The Norwegian Sky[edited & excerpted from CruiseCritic.com, by Anthony Cave]
Ship Stats:
- Crew - 934
- Launched - 1999
- Decks - 13
- Tonnage - 77,104
- Passengers - 2,004
"Excellent value -- a midsize ship with big-ship amenities."
The ship offers a throng of features, from multiple specialty restaurants to a state-of-the-art children's area. Norwegian has done an especially good job separating key areas for families and adults on this ship -- with separate pools, programming and even nighttime lounges for both demographics. And embarkation and disembarkation are relatively quick with little wait time.
The cheerful, tropical decor -- floral carpets in the panoramic elevators; warm, island colors; and a feeling of light and air, made most dramatic by a series of beautiful, brightly hued kites hanging in the seven-story atrium -- puts everyone in a lively mood.
Cabins
categories. Drawer space is a bit tight, but there's ample room in closets to hang garments; bathroom counters offer additional storage. All staterooms include hair dryers, safes and mini-bars. Wonderful Bliss Bedding includes a comforter and soft bed linens in addition to a truly comfortable mattress.
On the higher end of the accommodations scale are penthouses at 306 square feet, each with a sitting area, private balcony at 96 square feet, dining area, separate bedroom and luxury bath. Finally, Owner's Suites have a 482-square-foot interior, and each offers a private balcony at 353 square feet, dining room, hot tub and separate shower. Both categories offer butler and concierge service.
Dress Code
Resort-casual is the term Norwegian uses, and it covers everything from nice jeans to a bit of glitz. Shorts aren't permitted in specialty restaurants, but the ship promotes a casual attitude toward dress entirely. Pack some nice collared shirts for men and a dress or pants and a cute top for women, and you're good to go. Daywear is shorts and a T-shirt -- if you are not in the pool.
Gratuity
A $12 per-person, per-day, service charge is added to the onboard account for the food service team and room steward or stewardess. Amounts can be adjusted at the purser's desk. Additional tips can be made in cash or added to the onboard account. Bar service carries an automatic 15 percent gratuity, and an 18 percent gratuity applies to all spa, salon and fitness services booked in advance through Norwegian's Web site.
Dining
Norwegian Sky also offers two main dining rooms: Palace and Crossings. They are very flexible. You can make reservations each night for the same time or different times, based on your schedule, or simply show up when you feel hungry. Both are open nightly for dinner, and each day, one of the two offers open-seating breakfast and lunch. Waiters are attentive and remember your name days after. Both menus offer similar items, but if you fancy rib eye or pork medallions, part of the everyday selection menu, seek out Palace. Crossings instead offers a lamb shank (full of flavor) and a New York strip steak. Feel free to ask for a second entree or appetizer; often times, the kitchen will have made an extra dish, which you can request from your waiter if you're still hungry.
Among ordinary buffet choices are pastas and sandwiches, and authentic piping-hot Far Eastern cuisine (Asian, Indian) is offered regularly. The French fries are notably good -- hot and crispy -- and the carving station features pork loin and roast beef or turkey breast daily. Ice cream (vanilla, chocolate and swirl) is always available, and two dessert stations feature a selection of cakes, both sugar-free and regular, as well as a chocolate fountain with fruit and marshmallows as dipping options.
The highlight of the Garden Cafe is the late-night buffet, which runs into the early morning hours. Selections include Buffalo wings, empanadas, spring rolls, tacos and chimichangas. Food is never in short supply, and lines are slim to none with two food stations and an identical outdoor selection in the Great Outdoors Cafe toward the back of the ship.
The Coffee Bar, next to the Internet Cafe on Deck 7, offers a wide array of gratis pastries. Coffee is reasonably priced and ranges from $2.50 for an expresso to $3.50 for an iced latte. A limited room service menu is available 24 hours a day, featuring soups, salads, sandwiches and desserts, in addition to specialty items. A delivery charge applies for orders placed between midnight and 5 a.m. For $5, you can also order up a hot and fresh pizza with a choice of toppings 24/7. They will even deliver to bars and lounges.
A no-cost barbecue at Jumbey Beach Grill on the beach at Great Stirrup Cay is a highlight enjoyed by passengers who clamor aboard tenders as much for the food as the sun and fun.
Entertainment
After-hours crowds will find no-kids-allowed comedy, adults-only karaoke and plenty of dancing. Passengers are encouraged to wear special outfits -- such as all white to the White Hot Night bash. Didn't pack anything? No problem. Staffmembers are happy to offer suggestions, such as wrapping yourself in a bed sheet for the toga party that's held on the final night of each cruise. Trivia games, a series of liquor-tastings ($15 fee), hip-hop dance classes, health seminars and bingo games are among the activities that keep cruisers busy throughout the day.
There's one hidden gem on every ship, and the tropically themed Outrigger is Sky's. It's very quiet during the day and is a good place to settle in with a book on the straw chairs and occasionally watch the wondrous seas through floor-to-ceiling windows. Dazzles Nightclub on Deck 6 is home to a disco, late-night "adult" comics and musical performers, dancing, Nintendo Wii tournaments, movies and art shows. The ubiquitous "Newlywed, Not So Newlywed" game, always a hit with passengers, also takes place in Dazzles, which boasts the longest Cabaret Bar at sea.
Shore excursions can be booked below the atrium on Deck 5 and include snorkeling, parasailing and kayaking from as little as $19. Nassau offers more options on Paradise Island with the resort Atlantis, including swimming with dolphins ($199 for adults) and snorkeling.
Public Rooms
The public rooms are airy and relatively spacious with a piano and multiple photo background choices for formal night. The cozy Mark Twain Library offers a healthy selection of books, a pot of coffee, tea and trivia handouts. Try your hand at Monopoly or other board games available there. Past the library are three meeting rooms: Maui, Oahu and Kauai. They can be fused into one giant meeting room or left individually. The professional setting includes a sea view and a tropical atmosphere.
There isn't shipwide Wi-Fi, but an Internet Cafe with five computers. Rates start at 75 cents per minute; packages can be purchased: 60 minutes for $24 or 30 minutes for $16.50. Internet speed is not particularly fast, but computers are available most of the time if needed.
Spa & Fitness
Two pools (one for families and one for adults) and four hot tubs are available. The Mandara Spa is a full-service spa with a thalassotherapy bath and thermal suite, offering traditional treatments and salon favorites. The spa also offers teeth whitening and acupuncture.
Prices for treatments are in line with those on other ships, in the $100 to $115 range for most entry-level massages and facials. The sauna and steam rooms, which are both complimentary, are tucked to one side of the spa. Each area (separate for men and women) features lockers, three showers and a bathroom.The Body Waves Fitness Center includes a separate aerobics room that features spin bikes, yoga mats, and steppers -- all while overlooking the water. The general gym area includes weights up to 75 pounds, and the treadmills and stationary bikes all have television monitors. A signup sheet is available at the front desk with classes like cycling and spinning offered for $12 on multiple days. A full basketball court, shuffleboard and multiple golf driving nets are on the Sports Deck.
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