NCL’s Norwegian Luna Review: What It Gets Right and Wrong
After seven nights onboard Norwegian Luna, I came away thinking it is one of the best Norwegian Cruise Line ships I’ve sailed in quite a while.
It is not perfect. In fact, some of the design decisions left me scratching my head. But after hearing so much criticism of Norwegian’s Prima-class ships before my cruise, I found that some of those complaints were absolutely fair, while others did not match my experience onboard.
Luna has a few spaces that can feel too crowded, but I would not describe the entire ship as overcrowded. It has some questionable uses of upper-deck space, yet it also has an impressive number of places to sit, relax and simply enjoy being at sea.
I also made a full video about my experience onboard Norwegian Luna. It is worth watching if you want to actually see the ship’s public spaces, upper decks, dining venues and some of the design choices I’m talking about here.
Watch My Full Norwegian Luna Review
The video gives you a much better sense of the scale of spaces like the pool deck, Ocean Boulevard and the upper-deck attractions than photos alone can provide.
Quick Verdict: Is Norwegian Luna a Good Cruise Ship?
My verdict: Norwegian Luna is one of my favorite recent NCL ships, with excellent food, beautiful public spaces, strong entertainment and one of Norwegian’s best setups for solo cruisers.
Best for: Couples, solo travelers, food-focused cruisers, fans of modern ships, and families with older kids or teenagers.
Think twice if: Your ideal cruise revolves around a huge pool deck, a large traditional buffet, or a free adults-only outdoor area.
Biggest strength: The ship gives you a surprising number of comfortable places to escape the crowds.
Biggest weakness: Some prime upper-deck space feels devoted to attractions that may not get enough repeat use.
Norwegian Luna Looks Fantastic
One of the first things Luna gets right is simply how the ship looks and feels.
I liked the modern color palette, lighting, textures and touches of Art Deco-inspired design throughout the ship. The Penrose Atrium is probably the most obvious example, with sweeping architectural lines, huge windows and seating spread across multiple levels.
More importantly, the design is not limited to one impressive atrium. Luna has little seating areas and quiet corners everywhere. I could grab a drink, read, watch the ocean or just sit without feeling like I needed to be participating in an activity.
That continues outside. La Terrazza, the outdoor area behind Indulge Food Hall, and Ocean Boulevard were some of my favorite places to spend time.
Does Norwegian Luna Feel Crowded?
This was one of my biggest surprises. The main pool could absolutely get crowded on a sea day. Ocean Boulevard became busy at certain times, and Surfside Café is too small for a ship carrying this many passengers.
But those felt like specific pressure points, not evidence that the entire ship was packed.
I regularly walked through the Observation Lounge, atrium, bars and outdoor areas and wondered where everyone had gone. Once I moved away from the obvious gathering places, I could usually find somewhere comfortable to sit.
That distinction matters. I would not call Norwegian Luna an overcrowded ship. I would call it a ship with a few spaces that can become overcrowded, which meant I had to find other spaces to escape to.
My Biggest Question: How Norwegian Used the Upper Decks
This is where my biggest criticism of Luna comes in. Norwegian has devoted a lot of valuable upper-deck space to attractions like the Aqua Slidecoaster, Tee Time and Midway games.
The Aqua Slidecoaster is clever technology and certainly something different on a cruise ship. I enjoyed trying it, but I did not feel much need to ride it repeatedly.
Tee Time was fun too, but I played twice during the entire cruise. It occupies a surprisingly large amount of space for an activity many people may use for 20 or 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, I rarely saw anyone using some of the Midway games. Ocean Thrills seemed more successful, particularly the ping-pong tables and smaller games. The video really helps illustrate this because you can see just how much upper-deck real estate these attractions occupy.
My question by the end of the week was simple: Would I trade some of those attractions for another pool, more open deck space or a free adults-only area? I think I would.
Luna Really Needs a Free Adults-Only Outdoor Area
This was especially noticeable after sailing Norwegian’s Breakaway-class ships.
There is no included Luna equivalent to Spice H2O. Instead, the quieter adults-only option is Vibe Beach Club, which costs extra.
Vibe itself is very nice. It has comfortable loungers, large hot tubs, a dedicated bar and a considerably calmer atmosphere than the main pool. I purchased Vibe for my cruise and enjoyed having access to it, but I actually used it less than expected. My solo balcony gave me private outdoor space, and Luna already has enough quiet public spaces that I usually had somewhere else to go.
That does not change my opinion that the ship would be better with an included adults-only outdoor retreat.
I missed that kind of space even more at night. On ships like Norwegian Getaway, Spice H2O can become an outdoor party space after dark. Luna instead turns its main theater into a nightclub. It is clever, but personally I would rather have some of that nighttime energy outside.
The Buffet Is Too Small, but Indulge Is Excellent
The criticism of Surfside Café is fair.
There were times when simply walking through the buffet felt congested, and finding a table during busy breakfast or lunch periods could be frustrating.
Fortunately, Luna has one of the best buffet alternatives I’ve experienced on a cruise ship.
At Indulge Food Hall, you sit down and order from a tablet, with dishes coming from several different kitchens. That means one person can order noodles, someone else can get Indian food, and another can order barbecue or Latin-inspired dishes without everyone having to agree on one restaurant.
I especially liked Indulge for breakfast, when it offered a much calmer alternative to Surfside.
One tip from my sailing: order your drinks first. Food could arrive surprisingly quickly, while drinks sometimes took a little longer.
Food Was One of Norwegian Luna’s Biggest Strengths
Food overall was one of the highlights of my week.
I liked that Hudson’s and The Commodore Room actually feel like different main dining restaurants. Hudson’s is bright and open with huge windows, while Commodore feels smaller and more traditional.
Specialty dining was even stronger. Onda by Scarpetta was excellent, but Sukhothai was probably my standout restaurant of the cruise. Everything I tried there was fantastic.
Food alone is one of the reasons I would happily sail Luna again.
Entertainment Was Strong Too
HIKO was visually impressive, with excellent staging, acrobatics and technology, although the story itself was fairly abstract.
I also really enjoyed the Elton John tribute, along with the live music and themed events happening throughout the week.
The main caution is capacity. Popular performances can fill quickly, so if there is something you really want to see, I would not arrive a couple of minutes before showtime and expect the best seats.
Norwegian Luna Is Excellent for Solo Cruisers
Norwegian already does solo cruising particularly well, and Luna may be one of its best versions yet.
I stayed in one of the ship’s limited solo balcony cabins, which gave me essentially the space and layout of a regular balcony cabin while still being designed and sold for one traveler.
Coming from Norwegian’s much smaller Studio cabins, it was a huge upgrade.
The Studio Lounge was another improvement over what I experienced on Norwegian Getaway. It felt comfortable and inviting, with snacks, coffee and beverage options available depending on the package on my sailing.
[Link to my full Norwegian Luna solo balcony review]
Who Is Norwegian Luna Best For?
After a full week onboard, I think Luna is particularly strong for couples, solo travelers, food-focused cruisers, people who like modern ships, and families with older kids or teenagers.
There is plenty for older kids to do, including the Aqua Slidecoaster, Glow Court, Tee Time, Moon Climber and arcade. For younger children who primarily want large pools, splash zones and waterparks, however, I would compare Luna with some other ships before booking.
I would also look elsewhere if a huge main pool, enormous traditional buffet or free adults-only outdoor deck is essential to your cruise.
My Final Norwegian Luna Verdict
Norwegian Luna has some real shortcomings. I would have used parts of the upper deck differently, I would love another pool or included adults-only outdoor area, and Surfside Café should be larger.
But most of the time, I was not thinking about those things.
I was enjoying a beautiful ship that generally did not feel crowded, eating some of the best food I’ve recently had on Norwegian, watching excellent entertainment, relaxing along Ocean Boulevard and having one of my best solo cruise experiences yet.
That is ultimately what sticks with me about Luna. There are things I would change, but the overall experience worked extremely well for me, and I would absolutely sail this ship again. Pasted markdown
If you are considering Norwegian Luna and want help comparing dates, cabins and current pricing, you can also reach me at bradonboard.com/cruises.
And if you want to see what the entire seven-night cruise was actually like, including the food, entertainment, ports and day-to-day experience onboard, watch my full Norwegian Luna video here: I Spent 7 Nights Solo on NCL’s Newest Ship: Is Norwegian Luna Worth It?.
FAQ
Is Norwegian Luna worth it?
For me, yes. Norwegian Luna had enough strengths in dining, entertainment, public spaces and solo cruising to outweigh its design shortcomings. Whether it is right for you depends heavily on how important the pool deck, buffet and free adults-only outdoor space are to your cruise.
Does Norwegian Luna feel crowded?
Not most of the time in my experience. The main pool, Surfside Café and parts of Ocean Boulevard could become busy, but I regularly found surprisingly quiet lounges, bars and outdoor seating elsewhere around the ship.
Does Norwegian Luna have an adults-only area?
Luna has Vibe Beach Club, which provides a quieter adults-only outdoor environment, but it is an extra-cost area. The ship does not have an included equivalent to Spice H2O on Norwegian’s Breakaway-class ships.
Is the Norwegian Luna buffet too small?
I think Surfside Café is too small for the number of passengers onboard. The good news is that Indulge Food Hall provides an excellent included alternative, including at breakfast.
Is Norwegian Luna good for solo travelers?
Yes. Norwegian has invested heavily in solo accommodations and spaces, and Luna combines dedicated solo cabins with access to the Studio Lounge. My solo balcony cabin was one of the biggest reasons I enjoyed the cruise as much as I did.
Is Norwegian Luna good for kids?
I think it is a stronger fit for older children and teenagers than for very young kids. Older kids have attractions like the Slidecoaster, Glow Court, mini golf and arcade, while the dedicated water area for younger children is relatively limited.
