The popular cruise brand invited me to stay in the ship’s family-balcony stateroom during this round-trip, four-night inaugural sailing from New York City to Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Brittany Chang/Insider
And as a fairly picky traveler, the well-designed and large stateroom surprised me.
Brittany Chang/Insider
But don’t expect to pay budget-cruise prices for one of these balcony-lined staterooms.
Norwegian Cruise Line
Luxury comes at a cost, and this stateroom will soon run a little over $990 per person.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Let’s take a closer look to see if it’s worth this hefty price tag.
Brittany Chang/Insider
I was just one lone traveler sailing on the Norwegian Prima for work, so my stateroom designed for a family was more than large enough for me.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Maybe it was the clean layout or large floor-to-ceiling glass sliding door, but the space felt larger than 230 square feet and could’ve easily rivaled a Manhattan studio apartment.
Brittany Chang/Insider
To accommodate a family of four, my stateroom on deck 14 had a queen bed next to a double sofa bed.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Storage for a group of four could be tight…
Brittany Chang/Insider
…but the primary storage area — which included a closet and bins — was more than enough for me for my four nights at sea.
Brittany Chang/Insider
And after unpacking I was still left with plenty of unused hangers, empty drawers, and untouched baskets.
Brittany Chang/Insider
My stateroom’s desk was stationed just beside this closet space.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Here, a lit-up mirror, rows of chargers, a hair dryer, and some additional storage lined the long desk.
Brittany Chang/Insider
…so I ended up spending most of my working hours on the couch across from the desk.
Brittany Chang/Insider
This was the same couch that could’ve pulled out into a bed, and I was reminded of this every time the cushion slid out from under me.
Brittany Chang/Insider
A nightstand then separated this couch from the primary bed, which was unfortunately topped with fairly rough bedsheets.
Brittany Chang/Insider
I don’t have many complaints about my plush stateroom, but I will say the bed wasn’t particularly comfortable, especially compared to the one on Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Apex.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Overall, the room was devoid of nonfunctional decor pieces, which made the brown, white, and blue “mural” behind the bed and couch much more pronounced.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Though this isn’t it for the best: In my opinion, the mural’s random assortment of crystals, butterflies, and a portrait of someone’s head didn’t add much to the room.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Tacky decor aside, I have few complaints. For one person, this large main living area left me with more than enough space to move around and make a mess.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Similarly, the bathroom was more spacious than I expected, though it definitely would’ve felt cramped with two people inside.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Cruise-ship bathroom aren’t known for being bright and roomy, but this was just that.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Inside, it was modern and clean, with a light-accented mirror and shelves that provided ample storage for my toiletries.
Brittany Chang/Insider
And, more importantly, I didn’t need to constrict any of my movements while going about my morning and nighttime routines.
Brittany Chang/Insider
The shower was also well-sized and conveniently came with a clothes line to dry off any bathing suits after a day in the pool or at the spa, a subtle and appreciated addition.
Brittany Chang/Insider
The bathroom’s white-and-blue-toned decor called back to the mural in the bedroom.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Luckily, there were no butterflies or portraits in this space.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Unfortunately, unlike the bathroom and main room, the 45-square-foot balcony felt far from spacious…
Brittany Chang/Insider
…but it still had enough room to squeeze in a small table and two lounge chairs, making it a quiet and scenic nook to watch the sunset or catch up on some work.
Brittany Chang/Insider
Looking back on my four-night stay aboard the Norwegian Prima, I was surprised by how well-designed the family-balcony stateroom was.
Brittany Chang/Insider
For example: Outside by the entry door, there were three small lights that indicated my presence, if I wanted to be left alone, or if I wanted my room to be made up. Think of it as a modern “do-not-disturb” door hanger.
Brittany Chang/Insider
I controlled these lights using the energy-saving key card and touchscreen near my entry door, both shown below. The latter also served as a convenient digital thermostat.
Brittany Chang/Insider
