar said:

 

The only negative design for me are, the 6th floor atrium, I think it should be fully open to be seen from the 2 decks above, and Syd Norman should be triple in size.

I agree with your comments about the atrium.  The overlapping or overhanging decks result in poor sight lines and poor acoustics for those wishing to find a seat on the upper levels to hear the music on Deck 6.  Syd Norman's as well as the comedy club have far too few seats to accommodate the crowds who line up trying to get into the shows.

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, JGmf said:

The most recent reviews I've read from seasoned travelers/reviewers on this board have provided high praise for the Prima.  Looking at you @sid_9169 and @BirdTravels! 

 

So much so that I booked a cruise in April. 

 

OP: go on your cruise.  I'm sure it will be a great time.

As a general rule, if you go expecting a good time, you will find it.

 

And even more true, if you go expecting it to stink, that is the experience you will have.

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, JGmf said:

The most recent reviews I've read from seasoned travelers/reviewers on this board have provided high praise for the Prima.  Looking at you @sid_9169 and @BirdTravels! 

 

So much so that I booked a cruise in April. 

 

OP: go on your cruise.  I'm sure it will be a great time.

There is also an excellent review of a just completed Prima cruise by @Greenpea2 as well as the 2 you mentioned.

[Mikiejag]

Just got off two weeks ago.  There are so many food places, but be prepared to adjust dining.  Seems everyone wanted to eat at 11 or 12.  If you go to lunch at 1130ish, 1230ish, its not really a problem.

 

Its a new ship so it was full.  Just a different way than NCL is used to being.  The hardest thing was getting the reservations, seems everyone booked everything as soon as they got on.

 

Get to know the APP and use the virtual queues.  Saw everything and was not a problem.

 

Don't listen to the negatives, just go with an open mind, and then decide.

[seacruise9]

Hi, 

 

I am booked on the Norwegian Prima for a seven-day cruise to Bermuda that departs on April 23, 2023. I am a frequent cruiser, but this will be my first NCL cruise in many years. I viewed the video tours of this ship and was impressed with its design. I have made my dinner reservations for each evening (four specialty restaurants and three nights in one of the main dining rooms) and have booked a balcony stateroom that overlooks one of the infinity pools on the side of the ship. 

 

I always try to maintain a positive attitude on cruises and manage to have a great time. I have sailed on some ships with negative reviews, but I honestly have enjoyed every cruise that I have taken.

[Sand and Seas]

We loved our 11 day on Prima a few months ago.  Yes, it has a unique layout.  We enjoyed exploring the different decks....and getting a little 'lost'😉.  It's a whole new concept from the 6/7/8 decks we have been used to and still love on ships like Bliss & Encore.  One of the things we have loved most about  NCL's larger ships is the Deck 8 Waterfront.  We feel that NCL has really expanded and improved that concept on Prima.  

 

Ships like Bliss & Encore have been our favorites, but we are now adding Prima to that list of favorites.  It is a unique ship to enjoy.  Over 11 days, we never ate at the buffet as we loved Indulge Food Hall, The Local or light snacks at the Observation Lounge.  We also enjoyed several meals at their specialty restaurants. 

 

 Also, loved our Club Balcony.  So roomy and lots of storage   The regular Balcony cabins look very similar to our CB.   Soon after returning home from our first Prima cruise, we booked another  cruise from Galveston on Prima for next year.  (If you have never sailed from Galveston, add on at least two nights to enjoy this lovely island!)