Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Aqua
- Cruises
- 15
- From
- $299
Ship comparison
Norwegian Aqua vs Norwegian Prima
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Prima
- Cruises
- 52
- From
- $419
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Norwegian Aqua is a large Norwegian Cruise Line ship carrying 3,571 passengers, in service since 2025. Norwegian Prima is a large Norwegian Cruise Line ship carrying 3,215 passengers, in service since 2022.
Choose Norwegian Aqua if you want a more romantic trip, better-rated entertainment or a lower starting fare: it outscores Norwegian Prima for romantic (8.0 vs 7.0) and entertainment (8.0 vs 7.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores and its cruises start from $299 (vs $419).
Choose Norwegian Prima if you want more of a party, more culture or more cruises to choose from: it outscores Norwegian Aqua for party (7.0 vs 2.0) and cultural (7.0 vs 5.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores and it has 52 cruises on sale (vs 15).
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Norwegian Aqua | Norwegian Prima | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Norwegian Cruise Line | Norwegian Cruise Line |
| Ship size | Large | Large |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2025 (better) | 2022 |
| Gross tonnage | 142,500 | 142,500 |
| Passengers | 3,571 | 3,215 |
| Crew | 1,388 | 1,388 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 2.6 | 2.3 (better) |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 39.9 | 44.3 (better) |
| Cabins | — | 1,646 |
| Decks | 20 | 20 |
| Length | 962 ft | 965 ft |
| Beam | 133 ft | 133 ft |
| Speed | 28 mph | — |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 9 / 10 | 9 / 10 |
| Cruises on sale | 15 | 52 |
| Upcoming sailings | 139 | 98 |
| Cruise lengths | 2–7 nights | 3–17 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $299 (better) | $419 |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. Norwegian Aqua leads on 2 of the ten, Norwegian Prima on 2, with 6 level.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Aqua
Norwegian Aqua is Norwegian Cruise Line’s next-generation Prima Plus class ship — a more family-friendly evolution of Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva ... and 10% larger in size and capacity.
Sailing now
15 cruises on sale, from $299.
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Prima
First in a new class of smartships from Norwegian Cruise Line, Norwegian Prima sailed its maiden voyage in August 2022. The next-generation ship was Norwegian's first major redesign in nearly 10 years.
Sailing now
52 cruises on sale, from $419.
Questions
Norwegian Aqua or Norwegian Prima?
Which is bigger, Norwegian Aqua or Norwegian Prima?
They are the same size, 142,500 gross tons each. Norwegian Aqua carries 3,571 passengers and Norwegian Prima carries 3,215.
Which ship is newer, Norwegian Aqua or Norwegian Prima?
Norwegian Aqua is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2025 against 2022 for Norwegian Prima.
Which has more space per passenger?
Norwegian Prima, with 44.3 gross tons per passenger against 39.9 on Norwegian Aqua. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
Norwegian Prima, with one crew member for every 2.3 passengers against one for every 2.6 on Norwegian Aqua.
Which is better for families?
They score the same for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 8.0 out of 10.
Still deciding?
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