I sailed on Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas and Norwegian's Prima and it showed me what each cruise line does best.
Brittany Chang/Insider
I sailed on Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas and Norwegian's Prima.
The Prima had a nicer balcony stateroom, better food, and superior adults-only retreat.
But the Wonder of the Seas' family friendly activities, unique spaces, and entertaining shows made it a winner.
In 2022, I was invited to sail on Royal Caribbean Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line's newest ships, the Wonder of the Seas and the Prima, respectively.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Both cruise ships were designed to appeal to families.
Brittany Chang/Insider
But in my opinion, Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas is a superior ship.
Brittany Chang/Insider
See how the cruise ships compared in seven categories: overall look, staterooms, food and beverage concepts, pool decks, family friend amenities, adults only spaces, and nighttime shows.
Brittany Chang/Insider
The Royal Caribbean ship is a behemoth of a vessel.
Brittany Chang/Insider
The 1,188-foot-long, 7,084-guest Wonder of the Seas is currently the largest cruise ship in operation.
Brittany Chang/Insider
And much to my surprise, several spaces aboard the ship — called "neighborhoods" — looked nothing like a cruise ship.
Brittany Chang/Insider
The Boardwalk neighborhood was nearly identical to a real boardwalk complete with wood-paneled floors, a hot dog stand, and a candy store …
Brittany Chang/Insider
… while the Central Park neighborhood looked just like an outdoor mall filled with lush plants.
Brittany Chang/Insider
These uniquely curated spaces made it one of the most unique ships I've ever been on.
Brittany Chang/Insider
In comparison, 3,215-guest Prima looks more like a traditional ship.
Brittany Chang/Insider
It is slightly smaller at 965 feet-long. And unlike the Wonder of the Seas, every space aboard this ship looked like a typical cruise.
Brittany Chang/Insider
It's still a modern ship. But it doesn't have the same unique appeal as the Wonder of the Seas.
Brittany Chang/Insider
During my two-night media sailing, Royal Caribbean let me stay in the balcony stateroom on the same deck as Central Park.
Brittany Chang/Insider
However, this hotel room at sea was not nearly as glitzy as I anticipated.
Brittany Chang/Insider
It was minimally decorated compared to the rest of the ship.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Sure, there were some decorative pillows and a patterned carpet.
Brittany Chang/Insider
But besides a handful of decor pieces, the beige, blue, and white-toned stateroom looked more bland than exciting.
Brittany Chang/Insider
The bathroom sink was so poorly designed, water splashed onto the counter whenever I washed my hand. And the shower didn't even have a separate body wash and shampoo.
Brittany Chang/Insider
The surplus of storage made up for these lackluster amenities: The stateroom had two closets and a large dresser.
Brittany Chang/Insider
But at a starting rate of $1,400 for 2023 itineraries, I was hoping this cold balcony stateroom would’ve looked livelier and more comfortable.
Brittany Chang/Insider
I don't have any of this criticism for the Norwegian Prima's family balcony stateroom.
Brittany Chang/Insider
The cruise line invited me to spend four nights in this 230-square-foot stateroom during its inaugural sailing.
Brittany Chang/Insider
It's one of the nicest staterooms I've ever stayed in despite having nearly identical furnishings as the Wonder of the Seas stateroom.
Brittany Chang/Insider
There was less storage than my Royal Caribbean accommodations. But my Prima stateroom made up for this with better decor.
Brittany Chang/Insider
This decor added the perfect splash of color, although I'm still confused by this mural.
Brittany Chang/Insider
And the warm ambient lighting made the space feel like a cozy hotel room.
Brittany Chang/Insider
I didn't want to spend time in my Wonder of the Seas stateroom. But my Prima accommodations were so cozy, I didn't mind hanging back.
Brittany Chang/Insider
And it's more affordable too. This balcony stateroom aboard the Prima will start at $991 for spring five-to-seven-day round trips from New York City to Bermuda.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Onto the food and beverage offerings. Royal Caribbean's mega ship has over 20 dining venues although over half aren't included in the base fare.
Brittany Chang/Insider
There were some fun dining options like a build-your-own taco and burrito bar, poolside ice cream machines (if you count that as dining), and the recognizable Johnny Rockets.
Brittany Chang/Insider
But to my surprise, the best venue was the buffet, which had sections like international dishes, classic favorites, and a seafood.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Unfortunately, the two speciality dining venues I tried — Hooked Seafood and Mason Jar — weren't stellar.
Brittany Chang/Insider
The latter is a new-to-brand Southern concept with live music and a separate bar.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Sounds fun, right? Unfortunately, my fried chicken was dry to the point of being nearly inedible.
Brittany Chang/Insider
However, I will credit the Wonder of the Seas for having unique bars, including a karaoke bar ...
Brittany Chang/Insider
… a bar operated by robotic arms …
Brittany Chang/Insider
… and two with dance floors and live music.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Unlike the mega cruise ship, food is where Norwegian Prima truly shines.
Brittany Chang/Insider
There were 14 dining options. Like the Wonder of the Seas, half were specialty restaurants.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Prima's Onda by Scarpetta was one of the best meals I've ever had on a cruise vessel.
Brittany Chang/Insider
The Prima and Wonder of the Seas do share two similarities: an onboard Starbucks and teppanyaki concept.
Brittany Chang/Insider
But unlike Royal Caribbean's vessel, the Prima had the most unique complimentary dining venue I've ever seen on a ship: a food hall with touch screen ordering pads at every table.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Here, diners are offered 11 restaurants — like Indian, international noodles, and rotisserie — all inside a touch screen.
Brittany Chang/Insider
And almost everything I tried here was delicious, although the pad thai was subpar at best. Besides that, I would've paid to eat here.
Brittany Chang/Insider
The Prima's watering hole options weren't as diverse as the Wonder of the Seas. But the Metropolitan was a standout bar.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Norwegian says this bar is zero-waste by using liqueurs and syrups made from some of the ship's food waste.
Brittany Chang/Insider
However, this emphasis on being zero waste feels futile. Cruises aren't known for being environmentally friendly. And the bar only cut out a tiny fraction of its waste.
Insider/Brittany Chang
But bars aside, the food on the Prima was far superior to the Wonder of the Seas.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Cruise ship cuisine isn't known for being diverse. But the Prima had several multi-cultural options at the food hall.
Brittany Chang/Insider
I could've eaten every meal here. And I still find myself craving it sometimes.
Brittany Chang/Insider
However, no other cruise ship pool deck can compare to the Wonder of the Seas.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Here, it was a collection of colorful amenities ranging from three multicolored water slides to several pools and hot tubs …
Brittany Chang/Insider
… a children's water playground, and nearly endless rows of pool chairs.
Brittany Chang/Insider
It's the world's largest cruise ship so of course this is one of the largest pool decks I've ever seen.
Brittany Chang/Insider
And the bright decor made it as visually overwhelming as a theme park.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Unfortunately, the Norwegian Prima's pool deck can't compare to the Wonder of the Seas. It looked as plain as any other cruise ship's pool area.
Brittany Chang/Insider
There was one water slide and another small water playground but both looked drab compared to the Wonder of the Seas.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Luckily, there were other options for pool-side lounging: an outdoor walkway with pools, lounge chairs, daybeds, and panoramic views of the ocean.
Brittany Chang/Insider
But there's no comparison: The Wonder of the Seas' pool deck is far superior to the Norwegian Prima, especially if you're traveling with young children.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Speaking of children, both cruise ships were designed to appeal to families. And there are plenty of amenities on both vessels that do just that.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Both had dry slides and mini golf courses (although the Prima's was definitely flashier and more interactive).
Brittany Chang/Insider
Besides that, the two cruise ships offer different activities and amenities.
Brittany Chang/Insider
The deck above the Wonder of the Seas' pool deck was a mecca of outdoor family fun.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Besides the dry slide and mini golf course, this outdoor activity deck also had a playground, a surfing simulator …
Brittany Chang/Insider
… and a zipline that soared over Central Park.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Across other neighborhoods, the ship also had an arcade, a carousel …
Brittany Chang/Insider
… and two large rock climbing walls, giving families of all ages and all activity levels a wide variety of amenities.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Meanwhile, the Prima had some of the most unique activities I've seen on a cruise vessel.
Brittany Chang/Insider
The ship also had an arcade. But unlike the Wonder of the Seas, this one was driven by virtual reality.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Here, travelers could walk through haunted mansions, ride roller coasters, and fight off creepy aliens without leaving the cruise ship.
Brittany Chang/Insider
For travelers who prefer more tangible activities, the ship also had an outdoor go-kart course with a viewing platform.
Brittany Chang/Insider
There's also a high-tech darts lounges (although the wind made it difficult to play) and an outdoor "Stadium" with games like pickleball and beer-less pong.
Brittany Chang/Insider
But ultimately, the Wonder of the Seas offered up more free fun despite the Prima's more unique activities.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Emphasis on free: The Prima's best activities — the VR arcade, go-karts, darts, and mini-golf course — all came at an extra fee to guests.
Brittany Chang/Insider
But if you're willing to pay, the Prima has more exciting and exhilarating family friendly amenities. It's hard to beat a VR arcade and go-karting at sea.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Both cruises are designed for traveling families but that doesn't mean adults can't have their own peaceful retreats aboard the vessels.
Brittany Chang/Insider
The Wonder of the Seas has the adults-only Solarium.
Brittany Chang/Insider
The idea of a Solarium isn't new to cruise ships. But the Wonder of the Seas is more grand than the other Solariums I've seen.
Brittany Chang/Insider
The glass dome-enclosed venue has hot tubs, a pool, rows of lounge chairs, and of course, a bar.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Unfortunately, this covered space made me feel like a fish inside a fish bowl.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Norwegian's adult retreat had the same amenities: pools, hot tubs, and views of the ocean.
Brittany Chang/Insider
But unlike the Solarium, Norwegian's Vibe Beach Club is outdoors.
Brittany Chang/Insider
It had more of a relaxed space.
Brittany Chang/Insider
And even though the Solarium had more eye-catching decor, the airy Vibe Beach Club was more of a standout adults retreat.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Onto the last category: shows. During my sailing, the Wonder of the Seas was showing its ice skating, superhero, and water shows.
Brittany Chang/Insider
I wasn't able to catch the cruise ship's play on a superhero drama. But I did find time to watch the wholesome ice skating show.
Brittany Chang/Insider
The performers were undeniably talented but the lack of a cohesive storyline and somewhat tacky scenes weren’t enough to keep me entertained.
Brittany Chang/Insider
It seemed like a typical cruise ship show with the addition of an ice rink.
Brittany Chang/Insider
But I have none of this criticism for "inTENse," the ship's diving, dancing, and synchronized swimming performance.
Brittany Chang/Insider
The exhilarating show paired fast paced music with equally quick movements, creating a show with so much exciting visual appeal, I didn't know where to look.
Brittany Chang/Insider
It was the most creative cruise ship show I've ever seen. And the venue was just as unique.
Brittany Chang/Insider
The outdoor dive board-lined stage rose and sunk into a pool, creating a set that moved as much as the performers.
Brittany Chang/Insider
The Prima didn’t have “inTENse” divers and tightrope walkers.
Brittany Chang/Insider
But it did have some distinguishable shows: "Summer: The Donna Summer Musical," tap dance and beat box medley "Noise Boys," and "The Price Is Right Live" game show.
Brittany Chang/Insider
The production for "Summer" rivaled that of a true Broadway performance. And at the time, "Noise Boys" was the most contemporary show I had ever seen on a cruise ship.
Brittany Chang/Insider
But to my surprise, I enjoyed "The Price Is Right" the most.
Brittany Chang/Insider
The well-executed game show — which looked like it was ripped from a television screen — was interactive, entertaining, and surprisingly funny. I found myself chuckling throughout the show.
Brittany Chang/Insider
When I sailed on the Norwegian Prima in October 2022, it was the first time I had ever found myself enjoying cruise ship shows.
Brittany Chang/Insider
But after sailing on the Wonder of the Seas, Prima's riffs on recognizable shows are no longer as appealing. However, I'll always have a soft spot for the "The Price Is Right Live."
Brittany Chang/Insider
That's not to say the Prima isn't a great ship in its own right.
Brittany Chang/Insider
It still has several stellar standout features that are superior to the Wonder of the Seas.
Brittany Chang/Insider
But travelers don't go on cruises just to stay in their staterooms all day.
Brittany Chang/Insider
And while the food on the Prima was generally superior, the buffet aboard the Wonder of the Seas was great as well.
Brittany Chang/Insider
So at the end of the day, the family friendly amenities, pool deck, and uniquely curated spaces on the Wonder of the Seas outshined Prima. And that's why the Royal Caribbean vessel is now my favorite.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Read the original article on Business Insider
------------ Read More
By: [email protected] (Brittany Chang) Title: I sailed on both Royal Caribbean and Norwegian's newest cruise ships. Here's how they compared. Sourced From: www.businessinsider.com/royal-caribbean-norwegian-new-cruise-ships-compared-photos-2023-2 Published Date: Sun, 05 Feb 2023 11:59:00 +0000
.png)
