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Cruise expert Dave Monk tries out a £1billion new ship Norwegian Aqua on a ‘shakedown’ voyage, setting off from the Portugese capital Lisbon to put the ship through its paces
Well, this is a tame ride, I thought, as I sat in a dinghy on a conveyor belt inching up a steep track, with water gently trickling towards me.
Then everything stopped. I heard a shrill mechanical whirring from behind and suddenly a metal arm was propelling me like a human cannonball up the slope and into the entrance of a large plastic tube. It all went downhill from there – literally – as I was carried for nearly 900ft on a wave round numerous bends, through a succession of bright lights and vivid colours, making it feel like some psychedelic dream or the opening titles of Doctor Who.
Around 40 thrilling seconds later, I was deposited with a splash into a pool back near the start and clambered out, wet and laughing. This was the Slidecoaster – a cross between a water slide and roller coaster – on the new £1billion cruise ship Norwegian Aqua.
On a cold, rainy day in the Portuguese capital, Lisbon, I was among the very first passengers to test this attraction, which will be even more fun in the heat of the Caribbean. Aqua – the 20th in the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet – is the first in a new class called Prima Plus, meaning it is 10% bigger than its forerunners Prima and Viva. Even with 3,571 passengers, there is plenty of space for everyone on the 20 decks.
The 17 restaurants include a new Thai venue, Sukhothai – one of the fantastic eateries I visited during a five-day inaugural cruise to Southampton. Another night I ate at one of my favourite steakhouses at sea, Cagney’s – an NCL regular fixture serving perfectly cooked fillets and crispy Parmesan-dusted truffle fries.
I also dined at Onda By Scarpetta, an Italian restaurant offering pizza and pasta, and Le Bistro, an upmarket French venue, with an imposing central chandelier, which offers dishes such as snails, coq au vin and lobster thermidor. All the above restaurants attract an extra charge but Hudson’s, the main dining room, offers complimentary food in an impressive semi-circular venue at the stern with huge windows overlooking the wake.
My favourite place for snacks or a quick lunch was the Indulge Food Hall. Here, by using a tablet screen, you can order dishes from a variety of stalls – such as kebabs, tapas and plant-based alternatives – to be delivered freshly cooked at your table, a great alternative to the standard cruise line buffet, which Aqua also has.
For the purpose of research I also tried out many of the 18 bars and lounges, but my top spot was the stylish Metropolitan with its nightly musician. Entertainment was headed by a lively tribute to Prince, where the lowest rows of theatre seats pulled back to create a dance floor for the audience to party like it’s 1999.
I chose to watch from a higher tier as energetic singers and performers filled the stage and danced on podiums in the middle of the crowd. After the evening’s final show, the fun continued with a DJ filling the floor with favourite hits.
As well as the slidecoaster, the ship has a drop slide, pickleball court and a digital sports complex with an interactive LED floor that adapts for different games during the day and transforms to a club at night. A crazy golf course called Tee Time has a different country theme for each hole, such as a windmill for the Netherlands and Tower Bridge for the UK. The Game Zone has a mix of retro arcade favourites and virtual reality challenges. Down on deck eight is a much more traditional cruise feature, the promenade, which encircles the ship, but is wide enough to feature infinity pools and a vivid blue sculpture for selfies.
I spent some hours in the impressive spa with its plunge pools, sauna, ice room and relaxation zone. By the end of a 75-minute massage, I was nearly asleep. For those with money to spare, The Haven ‘ship within a ship’ offers the very best suites, with a private sun deck, bar and restaurant. Occupants have the best of both worlds – an exclusive enclave but access to all the facilities of a big vessel. Aside from shore excursions, there’s lots to do on board every day, from a Mr Sexy Legs Competition to craft classes and a murder mystery.
New cruise ships are always impressive with gleaming glass and shiny chrome, but the NCL fleet also includes older, refurbished vessels if you prefer a retro feel. Looking ahead, ships able to operate on green methanol are on the order books and the line is already testing biofuels in its drive towards net-zero. Norwegian Aqua will be christened next week in Miami by actor Eric Stonestreet from Modern Family. The ship will then sail from Florida and New York to The Bahamas, Caribbean and Bermuda.
The voyage I was on is sometimes called a shakedown, meaning they test out the new crew and facilities before paying customers get on board. However, this was a shakedown in more ways than one as we set sail into high winds and waves in the Bay of Biscay following a two-day delay in port due to bad weather.
Although we wobbled around a bit, the ship, the captain and his crew came through with flying colours. As we departed Lisbon, sailing under the April 25th bridge and past the statue of Christ, we’d seen the memorial to famed Portuguese explorers such as Vasco da Gama and Ferdinand Magellan.
I bet they had a lot worse things to deal with than the closure of a water slide. As we arrived in Southampton after five full days on board, I still hadn’t seen or done everything that Norwegian Aqua has to offer. Guess I’ll just have to come back…
Book the holiday
- Norwegian Cruise Line offers a seven-day cruise on Norwegian Aqua, leaving Miami on November 9 and visiting Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; St Thomas, US Virgin Islands; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; and Great Stirrup Cay, The Bahamas, from £891pp. Flights extra. ncl.com
- More info at godominicanrepublic.com dot.vi.gov bvitourism.com bahamas.com