She’s classy without being pretentious, fun but not boisterous, and pretty without relying on it to distract from a lack of substance. Basically, she’s like the love child of Tom Hardy and George Clooney, sans facial hair. She’s Norwegian Viva, and Karryon reviews her as she sails to the Bahamas.
Norwegian Viva, the second of Norwegian Cruise Line’s Prima Class line up is not a good way to start your cruising experience. If this sets the standard, then you better hope Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) gets busy with more Prima Class ships. Luckily Norwegian Aqua is coming soon.
Bigger on the inside
We don’t realise how big Norwegian Viva is until we sail away from her to her private island in the Bahamas, Great Stirrup Cay. At 294 metres long and weighing over 140,000 tonnes, she is big, but on board, it doesn’t feel like it. Because getting around Norwegian Viva is shockingly manageable.
I, who require Google Maps for Kmart, only take a wrong turn once and that may have been the fault of the Metropolitan Bar.
Norwegian Viva has a capacity for 3,099 guests but, like the ship’s size, we don’t see them until we’re on the island and wondering where all the people came from.
But as we all know, ladies, size isn’t everything. Other cruise ships might rely on it, but Norwegian Viva knows how to use it.
Because on board any cruise, space is a luxury. And from her rooms to her Speedway, it’s like Norwegian Viva has space to spare.
The Haven, Norwegian Viva’s ship within a ship
Away from the hoi polloi, for those who want all the benefits that go with a ship the size of Norwegian Viva but crave the luxury of something more exclusive, is The Haven.
With private lifts, 24-hour butler service, concierge service, an exclusive bar and restaurant and a private sundeck, you can have the all advantages of a smaller cruise ship without sacrificing the best bits of a bigger one.
And the rooms! The Haven’s 2-Bedroom Family Villa is bigger than my first apartment (check out the vid below). And has far better views.
Just be mindful, Haven-goers, you will be teased if you dare to venture into The Improv with the masses. If the onboard comedians ask, do not admit to staying in The Haven or risk being the butt of many a joke.
Sip happens. Where to eat and drink on Norwegian Viva
To paraphrase Jane Austen (who, let’s face it, couldn’t have afforded The Haven anyway): It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a cruiser in possession of a good appetite, must be in want of a buffet.
As mostly first-time cruisers, we thought a cruise buffet was the be-all and end-all, but NCL has taken traditional cruising concepts like this and refreshed them. Norwegian Viva’s traditional topside buffet, the Surfside Cafe on Deck 17 aft is smaller than expected. But that’s because it’s only one of many dining venues open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The Local Bar and Grill on Deck 8 is the place for casual American fare like hamburgers, hot dogs and Reubens. But I’m most impressed by the Indulge Food Hall also on Deck 8 — just all the way aft [PS: clearly such a cruiser now with all this aft/starboard talk].
Indulge Food Hall is what you get when you cross a fancy food truck rally (there’s an actual Airstream trailer) with a hawker street and mini-restaurants. It’s great for those of us dietary-requirement-challenged and heaven for those who cannot answer that most existential of questions, What should I have for lunch? The answer, in the Indulge Food Hall, is everything.
Upon ordering (from an easy-to-use and navigate tablet), I’m torn between pad thai from Nudls and pretty much anything from Tamara, an Indian outlet where naan is made fresh in front of you. I get both (we’re sharing, I say by way of excuse). Throughout the cruise, we try tapas, tacos, and the carnivores eat meat that’s smoked, rotisserie-d and stuffed in empanadas. You can sit inside when the weather’s not cooperating or outside when it is.
Hudson’s on Deck 7 aft is also not what I was expecting of a ship’s complimentary main dining hall either. He’s a fancy one. From the service to the 270-degree view (thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows), we have to double-check that this is, in fact, not one of the swanky additional fee restaurants. It’s just swanky.
Guests will have to pay extra for specialty dining at the pan-Asian Food Republic (Deck 17); Cagney’s (Deck 6) a steakhouse where you can get your hands on some of those legendary NCL truffle fries; hibachi-style dining at Hasuki Teppanyaki (Deck 7); Nama Sushi (also Deck 7); casual but pretty Mexican at Los Lobos (Deck 8), French-inspired Le Bistro (Deck 7), the beloved Onda by Scarpetta (Deck 8) which serves up top-notch Italian cuisine; and Palomar (Deck 17), for Greek and Italian cuisine.
A quick note: though most of the time vegetarians are adequately catered for (vegans will find it harder), I do have to leave friends at Palomar due to a lack of a veg-friendly main (I steal some delicious asparagus spears before I leave though). Intending to go to the Indulge Food Hall, I walk past the nearby Surfside Cafe. I tell the staff my woes and they not only commiserate but a chef whips me up something special that speaks to my Filipino roots!
But where to go after (and usually before) dinner? There are a lot of bars and lounges and we try most of them. But by far, the Metropolitan Bar, conveniently located on Deck 7 midship, is my favourite. Hands down, the best cocktails on board. I have several Cucumber Cools that feature a cucumber pulp cordial mixed with lime juice, elderflower liqueur and vodka.
And because the Metropolitan is Norwegian Viva’s industry-exclusive sustainable cocktail bar, using repurposed onboard food, we feel compelled to show our support by drinking more.
Another highlight of the bar is the interactive digital art of Dominic Harris, Every Wing has a Silver Lining (which shifts and moves under your touch).
The bar, between The Improv and Hudson’s, could do with a bigger space and more seating as it’s very popular on our cruise.
Onboard activities
It’s Day 1 and I already have a nemesis. He’s 11.
It all starts at the Viva Speedway. As an actual driver, I am conscious of space and don’t feel there’s enough of it to pass other vehicles. The 11-year-old feels no such compunction. To be honest, I am a little disappointed with the Speedway experience (and it’s not just because I didn’t win). It is certainly a novelty, and fun when you’re racing against friends (or enemies), but I didn’t go as fast as I wanted to (or as slow to fully appreciate those views). I would definitely be up for Norwegian Aqua’s rollercoaster slides though!
I love a slide and Norwegian Viva has some impressive slides. But the Slide Deck is where I really grow to dislike the 11-year-old. Kids don’t get this, but as you age, so too does your understanding of consequences and your fear of death. It’ll happen to you, 11-year-old.
The Drop (as the name suggests) drops you TEN storeys from Deck 18 to Deck 8. IN SECONDS. It’s the world’s first free-fall dry slide and I need a minute. The 11-year-old’s quiet chicken clucking while we wait in line is not encouraging. I shakily get into what can best be described as a body bag before being enclosed into the slide. The last thing you see before you drop is the ocean. I’d been advised to try and keep my eyes open and it’s well worth it for fleeting views you get from the translucent section of the slide.
The Rush also drops you 10-storeys, but it’s not a freefall. I love that both The Drop and The Rush are dry slides so you can do them any time.
I lose track of my nemesis for the rest of the cruise, but we meet again on our last afternoon in the Galaxy Pavilion. A virtual-reality arcade where you can experience a flying theatre simulator, practice your golf swing or get lost in an escape room. This is the 11-year-old’s domain. I know because he tells me as we take our seats on a racing simulator.
I don’t know much about virtual reality, but I do know it’s not good in any version of reality to talk smack to your elders.
On deck
Three pools and two hot tubs are available but can fill quickly. If you want to chill on deck, there are alternatives to Deck 17 near the main pool where the sound of the nearby Viva Speedway can spoil a good nap. Instead, head to the Promenade Deck on Deck 8, where you’ll find the ship’s two infinity pools.
A wander through the Concourse and its outdoor sculpture garden is a nice way to get your steps up as is the ‘gram worthy Oceanwalk.
Thermal Suite, Mandara Spa and Pulse Fitness Centre
The sea can change you.
For me, I can no longer go to a gym without 270-degree views of a seemingly endless ocean thanks to Norwegian Viva’s Pulse Fitness Centre.
I start in the gym and hit up the spa before the ship gets too busy. Jet lag helps. I first heard of Mandara Spa’s Thermal Suite from a passenger on my flight to Miami. She tells me to bring a book. “To a spa?” I ask. “You’ll see,” she smiles.
I get a Thermal Suite Pass and start in the Zen-inspired thermal pool area with its two-storey waterfall. There’s a warm jetted pool and a saltwater float pool.
From the pools, I move into the aromatherapy steam room which is perhaps my favourite of the detoxifying rooms. But (for research, of course) I duck into the charcoal sauna (the hottest), the Finnish sauna, the infrared sauna, the salt room and end in the ice room (I only last in there for a minute and have to head back to the charcoal sauna to warm up). There’s also an experiential shower which I love.
But oh, the Thermal Suite. On a ship with so many views, this is arguably the best. I take up a spot in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows on a warmed lounger and stay far too long — even without a book. Truly worth a visit. Or five.
The Entertainment
Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! The Tony Award-nominated musical is a 90-minute Broadway adaptation of Tim Burton’s iconic 1988 film of the same name. And an Aussie not only wrote the music and lyrics for the show but is possibly behind its irreverence.
We somehow snaffle front row seats and only realise (too late) why they are still available when Beetlejuice jokingly flirts mercilessly with the only male in our group.
It’s not the cruise entertainment I expected. It’s tongue-in-cheek and naughty and reveals something about the character of the cruise ship and perhaps the cruise line: it doesn’t have a stick up its hull. Despite all its swanky offerings, everyone from nannas to nippers is welcome. And there really is something for everyone.
Karryon travelled as a guest of Norwegian Cruise Line, flying into Miami on United Airlines.
