Top Norwegian Cruise Line Ships for 2023

With 18 vessels in their fleet, choosing the perfect Norwegian Cruise Line ship for your next vacation might seem daunting. We’re here to help you make the decision easier with our list of the top Norwegian Cruise Line ships of 2023. 

These rankings were created from review data of the thousands of Cruiseline.com and Shipmate community members who sailed on NCL ships from January-December 2022. Ranked on a 5-point scale, members rated the best ships, ship quality, dining, staterooms, and onboard activities/entertainment.  

In 2022 Norwegian Cruise Line had a full year with its entire fleet back at sea, allowing us to capture an accurate look at how all the ships stack up against one another. Additionally, the cruise line debuted the highly-anticipated new ship Norwegian Prima, the first of the innovative Prima class. 

Following are the top Norwegian Cruise Line ships for 2023 by category. Drumroll, please….

Best Overall

The top five best overall Norwegian Cruise Line ships as ranked by our community members:

1. Norwegian Encore - 4.217
2. Norwegian Joy - 4.214
3. Norwegian Escape - 4.192
4. Norwegian Bliss - 4.149
5. Norwegian Prima - 4.101

What Our Members Say

Overall a very good experience. We enjoyed the ship and our cabin. We would like to sail on this ship again. - sykesjmike on Norwegian Encore

I had an amazing time on the NCL Prima, the atmosphere is unlike anything I have seen. Even with the ship at full capacity, I never felt crowded or jammed into an area. - bhouser2909 on Norwegian Prima 

This cruise was so enjoyable. The ship was just beautiful, and the food at every venue was truly delicious! Loved the entertainment. - jguthier on Norwegian Bliss

Our Thoughts

Number one best overall ship, Norwegian Encore is a newer ship in the NCL fleet. The fourth vessel of the Breakaway Plus class made its debut in late 2019 and sailed for just a few short months before the cruise line’s pause in operations. Back at sea in 2022 was the first full year of review data received for the ship, and based on the feedback, Norwegian Encore certainly made a ‘splash’ among Norwegian Cruise Line guests! The extra-large vessel can accommodate just under 4,000 passengers with over 2,000 staterooms. Members rave about Norwegian Encore’s diverse selection of eateries, the largest go-kart track at sea, Aqua Racer waterslide, Mandara Spa, Observation Lounge, bar/nightlife options, and entertainment for guests of all ages.

Coming in with a mere three thousandth a point behind was fellow Breakaway Plus class vessel Norwegian Joy. Initially launched for the Chinese market, the ship sailed short cruises from Beijing and Shanghai until the company announced in July 2018 it would move the ship back to the U.S. market. The ship was last refurbished in April 2019, where it received $50 million in upgrades to eateries, pools, and several public spaces to prepare the vessel for the American market.

Number three, Norwegian Escape is an older ship in the NCL fleet. However, it consistently receives high rankings from community members for family-friendly venues like the Sports Complex, ropes course, Aqua Park, and four waterslides. Number four, Norwegian Bliss, is among one of the largest of Norwegian’s ships, boasting highly-rated amenities like three swimming pools, nine whirlpools, 18 eateries, and a great variety of both kids and adults programming. Rounding out the top 5 is Norwegian Prima, the newest ship in the fleet, debuting in the summer of 2022. This ship’s design and unique take on Norwegian staple activities and eateries have landed it a top spot on our list, with less than a year’s worth of sailing reviews. We look forward to seeing how Norwegian Prima scores among its peers in years to come! 

Ship Quality 

The top five best Norwegian Cruise Line ships for ship quality for 2023: 

1. Norwegian Bliss - 4.563
2. Norwegian Joy - 4.528
3. Norwegian Encore - 4.517
4. Norwegian Escape - 4.491
5. Norwegian Pearl - 4.419

What Our Members Say

The design of the ship was beautiful and easy to get around. Attention to detail was given as if you looked at the carpet in the hall on your way to your stateroom the fish design was swimming forward to let you know you were going forward or aft! - BuckeyeNation on Norwegian Escape

​​The ship is very well designed with enough restaurants for all. Enough room for all to casually move about. - lambertjohnnie1 on Norwegian Joy

The staff is excellent and the ship is beautiful and clean. We loved the restaurant options and had a blast at karaoke every night. - zeus7895 on Norwegian Pearl

Our Thoughts

Norwegian Bliss made the jump from number two in last year’s rankings to number one for best ship quality, bumping last year’s number one, Norwegian Joy, down a spot. However, the percentage difference in rankings was mere four-hundredths of a point, making these two ships incredibly close in this category. If you are considering either one of these ships, rest assured they come highly regarded by our community when it comes to overall ship quality!  

As one of the newer NCL ships, number three Norwegian Encore retained its spot in this year’s rankings. Numbers four and five Norwegian Escape and Norwegian Pearl are older vessels for the line, and new to the rankings in the category. The Norwegian Pearl was fully refurbished in 2021 to get her ready for the restart of cruising with a new look and feel across the vessel. Clearly, the investment paid off landing the ship in the top five for ship quality. Both of these ships along with the rest of the top five have impressed guests with service onboard and overall layout. 

Dining

As the pioneer of the ‘freestyle’ dining concept, Norwegian Cruise Line is known for its diverse mix of included and specialty restaurants. These are the top five best Norwegian Cruise Line ships in food and dining for 2023: 

1. Norwegian Escape - 4.319
2. Norwegian Encore - 4.306
3. Norwegian Joy - 4.200
4. Norwegian Gem - 4.197
5. Norwegian Bliss - 4.183

What Our Members Say

The food was very good, especially the two specialty restaurants we went to, Cagneys and Le Bistro. The staff was on top of everything, and the service was incredible. - fuze14 on Norwegian Escape

We ate in one of the main dining rooms as well as two specialty restaurants. The staff and food were outstanding. - patrickholub on Norwegian Gem 

All great, but Le Bistro and Cagneys are terrific. Garden Buffet was always pleasing and delicious. - lorriez on Norwegian Joy

Our Thoughts

All five of these Norwegian Cruise Line ships also made the top of the list in the dining category last year. Our members have consistently rated these ships as the best in the fleet, which means they must all be doing something right when it comes to food quality, restaurant offerings, and dining service! Numbers one (Norwegian Escape) and two (Norwegian Encore) kept their top-tier rankings. Number three, Norwegian Joy, moved up from the number five spot, while numbers four and five ships, Norwegian Gem and Norwegian Bliss, moved down one place in these rankings. There was very tight competition in spots three through five, with just hundreds of a point separating the ships. 

Based on the overall high marks across all these ships, be prepared for incredible dining options, extensive menu selections, and something to please everyone from foodies to the pickiest of eaters. 

Staterooms

Following are the five best Norwegian Cruise Line ships for staterooms of 2023:

1. Norwegian Prima - 4.511
2. Norwegian Encore (TIE) Norwegian Escape - 4.458
3. Norwegian Joy - 4.424
4. Norwegian Sun - 4.423
5. Norwegian Bliss - 4.415

What Our Members Say

Possibly the perfect cabin, between the roominess of the cabin bathroom and balcony, to the three closets, to the great bedding; this was the best cabin we have had at sea. - Walshmusic on Norwegian Prima

The cabin was roomy, the bathroom was spacious, storage was great. - KellyMo319 on Norwegian Encore 
The cabin was comfortable with a nice balcony. - nichols0826 on Norwegia Joy

Our Thoughts

We’re not surprised to see Norwegian Prima at the top of the list for best staterooms. When this ship was designed, NCL incorporated more spacious cabins than any other vessel in its fleet. The ship has 1,647 total staterooms and a whopping 35 cabin category types. Options range from its new studio staterooms to luxurious suites in The Haven, the ship’s exclusive ship-within-a-ship area. 

Norwegian Prima’s arrival bumped Norwegian Escape into number two in this category to tie the position with Norwegian Escape (a category newcomer). Once again, an older ship, Norwegian Sun, has made it into the top five of the best-in staterooms category. The cabin experience of the smaller vessel continues to impress members, with just under 1,000 total staterooms and 27 cabin categories. It should also be noted the ship was fully refurbished in 2021, and based on the top five placement, the new fresh look of the cabins is being rewarded with high marks from our community. 

Onboard Activities/Entertainment 

The top five Norwegian Cruise Line ships for onboard activities/entertainment in 2023 are:  

1. Norwegian Encore - 4.202
2. Norwegian Escape - 4.120
3. Norwegian Bliss - 4.107
4. Norwegian Sun - 4.079
5. Norwegian Joy - 4.072

What Our Members Say

Entertainment was out of this world great…The pool areas were great also. The go-kart track and slides were a nice change. Laser tag and the Galaxy Pavillion will be next on the list of things to do! - Daric on Norwegian Encore

The cruise was great fun. There were plenty of activities on board and lots of places to explore. We enjoyed the game shows in the stadium and the shows in the theater. - lindam22627 on Norwegian Joy

Best Norwegian ship I’ve ever been on…Better food, great shows, and so much to do! Jersey Boys was an amazing show, I loved it. - Wartgow2419 on Norwegian Bliss

Our Thoughts

Like mainstream competitors Carnival and Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line’s ships pack the ‘wow’ factor when it comes to things to do onboard. This means tons of activities, showstopping entertainment, and including something enjoyable for all guests of all ages and interests.

Norwegian Encore and Norwegian Escape have again retained their spots at numbers one and two in this category. Norwegian Encore consistently scores top with action-packed activities like the Gallaxy Pavillion gaming center, Atlantis-themed laser tag, and nightly performances of award-winning productions ‘Kinky Boots’ and ‘Choir of Man.’ Norwegian Escape gets high marks for a mix of offerings for young and adult cruisers alike. Kids love the Sports Complex and ropes course, while adults flock to Mandara Spa and Spice H20 Sundeck. 

Numbers three, Norwegian Bliss, and five, Norwegian Joy, were no surprises on this list, both packing a great range of things to do onboard. Number four, 23-year-old Norwegian Sun, was a bit of a wildcard in this category. Last refurbished in 2018, the ship features a casino, one main pool/five whirlpools, golf driving nets, sports courts, Mandara Spa, and several themed parties and live bands on each sailing. 

No matter which Norwegian Cruise Line ship you choose, get ready to meet new friends, enjoy endless entertainment and onboard activities, and feast with dining options galore! Have more questions? Ask our Community! With more than 2 million cruisers, there are plenty of experienced cruisers to answer your questions and about Norwegian Cruise Line. 

Did you recently go on a Norwegian Cruise Line sailing? Write a review!