Such an amazing experience

Item: Norwegian Viva
Rating: 5
Author: arecibena

Norwegian Viva Cruise Review

arecibena

Contributor Level: Purser

43 Days Till Next Cruise

Cruises: 4-6 cruises

Review: 1

Helpful Votes: 24

Overall rating:

5 out of 5

7 Night Caribbean: Barbados Antigua & St. Lucia (San Juan Roundtrip)

Sail date: January 07, 2024

Ship: Norwegian Viva

Cabin type: Balcony

Cabin number: 15124

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 9 months ago

Review summary

We had such great experience, we rebooked! 2025 here we come. Cruise lines cannot please everyone, go with an open mind, ALL cruises are different. Pools are crowded and small so I avoided them but my vacation was not based on a pool but more for the experience and some r&r

Embarkation

5 out of 5

This has been the quickest embarkation process ever. My time was set for 11:30, got there around 10:40am and went straight into the line for a quick wait and then to a counter where the check in process was done, was onboard by 11:10am

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

5 out of 5

READ THE FREESTYLE! There are more restaurants than days of the week! Buffet is smaller so go to The Local or Indulge for later lunch or when returning from excursions, once I figured that out I never waited again. Just like any restaurant you go to, you may have to wait, remember there are 4,000 other people trying to eat too. We went to Hudson’s for breakfast and some dinners, Commodore and they give you a buzzer if there’s a wait. Enjoyed Los Lobos and Palomar, both excellent. No drinking here but I saw a pretty crowded The Local which is open 24/7 so not sure what people are saying that there aren’t any restaurants open 24/7. Room service menu is excellent, just keep in mind that there’s an additional charge. 6-10am $5, $10 after

Onboard Activities

5 out of 5

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

Loved that the public bathrooms have the soap, water, dryer all together and that they give you the option to use a paper towel to open the door 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼 It was squeaky clean everywhere we went.

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5

Our room was so spacious all around, from the bathroom to the room itself and a very comfortable outdoor space. Bed and pillows were AMAZING, it literally would not let me go, I felt like I was being hugged. Our steward July was very upbeat, proactive to our needs and very pleasant. I asked for ice once and it was there every day.

Ship tip

Check in 2 weeks before, book your dining ahead of time and if you care for the entertainment you can do it when you arrive. There are electronic boards next to the elevators that you can use and explore.

Thumbs up

Ports of call

Castries, St. Lucia

5 out of 5

Bridgetown, Barbados

5 out of 5

We walked right outside, took a cab $5 each to Carlisle Beach for $20 we got 2 chaises and umbrellas but food is EXPENSIVE so bring a snack

Thumbs Up 0

Philipsburg, St. Maarten

5 out of 5

Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas

5 out of 5

Even though we didn’t get off the ship because I got sick I enjoyed the amazing views right from my bed and balcony

Thumbs Up 0

San Juan, Puerto Rico

5 out of 5

St. John's, Antigua

5 out of 5

Tortola, British Virgin Islands

5 out of 5

Disembarkation

5 out of 5

We carried our own luggage out before 8am and were out in no time, disembarking was a breeze

Traveler Photos

Thermostat and to set up dnd and make up room

Vanity area, small fridge is to the left

View straight from the bed looking to St. Thomas

11 Comments

arecibena 9 months ago

Want to add to SurlyGurl comment that I don’t go in cruises for the pools and don’t care to be by the pool because there are so many chaise lounges throughout the cruise that would totally avoid the pool area but definitely would have loved to try it at least

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CAR7605 9 months ago

Thanks for the good review ! It was really helpful

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SurlyGurl 9 months ago

We booked well over a year ago and are sailing in 7 days. Your positive review was very welcome and supports the reviews of friends who have cruised Viva or Prima. Regarding the obviously sad main pool situation, if your cruise experience relies on getting a chair at the pool, this is not the ship for you. Fortunately, I am not planning to spend time around the pool. It’s definitely a different cruising experience and one that seems just my style.

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Gwbigdog 9 months ago

Thanks for sharing

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nmb926 9 months ago

Thanks for your positive review. I don't expect a lot from pools when cruising. That's what my land vacations are for.

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bubbles60 9 months ago

I agree it is a wonderful ship with lots of options.

Thumbs Up 1

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javawoody 9 months ago

Appreciate the write up

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cruising2004 9 months ago

Glad you had a wonderful cruise! Thank you for your review.

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Niavlys 9 months ago

Thanks for sharing with us

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Skooby 9 months ago

Thanks for your review.

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karlgrgurich 9 months ago

Sounds fantastic

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