I am pleased to report that in spite of having a stateroom at the very front (forward) of Norwegian Aqua on Deck 11, the ride last night was rock-solid smooth. The stateroom was also very quiet and peaceful. The bed is comfortable, even if the pillows are a little too soft for our liking. There are two additional pillows in the closet, perhaps they are firmer. We may give those a try tonight.

As is the case with every cruise, my first morning onboard is spent searching for the perfect spot to work on my daily cruise blog and video editing. I tried The Local Restaurant on Deck 8 midship. The seating and tables are perfect for computer work, but there was a table of four other guests across the room that were so loud I could not concentrate. I had to look elsewhere. Finding a peaceful, comfortable place to work on a large cruise ship is not that easy. I also like to have a location where coffee is available.

My next location was Observation Lounge on Deck 17 forward.

Observation Lounge was surprisingly empty and had very comfortable seating. The tables are not really conducive to computer work, but I am able to place one of the sofa pillows on the table (shown in the photo above) to raise the computer to an acceptable level.

On the port side of Observation Lounge is a coffee dispensing machine. It’s not the best coffee on the ship, but it will do in a pinch.

Coffee and tea station in Observation Lounge

One of the best features of the Observation Lounge are the amazing views that appear as the sun begins to rise. Yes, I am working way before sunrise.

Today we did a little more exploring of Norwegian Aqua. The lobby area consists of three decks (6, 7 and 8) surrounded by bars, shops, Guest Services, Shore Excursion Desk, etc. The decor is understated and contemporary and reminds me a little of Celebrity Edge Class, but even more understated.

For lunch today, we decided to try The Local. The Local is a popular place for food and drink on NCL ships. The Local is on Deck 8 midship with a restaurant on the port side and a bar starboard. We were surprised at how small the restaurant area seemed until we realized that there is also outdoor seating at Ocean Boulevard, the “promenade deck” on Aqua.

The Local is open 24 hours a day with menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Service at The Local was good, not great, and I think I know why. We overheard a waiter mention that he was going on break and another waiter was taking over for him, but that the other waiter was new. This might explain the slow and sketchy service we experienced at Hudson’s yesterday. I am thinking there might have been a crew change this week with a bunch of new crew contracts starting on this cruise. That is just a hunch, but it makes sense.

As for the food quality, again, it was hit or miss. The mushroom soup was delicious. The cheeseburger was just okay. It was cooked perfectly, as I requested, Medium. The fries were okay, too. Rickee’s chicken salad sandwich lacked flavor and needed some assistance from the salt shaker.

After lunch we decided to try our luck at Aqua Casino on Deck 6. It did not take long for the slot machines to lighten my pockets. The casino is quite large with lots of slots, tables games, and craps.

After making our donation to the casino, we stopped by the Photo Gallery (Deck 8 midship) to check the photos that we have had taken so far by the ship’s photographer. Photos are viewed on kiosk screens and you can order photos through the kiosk.

This evening we decided to go to the show, REVOLUTION-A Celebration of Prince, in the Aqua Theater & Night Club.

REVOLUTION is performed three times on this sailing. Our goal was to get into the 7:30pm show tonight and we knew we would need to get in line early to get a seat. We stopped by Penrose Bar on Deck 6 to have a cocktail before heading to the theater.

We were first in line on Deck 6 and the only seats available when we got in were on the side of the theater. If you want central seating make sure to get in line on deck 7 or 8. This show is unique because guests are allowed to stand in front of the stage, like in a concert. I don’t have any images of the performance as we were asked not to take photos or video.

This is one production show that is NOT to be missed. Definitely, this show ranks in the top five shows we have ever seen on a cruise ship. The vocals and dance routines were all on point. This is a high energy show. The Aqua Theater, while not the largest theater at sea, is one of the best in regards to stage, lighting, sound and acoustics. NCL really does know how to produce excellent, top-quailty shows.

After the show, we had just enough time for a quick bite at Indulge Food Hall before it closed. We will do a more thorough review of this very unique dining concept in a future blog. After our abbreviated dinner, we are heading to bed. Tomorrow, Norwegian Aqua will be docked in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.

Day 2 - A Day At Sea

Day 1 - Embarkation in Miami