Norwegian Cruise Line Announces Plans for its Next Prima Class Ship

Over the past two years, Norwegian Cruise Line has launched its latest class of ships, Prima Class, starting with Prima in 2022 and Viva in 2023. While the company takes a break in 2024 to construct the class’s next edition, they recently announced what that will be and when we can expect to see it.

The all-new Aqua was announced last month as the next and newest member of the fleet of ships and it looks like it will continue to uphold NCL’s innovative nature and use of forward-thinking technologies. Officially the first member of the Prima Plus Class, Aqua promises to be bigger and better than its predecessors in every way.

Once construction is completed, Aqua is expected to be 1,056 feet long and weigh 156,300 gross tons with a total passenger capacity of 3,571 at double occupancy. Each of the previous Prima Class ships have a passenger capacity of 3,099.

Like Prima and Viva, Aqua will feature a home-like environment focusing on luxurious accommodations and wide-open spaces throughout the ship — in fact, Aqua promises to offer more outdoor space than any other new contemporary cruise ship, a feature that will make it appealing to anyone looking to avoid the crowded spaces cruise ships have come to be known for.

Keeping in line with NCL’s reputation for being at the forefront of cruising, Aqua will include the Aqua Slidecoaster, an innovative combination of a water slide and rollercoaster carrying passengers up to the top of the ship and propelling them through two different courses. The ship will also feature a first-of-its-kind digital sports complex, Glow Court, which will feature an LED floor for customizable games and activities during the day, then convert to a nightclub each night. While these features offer brand new experiences for guests, Aqua will also feature things like the Drop, a 10-story free fall slide Prima Class ships are known for.

The artwork featured on the hull of Aqua will be created by NCL’s first major female hull artist, Allison Hueman. Her work will incorporate the ship’s design theme, Where the Sky Meets the Sea, which uses bold color abstracts and figurative representations of the sky and the sea.

“It’s incredibly special for me to partner with a brand that believes in the magical connection between art and exploration,” said Hueman. She is especially proud to have her work on a ship that will explore this connection by traveling to different parts of the world on its many future adventures.

Aqua will premier in April 2025 and passengers are already able to book cruises sailing from Port Canaveral in Florida. These seven-day itineraries will visit Caribbean destinations like Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic; Tortola in the British Virgin Islands; and Great Stirrup Cay, the cruise line’s private Bahamian island.