Don’t panic! The Norwegian Sky isn’t so small that it can fit inside a glass case! This is a replica of the ship inside one of the dining rooms onboard the ship. In fact, although she first sailed in 1999, the Norwegian Sky can accommodate 2,004 passengers (double occupancy) and 934 crew members with a Gross Register Tonnage (GRT) of 77,104, an overall length of 848 and cruising speed of 20 knots. In this post we’ll take a tour of the public spaces onboard in part two of my Norwegian Sky review.
The Atrium area spans decks 5, 6, and 7 with elevators on both sides. There’s plenty of seating on both decks to people watch and relax.
In addition to the elevators in the Atrium, there are elevators located forward and aft on the ship as well as stairs to take you from one deck to the next.
On deck 5 you can check out the Reception Desk as well as the Shore Excursion Desk. Also located nearby on deck 5 is one of the Main Dining Rooms (MDR), the Palace Restaurant. The other Main Dining Room is Crossings, which is located aft on this deck.
The Stardust Lounge is the ship’s theater, which is located on decks 6 and 7. The large two-story theater accommodates 930 guests and in addition to nightly shows, it can also be used for large group meetings during the day. Some of the shows onboard my cruise included a comedy show featuring Andrew Kennedy; Showdown! – a vocal battle production; and Norwegian Cruise Line’s latest production, Deal or No Deal.
On deck 11 you will find Body Waves Fitness Center opposite Mandara Spa. A medium sized fitness center outfitted with TechnoGym equipment, if you’re looking for a treadmill, elliptical, or stationary bike, you’ll find one here. Additionally, the gym offers a variety of classes throughout your cruise including yoga and even TRX. The fitness center is open daily from 6 am until 11 pm.
As we were pulling out of port, I had my usual appointment in the spa for a pedicure. In the above picture, you can see the MSC Divina pulling out of port near past us. In the second picture you can see the amazing Novolette who did an amazing job on my pedicure. She is the only nail technician onboard, which means she works 7 days a week! Hailing from Jamaica, she had a smile on her face the entire time and was not only professional, but made the time fly by as I talked to her about cruising and life on a cruise ship.
On deck 7 you’ll find the Galleria Shops that offer everything from Colombian Emeralds to beauty products to clothing. If you’re hungry or looking for a drink, be it a coffee or something a little stronger, stop by the Coffee Bar. Just to either side of the Coffee Bar is the Internet Café, although if you bring your own device (laptop, tablet, or smartphone), you probably won’t need to use the ship’s computer. I was able to connect easily online with my iPhone everywhere on the ship but in my cabin where there was no signal. Also located on deck 7 is the Kid’s Korner and Video Arcade.
Feeling lucky? Don’t forget to swing by the Sky Club Casino where you can play Roulette, Blackjack, Craps, and slot machines. Before you board the ship, don’t forget to visit SlotPlayCoupons.com and get your coupon for $50 worth of slot play for $25.
Feel like a game of basketball? Head up to the Basketball/Volleyball court on deck 12 and have your hand at a quick pick up game. The court was relatively quiet throughout my cruise so if you just want to shoot some hoops on your own, you could have the court all to yourself if you’re lucky. Nearby you’ll find the two golf driving nets onboard in case you want to practice your swing while at sea.
But the most popular place onboard has to be deck 11 – the pool deck with two swimming pools and 5 hot tubs. Entourage Teen Club is also located on deck 11 for teens ages 13-17.
Deck 12 has the Promenade area just above the pool, which is great for lounging and sunbathing. There’s an area on deck 12 forward that is somewhat secluded and quiet if you’re looking to get away from the crowds.
All the way forward on deck 12 you’ll find the Children’s Pool, an otherwise quiet area that you can probably use to dip your feet in or skip it and jump in the hot tub instead. Although the pool, waterfall, and hot tub are supposed to be for children only, don’t worry… I won’t tell if you take a quick dip.
After a day in Nassau, I made my way up to deck 12 to sunbathe and found it practically empty. While the pool deck was definitely full most times, I had no problem finding an empty lounge chair up above on deck 12. My only wish would be for Norwegian to replace the worn and tired pool tools as they are starting to look and feel worn. Had I known how thin they were, I probably would’ve brought one from home with me.
In my next post I’ll cover the ship’s bar, lounges, and restaurants onboard so you can expect to see lots of pictures of food and beverages. Yum!