3 Cool Things Most People Miss on a Norwegian Cruise, According to a Former Crew Member

Norwegian Cruise Line is one of the most popular cruise lines for not only Americans to cruise on, but people all over the world. The company has 21 ships in its fleet, and at any given time, these ships are usually sailing in every possible area of the world. The fleet has small ships that hold about 1,800 people, and larger ships that hold over 3,500. While the type of ship that you sail on with NCL will definitely alter the experience you have onboard, there’s something on each ship for everyone.
I used to work as a crew member on Norwegian Cruise Line, as well Carnival Cruise Line and Regent Seven Seas. Since retiring from my life at sea, I’ve chosen to sail on NCL numerous times as a guest. I’ve discovered so many things about the NCL ships that I think stand out amongst the other cruise lines. There are three in particular that I think a lot of people miss out on.
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Live Music in Non-Obvious Venues
Norwegian Cruise Line takes its onboard entertainment very seriously. When I was working onboard, I was a production cast member, which meant I performed in the large production shows in the main theatre onboard. While the shows are incredible and entertaining, that’s not the only type of entertainment that you can find around the ships.
At any given time, you can find the ship’s show band performing in non-obvious venues like in the main atrium, in one of the observation lounges or even in the main restaurants. Generally, the show band consists of a pianist, guitarist, drummer, bassist and vocalist. Beyond that, NCL will often have other forms of music groups onboard, too. In my experience, I’ve seen a country duo performing in random areas of the ship, a latin quintet that would liven up the pool deck even hours into the night, and an R&B soloist you’d find in one of the ship’s pubs or whiskey lounges.
The key here is to check NCL’s Freestyle Daily that you can access on the ship’s app, or there is usually a printed version left in your stateroom each night. These schedules will show you where and when each entertainment group is performing around the ship. I highly recommend scheduling your pre or post dinner drinks around these performances, that way you can enjoy live music while enjoying the other fun things on the ship as well. And, most of the time, not a lot of guests are gathered in these smaller, more intimate areas past dinner time.
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Quiet Observation Lounges With Great Views
Each Norwegian Cruise Line ship has at least one observation lounge, and many have multiple. For example, the Norwegian Sun (and other ships around its size, like the NCL Sky) have great views at the Spinnaker Lounge. In my experience sailing onboard, the Spinnaker Lounge barely gets crowded. It’s located on one of the highest decks and is all the way forward, making it slightly out of the way from the general communal areas of the ship. Here, you can enjoy drinks at the bar, sit in comfortable living-room-like seating configurations, and there are huge windows that span from floor to ceiling, allowing you to enjoy the views while you sail.
On the larger, newer ships, you will still find a main observation lounge. In the NCL Viva, one of its newest ships, the Observation Lounge is on deck 17 forward. Again, just like the smaller ships, this is further away from all of the bustling, main areas of the ship. On the Viva, the lounge has many chaise-like couches, allowing people to relax even more while looking out at the sweeping views.
No matter the ship, I’ve noticed that these lounges tend to be the least visited amongst guests onboard–most likely because they are far removed from the action. However, if you’re looking for a stunning view, great drinks, and a nice place to relax, I definitely recommend finding your ship’s observation lounge.
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Enjoy The Thermal Suite Without Having To Book A Spa Treatment
No matter what cruise line you cruise on, there will most likely be a spa onboard where you can get massages, facials and other treatments. On NCL, this spa is called the Mandara Spa. Onboard each NCL ship, the Mandara Spa also has a Thermal Suite which has things like whirlpools, saunas, heated loungers, cold plunges, steam rooms and more. What most guests don’t realize, however, is that you can actually access the Thermal Suite without having to book a spa treatment.
Throughout the cruise, the price for a day pass for the Thermal Suite will change day to day. I highly recommend checking in the day before a port day, and inquiring about the price of the Thermal Suite. On sea days, the price can be up to $100 for a day visit to the suites, however on a less-busy port day, the spa manager may charge a cheaper price closer to about $65 for your pass.
Once you get the pass, you can head back into the Thermal Suites and enjoy a full spectrum of relaxing activities. I personally believe that NCL does an amazing job with its spa, and I always feel completely rejuvenated and cared for after using one of my days onboard in the spa.