Norwegian vs Royal Caribbean comparison

Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line can often be seen competing for first place when it comes to which is the better cruise line. These two cruise lines have some of the largest fleets in the world and market themselves as the premier provider for the ultimate cruise vacation. So which is the best and how do they compare?

I have had the privilege of cruising with both Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Lines several times this year. Much of my cruising experience has been sailing onboard Norwegian Cruise Line, but I have also had some great experiences onboard Royal Caribbean ships.

As always, these thoughts and opinions are only my own. I recognize that everyone has their favorites when it comes to cruising, and that everyone’s desires for their vacation will be very different from others, or my own. These are just some of my personal observations and opinions when it comes to comparing these two cruise companies and their great ships!

My Experiences

I have had the privilege and pleasure of so far sailing onboard six different Norwegian Cruise Line ships and two different Royal Caribbean ships.

This may seem like a lot, or for the avid cruiser it might seem limited. From these experiences I have been able to compare and contrast Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line and see some of what each of these major cruise lines have to offer their guests and prospective passengers.

So far I have sailed onboard the Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Sun, Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Star, and Norwegian Viva vessels. For Royal Caribbean I have cruised with the Mariner of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas.

I appreciated getting to sail and experience ships such as Mariner of the Seas and the Norwegian Sun and Norwegian Star. As all three of these vessels were built around the same time, and give me a good look and comparison between ships of this age from Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line. Mariner of the Seas was built in 2003 and the Norwegian Sun and Norwegian Star were built in 2001 and 2002.

I personally believe that every cruise experience is exactly what you make it. Everyone can have a great cruise vacation on any ship with the right mindset and expectations. I personally believe that cruising can be fun for anyone!

Fleet Size

Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Lines are two of the largest cruise lines in the world. These two cruise brands have very large fleets. With Royal Caribbean sailing 28 ships (including the newest vessels Utopia of the Seas and Icon of the Seas). While Norwegian Cruise Line currently has 19 ships, including the newest addition to the fleet, the Norwegian Viva ship which debuted this past August in 2023.

Royal Caribbean is famous for having the biggest cruise ships in the world. With vessels that can accommodate more than 7,000 guests. While many of Norwegian Cruise Line’s ships are also very large, with guest capacities exceeding 4,000 guests. Currently Royal Caribbean’s fleet size is much larger, with 28 vessels to Norwegian Cruise Line’s 19.

Read more: Royal Caribbean ship classes guide

Recently both these cruise lines announced new ships that will be debuted in the years to come. Both Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean are set to release many more ships into the future, signaling a continued success for both these brands.

When it comes to ship production, both Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line show no signs of slowing down. This means more innovations are sure to come to the cruise line industry with each new ship that hits the high seas.

Style and aesthetics

(Pool deck onboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship, Norwegian Viva)

When it comes to style and aesthetics, Norwegian Cruise Line tends to be more understated and modern, while Royal Caribbean thrives off of bright colors and eye catching designs. Both of Norwegian Cruise Line’s newer vessels, the Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva, display examples of sophisticated and relaxing Scandinavian design. While Royal Caribbean’s newer vessels focus on displaying an atmosphere of fun and excitement to its guests.

These two cruise lines are much different when it comes to their branding. In recent years Norwegian Cruise Line has drifted towards more modern and sleek design, ushering in an atmosphere of relaxed sophistication. Royal Caribbean’s newer ships are all about fun and excitement, and are stocked full to the brim with new and exclusive onboard activities and amenities for guests to explore.

With each new ship Royal Caribbean is setting themselves apart by offering more and more for guests to do and see onboard. Royal Caribbean as a brand markets themselves as capable of providing an excellent cruise vacation for the whole family.

In recent years, with the addition of the Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva, Norwegian Cruise Line has pivoted in their style and offerings. While still a family friendly cruise line, it seems that there is more to do onboard for adults rather than kids aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s ships.

Bright colors and an atmosphere of overall fun is the common theme onboard Royal Caribbean. While Norwegian Cruise Line users in relaxation alongside notes of sophistication. Both these brands’ styles are great and offer a wide variety for prospective passengers to choose from.

Activities

When it comes to onboard activities it could be almost impossible to choose which of these two cruise lines is better than the other. As always, it can simply be up to individual taste, style, and preferences of each cruise traveler.

Norwegian Cruise Line is known for debuting industry firsts onboard its newer vessels. For example, the Norwegian Speedway is a never before seen onboard activity that is exclusive to Norwegian Cruise Line. Onboard ships such as the Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Prima, and the Norwegian Viva, guests can satisfy their need for speed in a real life go-kart experience.

While Norwegian Cruise Line might be interested in coming out with new onboard activities, Royal Caribbean can often be seen expanding and enhancing its proven-popular onboard activities. With more than enough activities to explore and see, Royal Caribbean often creates ships that need to be visited multiple times in order to see and do everything onboard. From ship areas such as Central Park to great activities such as Escape Rooms, there is often so much onboard Royal Caribbean ships that it could be impossible to see everything in just one sailing. These ships are designed to be visited again and again.

For both Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean guests will be able to find a wider breadth of activities onboard newer ships. This is due to the innovation and technology that continues to be developed and improved with each new vessel. For those guests looking to experience and do a lot onboard, I would recommend considering a newer ship for your upcoming cruise vacation onboard either Norwegian Cruise Line or Royal Caribbean.

For both Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line ships from the same classes can be very similar. However, not all ships are the same or have the same offerings onboard. For this reason I always recommend thoroughly researching different ships from each class before booking your cruise.

Entertainment

When it comes to entertainment it can be almost impossible to choose between Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line. Once again, it all comes down to travelers’ personal preferences.

If you are looking for brand new, awe inspiring entertainment, then Royal Caribbean may be your choice.

Royal Caribbean is well known for their innovation and commitment to bringing new and thrilling features to their ships. One of the most unique forms of entertainment offered on some of Royal Caribbean’s newest ships, their Oasis Class vessels, are the Aqua Shows. These impressive water shows are offered at the Aqua Theater onboard, and feature awe inspiring entertainment that truly rivals cirque du soleil. “The AquaTheater – only on our Oasis Class – is the deepest pool at sea, flanked by two 30-foot diving platforms that set the scene for mesmerizing dive spectaculars”, states Royal Caribbean about this Royal Caribbean cruise line-specific entertainment.

In addition to water shows, several Royal Caribbean ships feature ice shows. I have had the privilege of seeing a couple of these ice shows in person, and each time I was really impressed. The talent displayed at these shows is exceptional, and I highly recommend checking out at least one ice show performance while onboard if you have the opportunity with Royal Caribbean. In addition to the ice shows, guests are able to experience ice skating themselves while at sea! During specific times during cruise sailings, guests are able to tryout ice skating on the ice rink on Royal Caribbean ships that offer this amenity.

Norwegian Cruise Line is one of the only cruise lines that features full length Broadway stage performances. If you are someone looking to take in a great theater show, then Norwegian Cruise Line might catch your eye.

Norwegian Cruise Line has some of my most favorite Broadway-style shows at sea that I have seen so far! Some of my personal favorite Broadway inspired shows are ‘Six’ and ‘Jersey Boys’, both of which are available to be seen onboard the Norwegian Bliss ship. As well as ‘The Choir of Man’ which is performed onboard the Norwegian Encore ship. All these shows feature truly impressive acting, singing, and dancing. Some of these shows, such as ‘Six’ have actually been performed on Broadway, and for very good reason. All of these shows have a great story and plot, and are sure to hold audiences’ attention while thoroughly entertaining them.

Recently I was able to see the brand new rendition of ‘Beetlejuice’ onboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship, the Norwegian Viva. This 90 minute show is truly impressive, with just the right amount of laughs, thrills, and awesome singing, dancing, and acting talent.

It is important to note that for both Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean, guests will find the most, as well as latest and greatest onboard entertainment onboard the newer cruise ships from both these cruise lines. To experience the very best and greatest that a cruise line has to offer, the newest ships are typically the best choice. For example, to find the best onboard entertainment I would consider either an Oasis Class ship with Royal Caribbean or a Prima Class vessel with Norwegian Cruise Line.

Pools and Outdoor Fun

With the introduction of Royal Caribbean’s newest ships, guests will be truly blown away when it comes to not only the innovative pool features, but also the number of pools onboard. When Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, Utopia of the Seas debuts in 2024, it will have the most amount of pools onboard a cruise ship at sea.

Norwegian Cruise Line is set to make headlines with its brand new, never before seen, waterslide coaster set to debut on the new Norwegian Aqua ship in 2025.

Norwegian Cruise Line also does a great job of providing not only pools and hot tubs onboard, but fun and thrilling waterslides as well! One of my favorite waterslides at sea is the Ocean Loops slide that is available on some Norwegian Cruise Line ships, such as Norwegian Encore and Norwegian Bliss. The Ocean Loops slide features a multi-story free fall drop and two inversion loops for guess to experience. I will say, this slide is very thrilling and may not be for everyone. However, if you are someone who loves a good adrenaline rush, I recommend making the Ocean Loops waterslide a must do while onboard!

Onboard many of Royal Caribbean’s ships, even some of the oldest vessels, guests can find the fun and complimentary water activity, the FlowRider. The FlowRider is an awesome opportunity for guests to try out wave surfing at sea, and as a bonus is completely complimentary to participate in. The FlowRider is a Royal Caribbean classic, and can be found onboard many Royal Caribbean ships.

(Concept art of Icon of the Seas water park)

Every Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean ship features at least one pool onboard. Similarly to entertainment and other onboard amenities, the most advanced top deck fun tends to be on the newer ships in the fleet. Make sure to research any potential cruise ship to see if it has some features you would like to check out and enjoy.

Kids zones

Both Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line take pride in their ability to provide excellent cruise vacations for every member of the family. Nearly every Norwegian Cruise Line ship and Royal Caribbean vessel has a designated area just for the younger members of the family.

These kids zones and children’s clubs are usually divided by age, meaning that children can meet other passengers their own age and engage in age appropriate activities under the safe supervision of trained crew members.

Many of the kids clubs offer activities and events for children nearly every hour of the day, for the duration of a cruise sailing. There are often kids clubs onboard for nearly all ages, from small toddlers all the way up to teenagers in high school.

In addition to kids clubs, there are often splash zones and kids pools onboard many of Norwegian Cruise Line ships and Royal Caribbean ships. In my personal experience, it does appear that there are usually more kids zones and areas onboard Royal Caribbean ships. While Norwegian Cruise Line seems to pay special attention to adult only areas onboard.

Every cruise ship is different, and this means that not all the kids zones are the same. If you are someone traveling with children, I recommend researching the specific children’s areas onboard.

Read more: 7 Best Royal Caribbean cruise ships for kids 

Adults-only areas

When it comes to adult only areas there are some great venues onboard many Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean ships.

Royal Caribbean shines when it comes to adult only pool areas, as they are featured onboard almost all of their ships. This adult only area onboard Royal Caribbean ships is often referred to as the ‘Solarium’. This area features comfortable lounge chairs, a small pool, usually at least one hot tub, and often times a bar area.

I have personally been able to experience the Solariums onboard the Liberty of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas. Both these venues offer plenty of relaxation for those guests onboard who are 18 years and older. These areas can get quite busy during sea days, so make sure to visit early to find a spot to sit back and relax.

Onboard Norwegian Cruise Line guests can often find the adult only area called ‘Spice H2O’. The Spice H2O is one of my favorite adult only areas that I have seen on large scale cruise ships. During the day it is a place of relaxation, and during the night it often turns into a dance club. During the course of a cruise the Spice H2O is often where guests can find themed dance parties, such as the Norwegian Cruise Line iconic GLOW night!

Food and Dining

Arguably one of the best things about cruising is the food!

For those looking to explore some great dining, passengers do not need to look far when it comes to Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean. On both these cruise lines, guests will find no shortage of great food and dining experiences onboard.

Every Norwegian Cruise Line ship has at least two main dining restaurants for guests to choose from. These complimentary dining venues have become some of my favorite cruise dining in my personal experiences. Every Norwegian Cruise Line ship also has at least several specialty dining options in addition to complimentary offerings.

Norwegian Cruise Line in my personal opinion has some of the best food I have been able to sample on larger scale cruise ships. For example the new Indulge Food Hall onboard the Norwegian Viva is a revolutionary dining venue that has some of the best Indian cuisine I’ve ever tried, at sea or on land.

I also greatly have enjoyed much of the food onboard the two Royal Caribbean ships I’ve had the privilege of sailing on. I appreciate that Royal Caribbean is always striving to improve on their fan favorites and offer their returning guests great consistency.

The complimentary restaurants, ‘Taste’ and ‘Savor’ found onboard many of Norwegian Cruise Line’s ships are a great dining option. These two restaurants offer a more intimate restaurant dining experience, rather than the large traditional main dining room found on many cruise lines. I prefer this method of dining when it comes to dinner on a cruise ship, and definitely recommend checking out these restaurants if they are available on your next Norwegian Cruise Line sailing.

I have had the privilege of sailing with Royal Caribbean a couple times now, and have always found something appetizing and delicious onboard! Something I will say that I have noticed when it comes to food when comparing Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line, is that Norwegian appears to offer more complimentary dining options than Royal Caribbean. Royal Caribbean tends to offer just one or two main dining restaurants onboard, in addition to the buffet.

If I had to make a choice between the two cruise lines when it came to food, I would say Norwegian Cruise Line has the best options onboard their newer ships. Such as the Breakaway Class, Breakaway Plus Class, and Prima Class. While Royal Caribbean is very consistent across the cruise line, and has some great food offerings onboard their older vessels as well as their new ships.

Bars, Lounges, and Nightlife

Both Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line have much to offer when it comes to nightlife and exciting bars and lounges for guests to explore!

Both these cruise lines do a great job of offering nighttime entertainment such as comedians and live music. I appreciate that Norwegian Cruise Line provides venues specifically for these kinds of nighttime entertainment in addition to bars and lounges. Onboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship, the Norwegian Viva, the comedy lounge called ‘Improv’ and bars such as ‘Syd Norman’s  Pour House’ for live music.

For those looking for live music onboard Royal Caribbean, they do not need to look far. Royal Caribbean’s classic bars such as Playmakers Sports Bar and Schooner Bar are always filled with a good time for guests.

On Mariner of the Seas my favorite bar and lounge is The Bamboo Room. This unique and tropical themed bar is a great place to visit with friends during a night out onboard.

One of my all time favorite bars and lounges onboard Norwegian Cruise Line ships is the Skyy Vodka Ice Bar. This incredibly unique bar is an actual ice bar that is very cool (literally). This bar is an indoor venue featuring real structures made from ice. There is a cover charge of $24 per guest which includes two vodka cocktails. This fun bar can be found onboard the Norwegian Getaway and Norwegian Epic ships. I recommend dressing warmly when planning on visiting this bar, as it is quite cold!

Both Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean have great themed parties onboard many of their ships. I have been able to experience quite a few of these themed parties onboard Norwegian Cruise Line ships, they are quite fun and I definitely recommend checking out at least one during a cruise sailing. From 80s to the iconic GLOW party, Norwegian Cruise Line has a themed party nearly every night of a cruise for guests to dance the night away at.

I appreciate that both Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean offer a wide breadth of variety when it comes to nightlife activities and entertainment. This means that there is something for everyone to enjoy during the evening and nighttime onboard. From lively dance parties, comedy performances, to relaxed live music, there is guaranteed to be something onboard that every guest enjoys during the nighttime.

Itinerary choices

For myself and many others one of the most important, if not the most important part of cruising is the itineraries, and the unique ease of travel that cruising offers.

There is nothing quite like cruising. The ability to unpack in one spot while being transported to great destinations around the world is quite alluring, and keeps frequent cruisers coming back again and again. Not to mention that now days cruise ships are now great destinations in of themselves and offer so much for guests to do, see, and explore.

Because the itinerary can be the most important part of cruising for many guests, I always recommend perusing and browsing the itineraries offered by cruise lines before picking the ship. Unless of course prospective guests are the most interested in the ship most of all.

Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean both offer incredible itineraries all over the world. Whether it is sailing to the Caribbean, Bahamas, Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Middle East, or South America, guests can find itineraries to all these awesome destinations on both Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean.

If you are looking to visit truly unique destinations, I would recommend checking out Norwegian Cruise Line specifically. Guests looking to visit interesting and engaging locations such as Africa, parts of the Middle East, and more should consider a cruise with Norwegian Cruise Line.

Royal Caribbean lives up to its namesake and has some really great itineraries in the Caribbean and Bahamas. As well as itineraries that sail all over Europe, including beautiful destinations such as the Greek Isles and Spain.

It is common among both Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line that these two brands will often utilize their older ships to sail some of the most unique itineraries. For this reason I always say, never rule out sailing on an older cruise ship. Because these older vessels may have some of the best itineraries at affordable prices.

For example, best friend and fellow Cruise Blog writer Allie and I sailed on a 10 day itinerary onboard the Norwegian Star this fall to the British Isles. The Norwegian Star is an older ship, built in 2001 and is one of the only ships in the fleet that offers this type of itinerary. We were also able to find a great cruise to Spain and Lisbon earlier this year onboard the Norwegian Sun, also an older ship built in 2001.

I highly recommend choosing a cruise vacation off the itinerary. Doing this will help to ensure that no matter what guests will have a great trip. Cruising is first and foremost about travel, and I firmly believe it is one of the very best forms and ways to travel and see the world!

Private Islands

Before embarking on my first cruises with Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line last year, I had no idea that some cruise lines own they very own private islands. Since initially finding out about these unique Caribbean destinations, I have been able to visit all three of the private islands owned and operated by Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean.

Currently Norwegian Cruise Line owns two private island destinations, one located in the Bahamas called Great Stirrup Cay. With the second one located just off the coast of Belize called Harvest Caye. While Royal Caribbean currently has one private island destination called Perfect Day At Coco Cay also located in the Bahamas. In fact, Great Stirrup Cay and Coco Cay are right next to each other in the Bahamas and guests to these islands can see the other island just across the waves from each other!

I have been able to visit Norwegian Cruise Line’s Great Stirrup Cay twice now, and I can confidently say this is a beautiful island. While Great Stirrup Cay may have much less to do onshore when compared to its neighbor, Perfect Day at CocoCay, it is still a great Bahamian destination. 

Great Stirrup Cay is a great place to relax and enjoy an afternoon at the beach. This island does not have the plethora of activities that CocoCay does, however if you are someone looking forward to a beautiful beach day on your cruise vacation, Great Stirrup Cay is the perfect place. There are plenty of complimentary lounge chairs and spots to get your feet into the sand. Additionally guests can try out zip lining for an additional cost, or rent some floating chairs and other beach gear should they so choose. 

Similarly to Perfect Day at CocoCay, Great Stirrup Cay does offer complimentary lunch fare to guests onshore. This is a great feature to passengers of both Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean over at CocoCay. This is different from Norwegian Cruise Line’s Harvest Caye, in which guests will need to pay for their lunch should they choose to eat at this destination. 

I have had the pleasure of visiting Perfect Day at CocoCay just once so far in my cruising adventures. I can easily say that this destination requires at least a couple visits to see and do everything onshore. CocoCay is filled with activities for members of the whole family, and guests will never be bored when visiting CocoCay. From a waterpark to adult only exclusive beaches, there is truly something for everyone on this private island. 

Overall, if you are someone looking for a lot to see and do during a visit to a private island, I would recommend Perfect Day at CocoCay. If you are someone content with a beach day in some beautiful and relaxing scenery, then I would absolutely recommend Great Stirrup Cay or Harvest Caye. 

Harvest Caye is a bit different from Norwegian Cruise Line’s Great Stirrup Cay because it is in part owned by the Belizean government. This means that Belize has more say in the functionings of the island. Because of this, this great destination has a unique and authentic Belizean feel to it that I enjoyed during my visit. This island has unique activities such as a complimentary wildlife trail that must be seen during a visit! 

Staterooms and Cabin Offerings

Because Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line are some of the biggest cruise lines in the world, it means they are able to provide the most variety to their guests.

(Some staterooms onboard Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean feature bunk bed systems to accommodate more than two people in a cabin)

For this reason, there is a plethora of stateroom and cabin categories and types to choose from for prospective guests. Whether it is a more affordable inside cabin or a luxurious suite, there are so many different types of staterooms for guests to choose from on both Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean ships.

Read more: Royal Caribbean cruise ship cabin and suite guide

For those guests looking for an added measure of luxury and exclusivity to their cruise, Norwegian Cruise Line’s ‘The Haven’ can be a great option. The Haven is Norwegian Cruise Line’s luxury ‘ship-within-a-ship’ concept. The Haven is not just a series of beautiful suites, but also exclusive areas designated just for guests staying in a Haven category room. Including a lounge, bar, pool area, and restaurant.

Staying in this exclusive Haven area of the ship is often quite expensive but comes with perks that can not be experienced any other way onboard Norwegian Cruise Line. It is important to note that The Haven is not available onboard every Norwegian Cruise Line ship. If you are someone interested in staying in The Haven, I recommend filtering which ships have these stateroom categories onboard before booking a cruise with Norwegian.

Guests looking at sailing on Royal Caribbean, who want to experience an exclusive stateroom category, but also are looking at keeping to a budget should consider a Promenade View Room or a Central Park View Room.

These Promenade View Rooms rooms are often times quite affordable, but offer a unique cruise experience to guests. Similar to an ocean view stateroom, these rooms feature a window. But instead of the window looking outward towards the ocean, the window is interior and gives guests a look out onto either the Promenade or Central Park, depending which is featured onboard the Royal Caribbean ship. These rooms are typically cheaper than an ocean view room, but are fun in that they offer an interesting stateroom experience that is rather unique to Royal Caribbean.

(Most affordable stateroom onboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship, Norwegian Viva)

For both Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean, prospective guests will find no shortage of stateroom options to choose from. Whether it is a large family looking to travel on a budget, or a couple looking to plan a celebratory cruise, both these cruise lines have a stateroom category to sure to suit every traveler’s needs and desires.

Cruise Loyalty Programs

When it comes to cruising with both Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean, both these cruise lines want to help ensure that their passengers have such a good time that they’ll consider cruising with them again and again.

Because of this, both Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line offer loyalty programs to all their guests. The more that a guest cruises with one or both of these cruise lines, the more points they earn. The more points guests earn the more exclusive benefits they can enjoy on future cruises.

Royal Caribbean’s loyalty program is called the ‘Crown & Anchor Society’, while Norwegian Cruise Line’s loyalty program is called ‘Latitudes Rewards’.

On both these cruise lines guests earn points towards their loyalty program with every cruise they take. For example, with Norwegian Cruise Line guest earn 1 point for every night they spend on a cruise. The amount of points guests earn can also be increased to 2 points or more per night depending on special stateroom categories such as suites or studio staterooms.

Occasionally Norwegian Cruise Line will run promotional deals that can allow guests to earn more points per night of their cruise. For example, when I stayed in a Studio Stateroom for the first time this year I earned 4 points per night onboard the Norwegian Encore.

Some of the benefits of various reward categories with Norwegian Cruise Line include discounts on drink packages, discount on shore excursions, priority check-in, exclusive cocktail parties, discounts at the duty-free shops onboard, discounts on photos, discounts on the internet or wifi packages onboard, and much more during a cruise such as chocolate covered strawberries and a free specialty dining meal for two.

Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Society rewards program is very similar to that of Norwegian Cruise Line’s Latitudes Rewards. The more guests cruise the more rewards and perks they have access to for future sailings. This is just one of the ways that these two cruise lines encourage guests to continue cruising with them over and over again. Similarly to Norwegian Cruise Line, certain stateroom categories such as suites can earn guests more than one point per night of their cruise sailing onboard Royal Caribbean.

One of the features that could set Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Society apart from Norwegian Cruise Line’s Latitudes Rewards, is the complimentary drinks perk. The higher status travelers earn on Royal Caribbean, they can earn free drinks for future cruising. For example, at certain tiers guests can enjoy 5+ free drinks a day, this can be a significant cost saving.

Once a passenger cruises with Norwegian Cruise Line and/or Royal Caribbean for the first time they are automatically a member of that cruise line’s loyalty program. For every subsequent cruise thereafter guests will earn points and work their way toward the next loyalty tier to achieve even more rewards for their next cruise vacation.

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Overall the choice for Royal Caribbean versus Norwegian Cruise Line come down to personal presences. Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Lines have so much to offer their cruise guests, and there is no shortage of things for passengers to explore about these two cruise lines.

Both these large scale cruise lines specialize in offering something for everyone onboard their ships, and are great about being cruise lines that caters to the whole family. Because of this, both Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean can be great options for multi-generational vacations.

Both Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean have many similarities, but they also have some key differences as well. I recommend exploring these two cruise lines in-depth, as well as specific ships before booking a cruise vacation. This will help ensure that guests are booking the best cruise sailing for them.

No matter which of these two cruise lines guests choose, they are sure to have a fun, memorable, and exciting cruise vacation! We hope that this article was helpful, and that it introduced you to some of the differences and similarities between these two cruise lines.