Norwegian Viva Reviews

We have been on big ships before but this ship was not easy to navigate our way round! Embarkation was very smooth, and cabin lovely as was our steward. We found there was not enough information given on that first day until we figured out the app! Dining rooms were on the screen in the cabin but no times so no help really. There are screens around the ship but they take a while to work out! The guy in the tech corner was helpful with the app and our WIFI but we didn't find him until the third day! It would have been useful to have a written daily programme to introduce us to all this. There was a daily information sheet but it wasn't delivered to our cabin each evening as we are used to on other ships, we had to go each evening after 8. 00 to get it ourselves!! There was plenty of other paperwork delivered to our cabin advertising art sales or spa treatments etc; We had purchased a drinks package but were surprised that water had to be paid for!! There was water at the beverage stations (with instructions not to fill water bottles that no one took any notice of!) There were also instructions not to bring water on board after a day out, or it would be confiscated!! We were not happy to be woken up every morning at six by "bing bongs" and Alexis our cruise director's voice tellng us information about disembarking and where to meet for excursions which we weren't going on!!! She also interrupted our evening meal talking over the tannoy!! At a number of our ports we had to have shuttle buses to take us off the port (no choice as not allowed to walk through dock area) so, we feel it was very unfair to charge $20 each for this. A smaller nominal amount would have been more acceptable. We were disappointed with the entertainment as only two shows on our 11 night cruise. There was also a comedian, a juggler, and another comedian who was very American and we didn,t understand the humour! The musicians and singers in the bars were very good especially the "Seaside Duo" and Nikola the guitar man!! The nights that there were tribute bands performing in Sid's Pour House it was standing room only which is not good for us in our 70's!! these should have been staged in the theatre and the comedians in the smaller venues. We were disappointed there were no formal nights for dressing up but were told we could dress up or down as we wished (not quite the same!!) It seemed too relaxed for us as we witnessed people coming in to dine in scruffy clothes and baseball caps! Over all we enjoyed our holiday but if Norwegian cruise line gear everything up to Americans (who are VERY loud) we probably won't choose to cruise with them again. As for Iglu cruise you were excellent with all the arrangements for every part of our holiday; taxi transfers, hotels, train journeys and flights. We will definitely use your services again. Thankyou!

The ship was beautiful. And the cabin was amazing. Always clean and staff so freindly and welcoming. Food was good and plentiful but aimed mostly at the American market. Our first cruise so we’re very green and found the lack of communication a bit of a problem. Found out more from the other passengers. We didn’t know we had to book tenders and shuttle buses. NCL wanted you to get all the information from their app and that didn’t always work on our phones. Also we are smokers which ment we had to go to a very small area at the top of the ship which was always crowded but very sociable

On off very poor. Should have left at 08. 45 actually got to taxi 1 hr 45 mins and cost 40€ extra. Entertainment: shows very good but no more singers only juggler, comedian v poor,, hypnotist. Buffet smallest ever and v badly set out. Food good and service v good. Excursions poorly organised. British Airways worst ever. Will not travel again wth them. . . . changed flight lost 1/2 day, had to put hand luggage down hold or not get on plane. . . . rough handling down shoot

Over all we enjoyed the cruise, as any cruise you have your minor issues. What spoilt the overall memory of the cruise was the disembarking, a total fiasco and dangerous situation. We were disembarking carrying our luggage, (two 22kg and two 8kg cases). Who in their infinite logic makes the lift stop at the 5th floor when the exit is on level 4, and everyone having to carry their luggage down 2 flights of stairs. People were falling over, suitcases sliding down the stairs hitting passangers. It was impossible to move for over forty minutes, people were stuck it the lifts, on stairwells etc. Had their been and emergency I think I would have been disastrous.

Very well equipped ship, with excellent facilities and very clean and inviting. The staff in all areas were efficient, friendly and helpful. My only slight complaint is that that ‘Surfside’ (the self service restaurant) was too small and the seating in there was cramped making dining a somewhat awkward experience.

The Ports of call was the reason I chose this cruise, and the NCL Viva impressed me with it's modern design. They offer solo cabins & lounge which is where I met my fellow travellers & friends, good variety of dining options & attentive staff all contributed to an enjoyable vacation. Easy check in from Athens, and all transfers were on time with regular updated communication.

The Ibis hotel in Athens was comfortable and the staff were friendly and helpful. The Norwegian Viva was very modern but I didn’t like the modern Atrium, much prefer the classic grand staircase look. The staff and the food was very good but we didn’t like the food republic speciality restaurant. My wife thought it was the best ship we have been on but it did feel crowded at times. The chairs wasn’t that comfortable in the bars. The hotel in Istanbul was the worse hotel I have ever stopped in. The breakfast was terrible with a lack of choice. I think the only reason this hotel has got a 4 star is because of the pool and spa area that we didn’t use.

Don’t expect a five-star cruise, yes, the ship is very nice but it feels small, lots of areas to sit in, but therefore can be quite crowed, NCL have crammed someone singing and entertaining the passengers in every nook and cranny so as you walk around so it’s possible to hear two or three people singing at the same time. Breakfast is a war zone, as one would expect, but certain nations believe cueing is not for them and will push in front to get what they want. Dining is a disappointment, the bread comes in a cheap metal dish with paper in the bottom, no napkin, the butter is prewrapped and almost impossible to open and rock hard, the cutlery is all the same size, it may not seem like a big deal, but if my local pub can do it why can’t NCL? You pay extra for some restaurants but they too are disappointing, ok, bread come with a cloth napkins and soft butter and the correct size cutlery for the meal, one small cold jacket potato is not a roast potato, and three small florets of broccoli don’t add up to a serving of vegetables. The only saving grace were the trips, Ephesus, the Pyramids and trips to some lovely Greek islands were some of the reasons for the trip, but overall, the ship was nice and new but NCL tried to do to much and it just got messy.

Beautiful ship but the embarkation and disembarkation was a nightmare. Reminiscent of queuing for rides at Disney!!

Enjoyed cruise on viva,deck 8 is great area,surf side restaurant is bit hectic at times,but all the others are very good,staff are the best each and everyone of them are pleasant,happy can’t do enough for you,Icons at theatre were the best for us, everyone has their own taste in entertainment