What is the newest Norwegian Cruise Line ship? Knowing the answer is more important than you might think if you’re planning a Norwegian cruise.
The newest Norwegian cruise ship is usually the Norwegian ship with the most modern, up-to-date cabins and the most exciting mix of restaurants, bars and attractions. If you want the crème de la crème of the Norwegian fleet as your floating home away from home, it’s the right choice.
Currently, the newest Norwegian cruise ship is the Norwegian Viva, which debuted in August 2023. She is the second ship in Norway’s new Prima class of ships due to debut in 2022 with the arrival of Norwegian Prima.
Other relatively new Norwegian Cruise Line ships include Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Bliss and Norwegian Joy. All started sailing in the last seven years.
In total, Norwegian operates 19 cruise ships. On average, the line comes out with about one new ship every 18 months, and it typically keeps ships in its fleet for 20 to 30 years before retiring them. The oldest Norwegian cruise line ship, the Norwegian Spirit, is 26 years old.
Norwegian’s new ships are generally much larger and more feature-packed than its older ships. If you want lots of activities on a Norwegian cruise vacation, you’ll want to stick to ships built in the last 13 or more years.
Related: 9 Classes of Norwegian Cruise Line Ships, Explained
In many cases, Norwegian Cruise Line’s oldest cruise ships — built in the 1990s and early 2000s — are only half the size of the line’s newer ships and have fewer seats on board. However, even these smaller ships offer many attractions compared to some ships on competing lines.
Here is a list of every Norwegian cruise line ship currently in operation, ranked from newest to oldest.
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1. Norwegian Viva
First trip: 2023
Size: 143,535 gross tons
Passenger capacity: is 3,099
2. Norwegian Prima
First trip: 2022
Size: 143,535 gross tons
Passenger capacity: is 3,099
3. Norwegian Encore
First trip: 2019
Size: 169,116 gross tons
Passenger capacity: is 3,998
4. Norwegian Delight
First trip: 2018
Size: 168,028 gross tons
Passenger capacity: 4,004
5. Norwegian Joy
First trip: 2017
Size: 167,725 gross tons
Passenger capacity: is 3,804
6. Norwegian Escape
First trip: 2015
Size: 164,998 gross tons
Passenger capacity: is 4,266
7. Norwegian Gateway
First trip: 2014
Size: 145,655 gross tons
Passenger capacity: is 3,963
8. Norwegian Breakaway
First trip: 2013
Size: 145,655 gross tons
Passenger capacity: is 3,963
9. Norwegian Epic
First trip: 2010
Size: 155,873 gross tons
Passenger capacity: 4,100
10. Norwegian gem
First trip: 2007
Size: 93,530 gross tons
Passenger capacity: is 2,394
11. Norwegian Pearl
First trip: 2006
Size: 93,530 gross tons
Passenger capacity: is 2,394
12. Norwegian Jade
First trip: 2006
Size: 93,558 gross tons
Passenger capacity: is 2,402
13. Norwegian Jewel
First trip: 2005
Size: 93,502 gross tons
Passenger capacity: is 2,376
14. America’s pride
First trip: 2005
Size: 80,439 gross tons
Passenger capacity: is 2,186
15. Norwegian Dawn
First trip: 2002
Size: 92,250 gross tons
Passenger capacity: is 2,340
16. Norwegian Star
First trip: 2001
Size: 91,740 gross tons
Passenger capacity: is 2,348
17. The Norwegian Sun
First trip: 2001
Size: 78,309 gross tons
Passenger capacity: is 1,936
18. Norwegian Sky
First trip: 1999
Size: 77,104 gross tons
Passenger capacity: 2,004
19. Norwegian Spirit
First trip: 1998
Size: 75,904 gross tons
Passenger capacity: is 2,032
What is the newest Norwegian Cruise Line ship?
The newest Norwegian cruise line ship is the Norwegian Viva. As noted above, it Debuted in August 2023. Measuring 143,535 gross tons and carrying 3,099 passengers at double occupancy, she is almost identical to Norwegian’s last new ship, the Norwegian Prima. Both ships are part of the line’s new six-ship Prima Class series, which will be launched by 2028.
Norwegian Viva and Norwegian Prima are significantly smaller ships than other new Norwegian cruise ships unveiled in the past 15 years, but they still have nearly as many restaurants, bars, showrooms and deck-top attractions as you’ll find on larger ships.
TPG Norwegian Viva and Norwegian Prima sailed on maiden voyages and have been extensively covered. For more on ships, see the following guides and reviews:
What is the oldest Norwegian cruise line ship?
The oldest Norwegian cruise line ship is the Norwegian Spirit. Unveiled in 1998, she is not only the oldest Norwegian Cruise Line ship but also the smallest Norwegian Cruise Line ship – much smaller than the newest Norwegian ships. At 75,904 tonnes, the Norwegian Spirit is less than half the size of the recently unveiled Norwegian Encore, and carries just 1,966 passengers – 2,000 fewer than the Norwegian larger.
Because of its smaller size, Norwegian Spirit offers fewer (but still fewer) sights and attractions than newer Norwegian ships. In all, you’ll find 13 food outlets on Norwegian Spirit, including two main restaurants, a casual buffet eatery, and versions of the line’s signature Cagney Steakhouse and French-inspired Le Bistro. There are more than half a dozen bars and cafes.
Deck-top attractions on Norwegian Spirit include several pools, whirlpools, waterslides, basketball courts and jogging tracks. The ship also has a casino, spa, night club and theater.
What new Norwegian Cruise Line ships are coming?
Norwegian Cruise Line currently has eight new cruise ships on order – more than any other major cruise brand. Will be the first to come Norwegian Aqua in April 2025. She will be the third ship in the line’s new Prima Class series.
Additionally, three more ships in this Prima Class series are on order for delivery in 2026, 2027 and 2028 respectively.
Related: The Ultimate Guide to Norwegian Cruise Line Ships and Itineraries
All four of these upcoming Prima Class ships, including Norwegian Aqua, will be somewhat larger than the first two ships in the series to allow for more cabins and public areas. The last two ships in the series will also be expanded to accommodate new, larger fuel tanks that can hold methanol – a cleaner-burning type of fuel.
In addition to the four additional Prima Class ships, Norwegian has also ordered four larger new ships that could begin sailing between 2030 and 2036.
The as-yet-unnamed series of new ships will measure around 200,000 gross tons, making them around 18% larger than the largest ships currently in the Norwegian fleet.
These four large ships are slated for completion in 2030, 2032, 2034 and 2036 respectively.
All eight ships currently on order for the Norwegian Cruise Line brand will be built by Italy-based shipbuilding company Fincantieri.
What is the newest Norwegian Cruise Line ship available for booking?
Norwegian Aqua is the newest Norwegian Cruise Line ship that you can book right now. While the ship does not yet sail, its maiden voyage scheduled for April 2025 is already on sale, as are future voyages through April 2026. The other seven Norwegian ships on order are yet to open for bookings.
What is the newest class of Norwegian Cruise Line ships?
The Prima Class is the newest class of Norwegian ships. For now, there are only two ships in the class that you can sail on – the recently unveiled Norwegian Viva and Norwegian Prima. The class will eventually consist of at least six ships.
The range is set to massively expand Norwegian’s footprint in the cruise business and, if all goes according to plan, significantly transform the brand. The line currently operates 19 ships worldwide. Assuming it does not retire any of its older ships in the next few years, it will grow to 23 ships by 2028 with the addition of four more Prima Class ships.
Including the just-unveiled Norwegian Viva, that’s a 28% increase in its fleet size in just five years.
At 143,535 tons, the Norwegian Viva and Norwegian Prima are significantly smaller than the ships Norwegian has added to its fleet in recent years. The line’s last new ship before the addition of the two ships, the 2019-built Norwegian Encore, was about 18% larger than the Norwegian Viva and Norwegian Prima at 169,116 tons.
Norwegian executives have said that the smaller size of the new Prima Class ships will give the line more options for designing itineraries; The ships are able to reach smaller ports around the world than the larger Norwegian ships.
What is the difference between new and old Norwegian Cruise Line ships?
Newer Norwegian Cruise Line ships are generally larger than older Norwegian ships – sometimes much larger. As a result, they have room for many more onboard sights and attractions than the line’s older ships.
On Norwegian’s relatively new Breakaway Plus Class ships (Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Joy, Norwegian Joy and Norwegian Escape), you’ll find multiple pools, waterslides, kiddie splash zones and — on most ships — a giant go-kart racing track. . Each ship also offers real Broadway shows in large, state-of-the-art theaters, as well as sprawling spas, half-deck casinos, dedicated children’s play areas and more than 2,000 rooms.
In addition, the two newest ships in the series, Norwegian Encore and Norwegian Joy, feature large gaming and virtual reality zones known as Galaxy Pavilions.
In short, they’re like giant floating versions of the megaresorts you find in the Orlando and Las Vegas areas, and they appeal to people who love the megaresort experience.
Related: 5 of the best places you can visit on a Norwegian cruise line ship
Norwegian’s older ships are, in many cases, half the size of the line’s newer ships and lack many of the aforementioned features. They have a more intimate feel, at least in the pantheon of relatively large, mass-market ships, and they hold far fewer people. While Breakaway Plus class ships can accommodate around 4,000 passengers based on double occupancy, the line’s oldest ships are only designed to carry 2,000 passengers at double occupancy.
Norwegian’s oldest ships are a good choice for vacationers who want to experience Norwegian but aren’t eager to travel with huge crowds. The oldest ships in Norwegian Cruise Line’s fleet thus appeal to a subset of Norwegian fans who prefer more intimacy on a cruise ship and don’t mind giving up some onboard amenities to get it. On a day-to-day basis, they are often less expensive.
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Because of their size, Norwegian’s oldest ships can manage tours to places that are not as easy to visit for larger ships. Not all ports around the world can handle a ship the size of the Norwegian Encore.
Note that all Norwegian ships are regularly renovated and upgraded every few years, so even the oldest Norwegian cruise ships have new carpets, updated furniture, modern decor in the cabins, and other updates. In many cases, their dining and bar have been completely renovated with concepts first introduced on newer ships over the years.
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