Review of the Norwegian Prima: A 10-Day Cruise of Iceland, Norway, Belgium, Netherlands, and England

When my husband saw that one of Norwegian Cruise Line's newest ships had a summer Iceland and Norway itinerary, we knew we wanted to be on it.

I have wanted to visit Norway and Iceland for years. But for some reason, Iceland just never worked out, and figuring out where to go in Norway felt intimidating. So a cruise seemed ideal!

We made our reservation in August 2022 and spent the next year counting down to our 10-day cruise in late July/early August on the Norwegian Prima around northern Europe... and the cruise was just as stunning as I'd imagined it would be.

With so many different ports, this review is a long one... so let's dive in!

Note: This post contains affiliate links. That means that if you make a purchase after clicking on a link, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

thoughts on the prima:

The Prima is truly a beautiful ship. Even the bathrooms throughout the ship were so pretty! (Which seems like a silly/weird thing to even notice, let alone say, but... it's true!)

I started to get worried about our cruise after reading what felt like one negative review after another of the Prima, particularly with regard to crowd management.

But I didn't really find that to be a problem. The first few days of our cruise were chilly and misty, leading everyone to stay inside, but I didn't feel as though the ship felt overly crowded or like we couldn't find seating (though we might have had to wait a few minutes for a space to clear, like at Indulge Food Hall).

So while the Prima does seem better-suited for a Mediterranean or Caribbean cruise, it ended up working great for our northern European one (especially once we got what seemed to be unexpectedly nice weather in Norway).

In fact, my only complaints about the deck plans were that 1) there wasn't a jogging deck and 2) you have to walk through the (potentially very crowded and very busy) Surfside Café and Grill on Deck 17 when heading to the Observation Lounge from the aft (back of the ship).

If you do feel like the inside space is too crowded, there's likely an overlooked space nearby! Here are some tips I gathered from other reviews and from our experience:

• If the bar for the Local on Deck 8 is busy, try the Luna bar inside Indulge.
• If the main bar at the pool on Deck 17 is busy, try the bar inside Surfside.
• If the area around the main pool on Deck 17 is busy, there's a sun deck on Deck 18 that seemed to be a hidden secret. It's on top of the Observation Lounge toward the bow (front of the ship). While it's only 50 feet from the main pool, it was also a lot quieter!
• If you're looking for a quiet bar, try the Belvedere on Deck 6 (which only seemed to get busy around dinner time) or the Metropolitan Bar on Deck 7 (which was busy our first night but nearly empty the following nights).

My group spent a ton of time at the Observation Lounge on Deck 17 — and it did get crowded, so head there early to grab seats, since everyone wants to watch the sailing in and out of the fjords!

Want a better sense of the Prima layout? Check out the deck plans!

Lastly, multiple members of our group commented on how diligently the staff was working to keep the ship clean and sanitized... there was always someone wiping down the stair hand railings, or dusting the ceiling chandeliers, or cleaning the bathrooms.

A second set of stairs in the Atrium overlooking Decks 7 and 8 (you can somewhat see the glass walkway outside on Deck 8)

Soleil Bar was at the aft (back of the ship) on Deck 8, near Indulge Food Hall. It wasn't open for the first few days of our cruise, though (likely because the weather meant most people were inside)

Our view from our balcony on Deck 11

One of the infinity pools on Deck 8 — they're heated!

Our balcony room on Deck 11! We had initially opted for an oceanview room with a window but put in a bid for a balcony room that was accepted.

We lay our suitcases flat and slide them under the bed to maximize space/act as additional drawers.

The furniture on our balcony was much nicer than what we had on previous cruises!

Here's part of the Studio Lounge, which requires keycard access (aka your cruise ID indicates you have a studio room).

We sailed with a group of 7 total, and one member of our group was staying in a studio room, all of which are off of hallways that connect to one private common area (only for other studio guests) to relax, watch TV, and grab drinks or light snacks... without any crowds.

A great way to meet other people cruising solo if you'd like! 

Some of the seating in Studio Lounge dining area

dining

NCL offers "freestyle" dining, meaning that you can eat where you want, when you want, as opposed to being assigned meal times like some other cruise lines. 

My husband and I have always been very happy with the food on all of our cruises with NCL. (We've cruised the Jade in Greece, the Encore in Alaska, and the Sky in the Caribbean.) 

But, again, after reading some negative reviews, I was feeling apprehensive. 

Fortunately, neither I nor my husband had any complaints about the food on the Prima!

There were a few times where other members of our group did feel as though their noodles were over- or undercooked or their meat had some gristle, but as one of them said, "You won't — you can't — go hungry on this ship!" 

Why? Because you can flag any issues with the staff to fix, opt for another meal (whether in the same restaurant or another one), or ask to make a substitute to your meal! 

• Some of the Main Dining Rooms are sit-down restaurants with a menu where you order an appetizer, entrée, and dessert, but NCL will let you order multiple dishes (I believe you can order multiple appetizers at once but only one entrée at a time). 
• One member of our group really wanted to order a certain meal but didn't like the side it came with, so he was going to order a different meal until he realized he was allowed to request a different side.

We love NCL for the freestyle dining. However, many of the restaurants do have certain hours, so be sure to check them in advance (which you can do on the website, on the app, or in the Freestyle Daily newsletter left at your cabin door every day). 

The complimentary dining includes the Commodore Room (a Main Dining Room with waiter service on Deck 6); Hudson's (a Main Dining Room with waiter service on Deck 7); Indulge Food Hall (Deck 8); the buffet at Surfside Café & Grill (Deck 17); and the Local Bar & Grill (divided into a restaurant with waiter service and a bar, both of which are open 24/7, on Deck 8). 

Click here for more information on Prima's complimentary dining, including sample menus!

Then there are specialty restaurants (like French, Italian, and Mexican, among others), which require paying à la carte unless your cruise reservation includes a night or two of specialty dining. 

Click here for more information on Prima's specialty dining, including sample menus!

We primarily ate at Hudson's, the Commodore Room, or the Local, and we never had to wait more than 15 minutes, even when we had our full group of 7. 

Everyone in our group had a dining package that included at least one specialty restaurant, so we chose Le Bistro, and everyone was extremely satisfied with their meal (and the service). My parents received one more specialty dining restaurant (due to their room type) and picked Cagney's Steakhouse, and they came back raving about the meal. 

We always get the beverage and dining package that includes drinks up to $15, and we've never gone over that price. My husband was very happy that the Whiskey Bar on Deck 8 used Woodford Reserve in the old fashioned (and he said it was the only place on the ship where you could get Woodford Reserve under the $15 limit).

My favorite drinks were strawberry daiquiris, Moscow mules, and Mudslides, while the rest of our group enjoyed the Mango Meltdown and Tequila Sunrise! 

For the occasions I didn't want alcohol but still wanted fun drinks, I inquired about mocktails and was told by a bartender that they could make anything I wanted, so I had a few virgin daiquiris and Mudslides.

And I tried to end every day with a hot fudge sundae from the Local :)

The menu by the pool. My husband tried a few of the Sail & Sustain drinks (like the BananaRuma) and thought they were pretty tasty!

One of the Main Dining Rooms had this risotto ONE time and it was so good, I kept checking the menus for it the rest of the trip

The menu for specialty dining Le Bistro, also available here

Duck breast at Le Bistro

Dessert at Le Bistro: Pear with spices, vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce

Watching women play in the World Cup while having a hot fudge sundae... because sundaes are for the girls :)

Another hot fudge sundae

[DJ Khaled voice] Another one

entertainment

It's been my experience that the entertainment on NCL is always impressive, and the Prima was no exception.

When it comes to reservations, NCL opens up a limited number of slots for dining and entertainment in advance of Embarkation Day and then releases the rest of the slots on Embarkation Day. (Wondering when you can pre-book? Find out here.) So we reserved a spot for Summer: The Donna Summer Musical and The Price is Right before embarking.

Both shows had incredible production, and the Summer singers amazed my whole group, as did the host for The Price is Right.

As always, my husband wanted to attend everything, so in order to save seats, he would head down to the venues early so that he was there when the doors opened for The Not-So Newlyweds Game, Perfect Couple, karaoke, magic show, etc. So even though the venues like Improv at Sea and Syd Norman's Pour House were small, we always had seats. 

For a 10-day cruise, it does feel as though there should be at least one more show, so I hope NCL adds more in the future. But we were very happy with all the shows we did attend.

Our group was also so impressed with Simon Akinwolere (the cruise director) and his assistant cruise director Alexis, both of whom were hilarious, clever, and quick on their feet (especially when dealing with some unpleasant guests!).

tips and general info:

• If you can, I'd recommend exploring the ship deck-by-deck once you board. It'll just help your sense of direction for the rest of the trip, and it's fun to see your home away from home!
• BUT if there are any reservations you still need to make, do them right away! You can make reservations at the kiosks or in person.
• Whenever my husband and I board early and knock out both of the above bullets with time to spare, we like to grab a spot at the pool or in the hot tub (and try to beat the rush).
• Your room will likely not be available immediately, and it may take time for staff to bring your luggage to your room, so pack anything you anticipate needing in a separate bag before embarking, since you may not have access to your luggage for several hours. (E.g., you may want a swim suit, sunscreen, sunglasses, charger, headphones, or a book.)
• Bring any medicine you might anticipate needing, like a decongestant or aspirin. Medications will be much more expensive on the ship.
• Remember that if you want to try something at a meal or swap out a side, you can ask your waiter!
• The NCL app is helpful (though could definitely be better).
• The ship has its own Wifi, which you can use for free with the app.
• We were able to send iMessages to other Apple users while connected to the NCL Wifi (with or without internet). But if your group has any Android users, then you can purchase the messaging feature on the app for $10 per person.
• If you want to go to other sites or use other apps, NCL will prompt you to officially start your paid minutes (I always visit loginnow.com to start my time), and you do have to log out once you're done (not just exit out any apps or Safari pages) or else the minutes will keep counting down.
• Pay attention to ship time versus port time, as well as when you have to be back onboard the ship. Some of our phones didn't update when we switched time zones (due to being on airplane mode), but we were paying attention so we caught it. 
• You will likely find external vendors offer similar but more affordable excursions as the ones offered by NCL. The trade-off is that booking through NCL offers more peace of mind if your excursion is late to return to the ship or what to do if the ship leaves without you.
• While the ship will have American outlets, hotels in Iceland and England will not, so if you're spending a few days in Iceland before the cruise or staying a few days in England after, pack adapters!
• And pay attention to the voltage off the ship! I completely forgot to bring my T3 travel blow dryer, which is dual voltage. I only brought my L'ange Hair blow dryer, which worked great on the ship but not in the Iceland hotel! (Both links are affiliate links — it looks like my T3 was discontinued, so here’s T3's updated version, with auto dual voltage for when you travel!)
• The front row of the theater was good for things like the Summer musical, but I'd recommend sitting a few rows back for bingo (we had to crane our necks to look at the screen) and maybe even The Price is Right (we sat approximately 5 or 7 rows from the front and it was perfect).
• The arrows in the carpet of the ship point forward, toward the bow! (In the past, NCL's carpet featured fish.)
• Read the Freestyle Daily every day! It's NCL's daily cruise pamphlet that gets delivered to your door every day with information for the next day. Not only can you see dining hours, there's SO much information about upcoming activities and events!
• The fitness center is located inside the spa (I assume to try to entice people to book some treatments upon walking through). Perhaps as a result, the fitness center seemed much warmer than on other ships, so I'd recommend keeping your water and towel handy.

itinerary:

If you book your airline travel through NCL, I can't stress this enough: If you can, choose to arrive at least one day early, if not two. That way, if anything goes wrong, you still have a buffer and can make the cruise.

This was our second time booking our flights through NCL, and both times it went well, so my husband and I were happy customers.

But two members of our group who also booked their flights through NCL had a more stressful experience. They were at the airport when the first of their 3 (!) flights was canceled, and NCL told them to talk to the airline to figure it out themselves. 

We were then worried the airline would refuse to speak to them, since NCL had booked the itinerary, but fortunately the airline was able to put them on a different flight. And their new itinerary even made it to Iceland 5 minutes earlier than they were originally supposed to! But I'm not sure they'd choose to book flights through NCL again after the experience.

Norway was 2 hours ahead of Iceland, so if I were to book this cruise again, I think I'd book the itinerary in reverse to *gain* hours from Norway to Iceland rather than *lose* them.

• Embarkation Day: Reykjavík, Iceland (depart 6pm)
• Day 1: Isafjordur, Iceland (this was canceled due to dredging, so we had a Sea Day instead)
• Day 2: Akureyri, Iceland (arrive 6am, depart 4pm)
• Day 3: Sea Day
• Day 4: Ålesund, Norway (arrive 11am, depart 10pm)
• Day 5: Olden, Norway (arrive 8am, depart 6pm)
• Day 6: Bergen, Norway (arrive 8am, depart 5pm)
• Day 7: Sea Day
• Day 8: Amsterdam, Netherlands (arrive 7am, original plan to depart 5pm)
• Day 9: Brussels, Belgium (this was canceled due to the damaged port, so we had an overnight in Amsterdam instead)
• Day 10: London, England (arrive 6am — we were off the ship by 7:30am or so)

Our 10-day cruise took place at the end of July and beginning of August. Because we flew in 2 days early, we had 2 extra days in Reykjavík.

what i packed:

Here's what clothing I brought with me.

• Tops (aka lots and lots of layers. With unpredictable weather, I wanted to be able to add or remove clothing if I were cold or hot)
• L.L. Bean 3-in-1 fleece with jacket (affiliate link)
• L.L. Bean rain jacket (affiliate link)
• Old Navy puffer jacket
• Barbour jacket (affiliate link)
• 5 sweaters
• 2 Old Navy flannel button-ups
• 2 Gap long-sleeved tees in black and white (affiliate link)
• 2 J. Crew turtlenecks in black and white (affiliate link)
• Amazon vest (affiliate link)

• Bottoms
• Mango skirt (affiliate link)
• Old Navy black jeans (affiliate link)
• Old Navy blue jeans
• Express white jeans
• Amazon one-size-fits-all fleece-lined leggings, which were so comfy and so warm! (affiliate link)
• Amazon leggings (affiliate link)
• Zella leggings (affiliate link)
• Abercrombie high-waisted black jean shorts (affiliate link)
• Old Navy high-waisted white shorts (affiliate link)

• Dresses
• Lulus off-the-shoulder dress (affiliate link)
• Amazon ruffled shoulder dress (affiliate link)
• Lulus maxi dress (affiliate link)

• Shoes
• Merrell hiking boots (affiliate link, also available here and here)
• Allbirds wool runners (affiliate link)
• Sam Edelman combat boots (affiliate link)
• Hunter packable short rain boots (affiliate link)
• Tory Burch sandals (affiliate link)
• Steve Madden sandals (affiliate link)
• Old Navy rubber flip-flops (affiliate link)

• Swim
• Target swim suit (affiliate link)
• Summersalt swim suit (affiliate link)

• Accessories/extras
• Exercise clothes
• Hiking socks (affiliate link)
• Beanies (affiliate link, also available here)
• Gloves (affiliate link)

I debated bringing waterproof pants in case the waterfalls were misty and soaked me, but the leggings I ended up wearing worked fine.

Here are the other items I packed and used.

• Sunglasses (Iceland gets 20-22 hours of sunlight in summer)
• Waterproof phone pouch (for the pools/hot tubs, kayaks, or lagoons/waterfalls)
• Sleep eye mask (so you don't wake up with the sunrise at 4am if you don't want to)
• Sunscreen
• Lip balm/chapstick
• No-rinse detergent for washing clothes in your bathroom sink on the ship (I mostly do this for my exercise clothes so that they don't sit around before going back in my suitcase)
• NCL does offer a laundry service but for a fee
• Lotion!!! You will wash your hands a lot (to try to prevent norovirus or COVID), and the ship soap does not seem to contain any moisturizing properties whatsoever
• Any over-the-counter medication you might use, like Ibuprofen, Pepto-Bismol, Dramamime, Nyquil, etc
• Phone battery brick so you don't have to return to your room to charge
• Lanyard for your cruise ship card (affiliate link)
• Hanging toiletry bag (affiliate link) to have more counter space
• Hair wrap to try to dry hair faster (affiliate link)
• Quick dry towel (affiliate link) for the kayaks or lagoons/waterfalls
• L'ange Hair blow dryer (affiliate link)

NOTE: I am a notorious over-packer. Like, I certainly did not need so many different jackets or different shoes. But I like to be prepared with options! :)

Okay... now on to the ports themselves! I'm experimenting with the format here to try to include as much useful information as possible. Here goes!

reykjavík pronounced ray-kyuh-vik

What we did

My husband and I left D.C. in the evening and landed in Reykjavík at 9am the next morning.

For our first day (the day we arrived), we had initially booked a Golden Circle tour that started at 12noon, but it was canceled at the last-minute.

So instead we signed up for a puffin- and whale-watching tour at the harbor, explored Reykjavík, and grabbed some lobster soup at the Sea Baron (also called Saegreifinn).

For our second day, we booked a private tour of the South Coast through Arctic Adventures with other members of our group, who had flown in that morning. Our guide Alvaro was lovely, and our tour included the Seljalandsfoss (which you can walk behind) and Skogafoss waterfalls; Reynisfjara black sand beach; and a hike on the Solheimajokull glacier.

We ended the evening with dinner at Messinn, which was incredible. Every single person in our party of 7 said their meal was delicious.

The next day, our boarding time was 1:30pm, but we arrived around 10:30am and were on the Prima by 11:30am!

Things to do

• All day tours around Iceland (you can rent a car to drive yourself or purchase a tour — we chose to purchase a tour because we didn't want to deal with the hassle/time to rent a car, and we'd rather relax/nap on the drive than worry about navigation, weather, or jet lag)
• The Golden Circle tour is a 186-mile loop that often includes three popular sites: Gullfoss waterfall, the Geysir geothermal area, and Thingvellier National Park. People often add Blue Lagoon or the Kerið volcanic crater, too. And you can purchase the option to scuba dive between tectonic plates at Thingvellier! I was dying to do this but it didn't work out with our schedule. Next time!
• The South Coast tour often includes the Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss waterfalls; Reynisfjara black sand beach; and a hike on the Solheimajokull glacier. Some people add the Solheimasandur plane wreck.
• Blue Lagoon (or any of the other lagoons — Secret Lagoon and Sky Lagoon were recommended)
• I've read that you need to protect your hair by either slathering it with conditioner (provided by Blue Lagoon) in advance or not getting it wet, but others say that's a myth.
• Blue Lagoon is close to the Reykjavík airport (KEF), so check to see if it makes the most sense to visit on your way to or from the airport.
• Climb to the top of the Hallgrímskirkja church in Reykjavík.
• Entrance is free, but you'll have to buy a ticket to climb the stairs or take the elevator to the top.
• Hike Glymur Waterfall, an hour outside of Reykjavík.
• If you're visiting from May through mid-August, go on a puffin-watching tour.
• Visit Settlement Exhibition or Volcano House to learn more about Iceland's history and geology.
• Take a photo on Rainbow Street, with Hallgrímskirkja in the background.
• If you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes — that's how unpredictable the weather is in Iceland and how quickly it can change!

Restaurant recommendations

• Breakfast
• Hungry Chef Café
• Sandholt Bakerí
• Braud & Co
• Lunch
• Icelandic Street Food
• Old Iceland
• Apotek Restaurant
• Kaffi Loki
• Dinner
• Messinn (5 stars out of 5!!)
• Sea Baron (aka Saegreifinn)
• Harbor Restaurant
• Hlemmur Food Hall
• Tapas Barinn
• Grillmarkadurinn
• Miscellaneous/quick bites
• Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur
• Black Box Pizza 
• Icelandic Street Food at Laekjargata 8 Street food
• Snaps Bistro
• Donuts! 
• Koku Kompaniio
• Bernhoftsbakari
• Le Kock
• Bars
• Jungle Bar
• Irishman
• Pablo Disco Bar
• Kex Lebowski
• Slippbarinn

Day 1 in Reykjavík: Puffin- and whale-watching tour!

We opted for a tour on a RIB speedboat because they can get closer to the puffin islands since they're smaller. And the outfits were provided :)

The harbor

Sunglasses: Illesteva (affiliate link) | Jacket: L.L. Bean 3-in-1 (affiliate link) | Tank top: Amazon (affiliate link) | Leggings: Amazon (affiliate link) | Gloves: Isotoner (affiliate link)

Sunglasses: Illesteva (affiliate link) | Jacket + fleece: L.L. Bean 3-in-1 (affiliate link) | Tank top: Amazon (affiliate link) | Leggings: Amazon (affiliate link) | Gloves: Isotoner (affiliate link) | Hiking boots: Merrell (also available here and here, affiliate links)

Ending the day by exploring the city, including the rainbow-painted street

Day 2 in Reykjavík: The South Coast tour. 

Stop #1 on our South Coast tour: Skogafoss waterfall

I was so happy to see a rainbow!

Beanie: Gap (old, similar here and here, affiliate links) | Jacket: Old Navy | Leggings: Amazon (affiliate link) | Socks: Darn Tough (affiliate link) | Hiking boots: Merrell (also available here and here, affiliate links)

We climbed the 527 stairs to the top of the waterfall. The view was better from the bottom, but I was glad to stretch my legs!

Stop #2: Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach

The sand is black because of the black volcanic rock (which forms when lava cools and solidifies).

You can't really tell in this photo but there were SO MANY puffins overhead, just flying back and forth from their nests to the water. 

We were so happy we were there at the right time to see puffins! Late April/early May through August is their breeding season, when they're on land to mate and nest; during the other months, they live at sea.

Puffins are monogamous creatures, choosing one mate for life. One mate will stay with the baby on shore while the other puffin looks for food, then the parents switch.

Stop #3: Solheimajokull glacier (+ a hike)

You can see the path we would take for our hike, along the water and then up the glacier

We chose to do a beginner hike (aka no climbing ice walls!)

The helmet, ice axe, harness, and crampons were provided by Arctic Adventures to ensure our safety (the axe is mostly for balance). You do have to wear hiking books (so the crampons will fit correctly), so my husband and I brought ours while the rest of our group rented boots from Arctic Adventures.

Drinking fresh glacial water :)

Tank top: Amazon (affiliate link)

A moulin in the glacier

Stop #4 (our final stop): Seljalandsfoss waterfall!

I was so happy because there was another rainbow AND you can walk behind this waterfall!

I switched to a rain jacket to better protect against the waterfall mist.

Beanie: Gap (old, similar here and here, affiliate links) | Sunglasses: Illesteva (affiliate link) | Rain jacket: L.L. Bean (affiliate link) | Leggings: Amazon (affiliate link) | Socks: Darn Tough (affiliate link) | Hiking boots: Merrell (also available here and here, affiliate links)

One of my favorite photos from the whole trip!

Can you see all the people walking behind the waterfall?

We BOOKED it from our tour to make our dinner reservation at Messin — here's the menu! I ordered the salmon.

My husband ordered the seafood pasta.

Haha I was trying to grab a photo of the fish burger before it got eaten... I had to be QUICK because it all smelled so good.

Apple crumble for dessert

isafjordur pronounced ee-suh-fyor-dur

Isafjordur was supposed to be our second port, but it was canceled a few weeks in advance due to dredging issues.

Here are the recommendations I found while trying to decide how to spend our time:

• Visit Dynjandi Waterfall 
  
• Take a puffin-watching boat ride to Vigur Island (also called Puffin Island) in the Westfjords of Iceland. (You can also bird watch in general here.)
• Hike Naustahvilft Valley
• Visit the Arctic Fox Center
• Kayak

akureyri pronounced ah-kuh-rare-ee

What we did

Akureyri is Iceland's second largest city (after Reykjavík), with a population of approximately 18,000 people.

My husband and I booked a tour through Viator (affiliate link) to see Lake Mývatn and the Skútustaðagígar craters; the geothermal area at Námaskarð Pass (hot springs and steam vents); the lava formations at Dimmuborgir; and Godafoss Waterfall.

Although the tour was long, I really liked it. It covered a lot and provided a good opportunity to see Iceland's diverse geography. And we learned so much about Iceland's history from the tour guide, including that Iceland converted from paganism to Christianity in 1000 CE — with 3 conditions: People could still 1) "expose" "surplus" babies; 2) eat horseflesh; and 3) worship pagan gods in private...!

The only thing I would change about the tour is that I would have liked more time at each stop! Which is I guess at least a sign of good choices for the tour.

Things to do

• Travel to sites like Godafoss waterfall, Lake Mývatn, Dettifoss waterfall, or Ásbyrgi canyon.
• There's a sightseeing route called the Diamond Circle that includes Lake Mývatn, Dettifoss waterfall, and the Ásbyrgi canyon, as well as the town of Húsavík.
• Take a boat tour to Hrisey to see puffins/birds.
• Visit Kjarnaskogur Forest. 
• Visit the Arctic Botanical Gardens. 
• Hike Mount Sulur. 
• Go whale watching. 
• Visit Santa's House in Akureyri.
• Apparently the traffic lights in Akureyri have hearts in them, if you want to check!

Restaurant recommendations

• Bláa Kannan
• Kaffi Ilmur
• Rub 23
• Bryggjan
• Strikid

Sweater: Loft (affiliate link) | Jeans: Old Navy (affiliate link)

Stop #1 on our Akureyri tour: Godafoss waterfall (view from the parking lot)

You have the choice to go to the left of the waterfall or cross this bridge and go to the right. We chose to go cross the bridge and go to the right.

If we'd had more time, we would have walked both sides of the waterfall, but we had to head back to the bus.

I kind of wish we'd walked on the left side of Godafoss, so we could have gotten closer, but I did like being able to see all the tiny silhouettes, especially to put the waterfall in perspective.

Beanie: Gap (old, similar here and here, affiliate links) | Jacket: L.L. Bean 3-in-1 (affiliate link, I'm not wearing the fleece here) | Sweater: Loft (affiliate link) | Leggings: Amazon (affiliate link) | Socks: Darn Tough (affiliate link) | Hiking boots: Merrell (also available here and here, affiliate links)

Stop #2: Lake Mývatn. This area was SO PRETTY but the gnats were SO BAD, I wish I'd had a mask or scarf with me to cover as much of my face as possible. Or maybe a powered fan to blow them out of my path.

Even so, there were lots of different paths here that I wish we'd had more time to explore.

Stop #3: Dimmuborgir Lava Field (and the Cave of the Yule Lads)

The rock formations and caves in this area were created as a result of lava flowing through the area, passing over the lake and boiling, and solidifying. According to our tour guide, the caves are home to Iceland's trolls ;)

Learn more about the Dimmuborgir Lava Field.

We found the trolls' cave but didn't see any trolls.

Our tour included a packed lunch: A juice box, sandwich, and chocolate :)

Stop #4: Námaskarð, a volcanic region with mud pots

While Yellowstone National Park did smell like sulfur around certain areas (like Old Faithful and Norris Geyser Basin), the smell was SO MUCH STRONGER here!

Yet another place I wish we'd had more time to explore (like walking up to that overlook in the background), but I'm just happy we got to see it at all!

Headband: J. Crew Factory | Sweater: Banana Republic | Skirt: Mango (affiliate link) | Sandals: Steve Madden (affiliate link)

alesund pronounced al-luh-suhnd

What we did

My husband and I opted against doing an excursion and planned to just meander through the city. So we chose to walk approximately 45 minutes from the ship to the aquarium Atlanterhavsparken, aka Atlantic Sea-Park. (It's also possible to take the Hop-On Hop-Off bus directly from the cruise terminal, but we wanted a chance to stretch our legs.)

I generally find zoos and even aquariums to be depressing, but the Atlantic Sea-Park is one of the largest saltwater aquariums in Scandinavia. We got to see penguins, seals, and otters (all of which were in outside enclosures)!!

We then took the Hop-On Hop-Off bus from the aquarium to the Aksla Viewpoint. I could have stayed here so much longer just looking out over the city! (And there's a café called Fjellstua, but we didn't stop to eat.)

We then walked down the 418 steps back to town (which seemed like the better way to go, since many folks walking up the stairs seemed to be regretting their decision) to explore.

The rest of our group booked NCL's "Land of the Trolls" excursion, which they really liked despite what they described as terrifying hairpin curves on the road, haha!

Things to do

• Ride the Hop-On Hop-Off Bus.
• Visit Atlantic Sea Park (Atlanterhavsparken).
• Take in the view from the Aksla Viewpoint.
• Visit the Sunnmøre Museum, an open air museum to see farmhouses and boats.
• Visit Giske and Godøy islands and climb to the top of the Alnes Lighthouse on Godøy.
• Visit the Art Nouveau Centre.
• Kayak.

Restaurant recommendations

• Zuuma
• Real American Steakhouse
• Cinque Minuti
• Molo Brew
• Fisketorget
• Sjøbua 
• Lamella for ice cream

Sunglasses: Illesteva (affiliate link) | Sweater: Loft (affiliate link) | Leggings: Amazon (affiliate link) | Combat boots: Sam Edelman (affiliate link)

Penguins are my husband's favorite. He was so sad we didn't see any on our honeymoon in Australia and New Zealand so we prioritized seeing them on this trip!

The seals were my FAVORITE. Basically the whole reason I wanted to do the aquarium.

At one point the staff were moving equipment and the seals thought it was feeding time, so they all swam over.

Otters!

I really wanted to see more (apparently invasive) lupines on our cruise, but I think we were too late in the season (late June/early July would have been better).

One of the views from Aksla!

Apparently there were some WWII-era bunkers to the right in this photo, but I sadly didn't get photos.

You can see some of the 418 steps in this photo... and our ship!

I really loved the view from Aksla, I couldn't stop taking photos!

Another view from the top (we basically wandered along the edges of the viewpoint taking photos from every single angle).

Making our way down the stairs...

There were a lot of them!

Ålesund was so cute!

Back on the ship and ready to take advantage of the gorgeous weather!

Sunglasses: Illesteva (affiliate link) | Swimsuit: Summersalt (affiliate link) | Shorts: Old Navy (affiliate link) | Lanyard: Amazon (affiliate link)

olden pronounced old-en

What we did

I knew I wanted to hike at least once while in Norway, and Olden was the perfect place for it!

So my group and I hiked approximately 6 miles to the Mt. Huaren overlook. The terrain itself was easy (it was mostly paved except for the final .2 miles or so), but it was such a steep incline that I'd rate it as fairly moderate.

On the way down, we took the path to the town. We did some sightseeing and window-shopping and then walked back to the ship. Olden was beautiful but seemed small, so we were happy to sit outside on the ship and just take in the views.

Things to do

• Hike Huaren
• Ride the Loen skylift (I wish we'd done this!)
• Hike Mt. Hoven
• Take the sightseeing bus to the Briksdal Glacier (which I believe you can hike)
• Book a Via Ferrata Loen tour
• Hike the Tystigbreen glacier
• Kayak

Restaurant recommendations

• Yris Cafe & Restaurant
• Molla Guesthouse
• Hoven Restaurant (in Loen)
• Café Gobeten (in Innvik)
• Aabrekk Gard (in Oldedalen valley in Stryn)
• Stryn Kaffebar & Vertshus (in Stryn)

The views at the beginning of our hike

Looking down at our ship!

I just can't get over how prettyyyy Norway is!!

Sunglasses: Illesteva (affiliate link) | Tank top: Brick House in the City | Shorts: Old Navy (affiliate link) | Socks: Darn Tough (affiliate link) | Hiking boots: Merrell (also available here and here, affiliate links)

Views from down in town

Back on the ship to watch as we sailed through the Norwegian fjords

Dress: Lulus (affiliate link)

bergen pronounced bur-gn

What we did

My husband and I took a "chasing waterfalls" tour (affiliate link) through Viator. We visited 3 waterfalls, including another one you can walk behind.

Apparently Bergen is the rainiest city in Europe... so we got extremely lucky with perfect weather!

Our tour lasted 8 hours or so and dropped us off at the wharf upon our return, so we walked through the town back to the ship, stopping to grab snacks, people-watch, and take in the sights.

The rest of our group did NCL's "Norway in a Nutshell" excursion, which also lasted approximately 8 hours. They really liked it and took some great photos!

Recommendations + tips

• Hike Mount Ulriken (or take the cable car) for views of Bergen and the water.
• Ride the funicular to Mount Fløyen.
• Visit the the Gamlehaugen (the official residence of the Norwegian Royal Family in Bergen).
• Check out the colorful row houses at Bryggen Hanseatic Wharf.
• Explore the University Museum of Bergen.
• Visit the Maritime Museum. 
• Explore the Botanical Garden. 
• See Bergenhus Fortress. 
• Visit the Leprosy Museum. 
• Visit the Market Square to try fresh seafood. 
• Ride the Hop-On Hop-Off Bus.

Restaurant recommendations

• Ægir brewery
• Daily Pot
• Bryggeloftet & Stuene Restaurant
• Dr. Wiesener
• Trekroneren (hot dog stand)

The view outside our cabin!!! Incredible!

Stop #1 on our Bergen tour: Mørkhølsfossen

This waterfall was right off the road (and had a public restroom in the parking lot)

Fleece: L.L. Bean 3-in-1 (affiliate link) | Tank top: Amazon (affiliate link) | Leggings: Zella (affiliate link) | Sneakers: Allbirds (affiliate link)

Stop #2: Fossen Bratte

Our bus pulled over onto the side of the road and we walked down a path to the waterfall.

Stop #3: Steinsdalsfossen (which you can walk behind!)

Sunglasses: Illesteva (affiliate link) | Rain jacket: L.L. Bean (affiliate link) | Fleece: L.L. Bean 3-in-1 (affiliate link) | Tank top: Amazon (affiliate link) | Leggings: Zella (affiliate link) | Sneakers: Allbirds (affiliate link)

I LOVE being able to walk behind waterfalls!

Do you see me...? ;)

Though that was the last of the waterfalls, our tour stopped a few times for particularly scenic views, like this one!

Back in Bergen

I wish we'd had more time in town!! I can't wait to go back to Norway some day.

Making the most of our final few hours in Norway and the nice weather.

Sunglasses: Illesteva (affiliate link) | Dress: Amazon (affiliate link)

amsterdam pronounced am-stir-dam

What we did

While the rest of our group took a 90-minute "Waterways of Amsterdam" canal tour, my husband and I visited the Anne Frank House. This was our second time, and it was just as powerful and emotional as the first time. (The rest of my family had later ticket times for the Anne Frank House than we did, so we saw them entering the museum as we were exiting.)

After, my husband walked to the Verzetsmuseum — the museum of Dutch WWII Resistance. I'd always wanted to visit, so I was thankful we had the time to visit this trip. I definitely recommend going, I learned so much. It's hard to believe how much courage Europeans had fighting back against the Nazi regime.

I'd recommend checking in advance if there are any events taking place during your time in each city. It was actually Pride Week in Amsterdam during our time there, so a lot of the areas had fences and barricades up for events and crowd control. It made it hard to get a sense of the city, so I was glad it wasn't our first time in Amsterdam.

My dad loved watching the ship navigate the locks as we were sailing out of Amsterdam... he was sending us all updates, complete with photos!

Things to do

• Visit the Anne Frank House.
• Per the website: "Tickets only available through this website! Every Tuesday at 10am CEST all tickets become available for a visit six weeks later."
• Update as of 9/19/2023: The Anne Frank House used to save 20% of tickets to be released in batches the day of (that's how we managed to get tickets on our first visit to Amsterdam) — but it appears as of 2023 it no longer offers that option and ALL tickets become available 6 weeks in advance. We set a reminder on our phone this time so we wouldn't forget when they become available or miss the window!
• Note that your ticket will have a 15-minute window for you to enter; our ticket was for entry at 12:30-12:45pm. We entered right at 12:30pm and were walking out of the museum by 1:30.
• Visit Verzetsmuseum Amsterdam (Museum of WWII Resistance) or the Jewish Historical Museum.
• Visit the Van Gogh Museum, the Rembrandt House Museum, or Rijksmuseum. 
• Take a canal tour.
• Try the Heineken Experience. 
• Tour the Royal Palace.
• Tour the "church in the attic"
• Visit the Tulip Museum.

Restaurant recommendations

• Hap-Hmm
• Moeders
• Stork
• Wilde Zwijnen
• Box Sociaal
• Café de Oude Wester (nearby the Anne Frank House)

Read my previous travel diary of Amsterdam here!

Sunglasses: Illesteva (affiliate link) | Earrings: Bauble Bar (old but similar here, affiliate link) | Dress: Lulus (affiliate link)

I believe this photo is of the seven bridges of the Reguliersgracht... it's one of the most popular places in Amsterdam to take a photo!

brussels pronounced bruss-suls

I was thrilled we found an Iceland/Norway cruise that visited Belgium. Sadly, our port ended up getting canceled, so we had an overnight in Amsterdam instead.

Although we didn't end up stopping here, here are the recommendations I found:

• Take a tour to Flanders Field in western Belgium (this is what I was hoping to do because of its WWI significance and the poem In Flanders Field). 
• Visit Grand Place Cantillon Brewery (aka Brasserie Cantillon). 
• See Manneken Pis (which is kind of weird... but apparently a tourist must).
• Visit the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula. 
• Visit the Place Sainte-Catherine Jardin du Petit Sablon. 
• Tour the Palais Royal. 
• Visit the Palais de Justice Atomium (+ restaurant). 
• Tour Cinquantenaire &  Triumphal Arch Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences.
• Eat at Maison Dandoy. 

Amsterdam was our last real port... the next day, we woke up in Southampton, England for Disembarkation Day!

My husband and I elected to take our luggage off the ship ourselves, so we were off by 7:30am or so and on the shuttle to the Southampton Airport by 8am.

And with that, our 10-day adventure across the Norwegian Sea came to an end. It had been well worth the wait.

Would I sail on the Norwegian Prima again? Yes, absolutely.

While I can understand other people's complaints about the ship, the issues they described either didn't affect us or ended up feeling insignificant to our overall experience.

I also really loved this itinerary... especially Norway (if you couldn't tell from all the nearly identical photos).

Whether you're thinking about booking an NCL Northern European cruise, wondering about the Prima, or planning to visit any of these countries on your own, I hope this review helps! Please let me know if you have any questions in the comments!

love from

Read my review of the Norwegian Encore: 7 Days in Alaska (Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay, Ketchikan, and Victoria) in May

Read my review of the Norwegian Jade: 7 Days in the Greek Islands (Athens, Crete, Rhodes, Mykonos, Katakolon, Corfu, and Santorini) in October

Read my review of the Norwegian Sky: A 5-Day Caribbean Cruise from Miami to Cozumel & Great Stirrup Cay in November

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