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Nine new F&B conceps for Norwegian Prima

Norwegian Cruise Line's two first Prima-class ships will debut nine new dining and beverage menus including a sustainable-focused bar.

Anne Kalosh, Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

March 8, 2022

4 Min Read
Credit: Seatrade Cruise News

Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva will also have NCL's first three-level atrium, the Penrose Atrium.

And major food and beverage updates, including a revamped main dining menu, will roll out on this year's Norwegian Prima, along with enhancements to signature venues Le Bistro, Cagney’s Steakhouse and Food Republic as well as the Observation Lounge.

CRUISE Norwegian Prima Palomar

Mediterranean seafood specialty restaurant Palomar

Seven new dining spots

The new Mediterranean seafood specialty restaurant Palomar provides a relaxing atmosphere for high-end Mediterranean cuisine. Hasuki, a new, elevated take on the traditional Japanese hibachi style, has minimalist decor, handcrafted pottery and Japanese artwork. New contemporary sushi house Nama has a whimsical Japanese backdrop inspired by menu items including a marble sushi bar reflective of the marbling in the high-quality sashimi and subtle orange ambient lighting representing the color of masago (fish roe).

CRUISE Norwegian Prima Hasuki

Hasuki

Diners will be able to take in 270-degree views overlooking the stern at the new main dining room Hudson’s or opt for upscale cuisine set in comfortable yet refined surroundings at The Commodore Room. Both locations will have an extensive fixed menu with more global dishes, from Spanish paella and Italian mussels in white wine sauce to vegetarian options such as mushroom risotto and cauliflower piccata.

The new menu will also offer a build-your-own pasta section where diners get their choice of pasta, sauce and topping with more than 24 possible combinations. And the menu includes a 'Specialties' section where diners can select a dish from one of the ship’s specialty dining venues.

After debuting on Norwegian Prima, this revamped menu will roll out to the rest of NCL’s 17-ship fleet through 2023.

The Surfside Café and Surfside Grill, on Deck 17, will feature a diverse menu, with self-serve casual dining, and items prepared 'a la minute' on request.

CRUISE Norwegian Prima Metropolitan Bar

Sustainable libations at the Metropolitan Bar

Sustainable libations

The Metropolitan Bar will premiere under NCL's 'Sail and Sustain' program featuring responsibly crafted zero-waste cocktails prepared with surplus ingredients and offer a fully sustainable spirits menu and biodynamic wines. Working with 'The Drinks Business' Green Awards 2020 recipient Gerard Bertrand, NCL’s Metropolitan Bar will showcase more than 20 biodynamic wines produced using organic farming methods such as employing compost as fertilizer and avoiding most pesticides.

Once again the line partnered with James Beard Award nominee and Bar Lab founder Gabe Orta to pair elevated libation with sustainably focused practices. The Metropolitan Bar’s signature sustainably made cocktail Primadonna plays on an Old Fashioned and is crafted using surplus banana peels with Flor De Caña rum produced with 100% renewable energy.

NCL collaborated with Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana to introduce and produce responsibly sourced botanical gins specifically for the line and made using 100% recyclable glass and wood for the bottle’s design. Other new bar and lounge options on Norwegian Prima and Viva include The Belvedere Bar, a contemporary cocktail lounge featuring crafted cocktails with a fresh, modern take on classic drinks.

CRUISE Norwegian Prima Penrose Atrium

Penrose Atrium

Designed by Miami-based Studio DADO to evoke the sense of wonder felt by the ocean's earliest explorers, NCL’s first three-story, glass-walled Penrose Atrium spanning Decks 6, 7 and 8 will be one of the focal points of Norwegian Prima and Viva. The grand space will vaunt futuristic architecture including a large-scale chandelier custom built by the renowned Czech lighting design firm Lasvit.

The installation was inspired by constellations and features moving light fixtures weighing more than 7,300 pounds/3,311 kilograms. Lining the Penrose Atrium will be a three-deck-high light feature that will convey the feeling of the sun rising on the horizon and surround a three-level wall art piece resembling a topographic map.

Retail spaces and high-end luxury shops will also be located throughout the Penrose Atrium’s three levels, including NCL's newest Starbucks Coffee. And Penrose will be home to the decanter-inspired Whiskey Bar, offering a curated selection of drinks, and the Prima Casino and The Penrose Bar, featuring video poker machines.

Returning favorites

Cagney's Steakhouse will have new décor celebrating the 20th-century modernist architecture of Chicago. Capturing the French flair of the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles, the embellished Le Bistro French specialty restaurant has sophisticated décor with three floor-to-ceiling chandeliers, coffered ceilings and plaster moldings. Asian-fusion venue Food Republic also returns on the first two Prima-class vessels with elevated décor, a larger restaurant space and better views.

The Observation Lounge, with different areas designated for lounging and socializing, will be back on Deck 17 with a cozier ambiance including alcoves separated by elegant screens and partitions. Telescopes to view port arrivals will be available, too.

About the Author

Anne Kalosh

Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

Anne Kalosh covers global stories, reporting both breaking and in-depth news on cruising's significant people, places, ships and trends. A sought-after expert on cruising, she has moderated conferences around the world, including the high-profile State of the Industry panel at Seatrade Cruise Global. She created and led the acclaimed itinerary-planning case study for Seatrade's cruise master classes held at Cambridge and Oxford universities. She has been the cruise columnist for AFAR.com, and her freelance stories have appeared in a wide range of publications, from The New York Times to The Miami Herald.

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