Norwegian Cruise Line Welcomes First Guests Onboard Norwegian Aqua

Image: Norwegian Aqua (Photo Credit: Norwegian Cruise Line)
Image: Norwegian Aqua (Photo Credit: Norwegian Cruise Line)
Sarah Kuta
by Sarah Kuta
Last updated: 11:00 AM ET, Mon March 24, 2025

Norwegian Cruise Line has officially welcomed the first guests aboard its newest ship, Norwegian Aqua.

Before the 3,571-guest ship set sail on her maiden voyage from Lisbon to Southampton, England, the cruise line hosted more than 2,000 invited guests onboard the ship as part of a five-part inaugural series.

After her inaugural voyage, Norwegian Aqua will head across the Atlantic toward Miami. The vessel will be christened in Miami on April 13 with Eric Stonestreet as her godfather. Sailing from Miami, Orlando and New York City, Norwegian Aqua will offer Bahamas, Caribbean and Bermuda through March 2027.

Norwegian Aqua is the first ship in the new Prima Plus Class. The vessel boasts many amenities and features, including the Aqua Slidecoaster, the Glow Court and the Aqua Game Zone.

Norwegian Aqua will also offer a wide variety of productions and entertainment options, including “Revolution: A Celebration of Prince” and “Elements: The World Expanded.” Guests can choose from 17 restaurants and 18 bars and lounges, including Sukhothai, a Thai specialty restaurant, and Planterie, a new plant-based eatery at Indulge Food Hall.

“This is a milestone moment for Norwegian Cruise Line as we set sail aboard Norwegian Aqua, a ship designed to offer our guests MORE—more wide-open space, more thrills, more culinary experiences, and more immersive entertainment,” says David J. Herrera, president of Norwegian Cruise Line.

“During this inaugural season, we look forward to welcoming our travel partners from around the world and to give them the exclusivity of being the first to experience our newest product and to fully understand how guests can ‘Experience More at Sea’ with us," Herrera continued. 

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Sarah Kuta

Sarah Kuta

Sarah Kuta is a writer and editor based in Longmont, Colorado. Her work has appeared in Travel+Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, AFAR, Food&Wine, Smithsonian magazine, National Geographic, Lonely Planet, Robb Report, the Toronto Star, the Denver Post and many other publications. Sarah has a degree in journalism from Northwestern University. She can be reached at [email protected]  You can follow her on social media https://www.instagram.com/kutasarah/ and https://twitter.com/SarahKuta

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