I’ve sailed on more than 55 cruises around the world, ranging from some of the newest mega ships at sea to old cruise ships that first debuted in a very different generation of cruising.
Personally, I’ve never been someone who turns my nose up at an older ship. If the itinerary is exciting, I’m happy to book it. I’d rather visit a new destination on an older vessel than repeat the same ports just to sail the newest mega cruise ship. Of course, if I can pair an amazing itinerary with a newer ship, that’s the best-case scenario.
But after years of cruising across multiple lines, I’ve noticed something surprising: Norwegian’s older ships consistently impress me more than similarly aged ships from Royal Caribbean or Carnival.
Most recently, I spent seven nights onboard Norwegian Pearl, a ship that debuted in 2006 and now ranks among the oldest vessels in Norwegian Cruise Line’s fleet. Yet after a week onboard sailing across Europe, I kept forgetting how old the ship actually was.
Honestly, if someone told me Norwegian Pearl was much newer, I probably would’ve believed them.
And it hasn’t just been Norwegian Pearl that’s impressed me. I’ve had similar experiences on Norwegian Sun (2001), Norwegian Jade (2006), Norwegian Star (2001), and Norwegian Dawn (2002). Again and again, Norwegian’s older ships seem noticeably better maintained and more thoughtfully updated than many competing vessels of the same age.
Meanwhile, I’ve sailed extensively on Royal Caribbean’s Vision and Radiance Class ships over the years, along with some of Carnival’s oldest vessels. I even sailed on Carnival Ecstasy shortly before she was retired and sent for scrapping.
In addition, I recently cruised on Carnival Sunshine, which is currently Carnival’s oldest ship. Unfortunately, it ended up being one of my least favorite cruise experiences in recent memory. It wasn’t because of the ship’s age, but instead how Carnival has maintained the vessel.
To start, Carnival Sunshine’s cabins felt very worn and the public spaces looked tired. Maintenance issues were hard to ignore after encountering numerous issues. It just didn’t feel like a ship that had aged gracefully, despite a massive refurbishment over a decade ago.
After comparing these older cruise experiences side by side, I realized something: if I’m booking an older ship tomorrow, I’m choosing Norwegian almost every time. Here’s why.
Norwegian actually updates their cabins
The biggest reason I’d choose Norwegian’s old cruise ships over the competition comes down to the cabins. In many cases, they feel updated and modern in a way I haven’t consistently experienced on older Royal Caribbean or Carnival ships.
Royal Caribbean has many things I absolutely love. After all, I’m Diamond Plus loyalty member for a reason. But cabin upgrades on older ships have never been their strength.
Of course, maintenance happens on Royal Caribbean’s oldest ships. But, it seems like major refreshes are limited for their oldest vessels.
When I recently sailed on Grandeur of the Seas, the stateroom looked nearly identical to photos from the ship’s debut. I don’t need every cabin to feel brand new, but small modern touches go a long way.
Truthfully, I don’t think the cabin had received any major updates in the last 20+ years, other than maybe refreshed carpets and a new bed mattress.
On the other hand, Norwegian prioritizes things like:
- USB ports by the bed
- Updated furniture
- More contemporary finishes
- Better lighting
- Improved bathrooms
After a week onboard Norwegian Pearl, these updates made a noticeable difference in our cabin experience. In this way, Norwegian seems to understand the importance of updating cabins.
Every older Norwegian ship I’ve sailed has surprised me with how refreshed the cabins feel. Even on Norwegian Sun, one of the oldest ships in the fleet, the stateroom felt updated rather than neglected.
Similarly, our Club Balcony Suite onboard Norwegian Pearl was very comfortable and left us impressed.
We had USB ports right by the bed, which sounds minor until you need to charge your phones, cameras, watches, and power banks every night. I love having my phone on my nightstand for an alarm clock. On the other hand, Royal Caribbean’s oldest cabins hardly ever have USB ports by the bedside or modern upgrades.
The decor in our Club Balcony Suite also felt contemporary on Norwegian Pearl, and the furniture looked relatively updated. Moreover, our room had plenty of storage and didn’t scream “early 2000s cruise ship.”
The bathroom was another highlight for us. It featured marble finishes, a large sink, and a spacious shower setup that felt far nicer than I expected on a 20-year-old cruise ship.
If you walked into our room without knowing the ship’s age, I don’t think “this ship is over two decades old” would cross your mind.
Meanwhile, my experience on Carnival Sunshine could not have been more different.
Our cabin had an unpleasant smell that never fully disappeared. The bathroom flooded after nearly every shower, which made for an awful experience. And to top it all off, we were located near the elevators and dealt with constant noise, making it difficult to sleep.
There was visible rust throughout the ship, but the cabin was really worn down. It was one of the few cruise cabins where I actively looked forward to leaving.
Norwegian adds modern features to its older ships
Another area where Norwegian stands out is how they keep older ships relevant with modern amenities.
For a ship built in 2006, the onboard experience felt unexpectedly contemporary. There were plenty of restaurants, updated spaces, and one addition that really surprised me: a full Starbucks onboard.
This wasn’t a coffee counter that served Starbucks. Nope, this was an actual Starbucks with a full menu. Seeing this in the atrium made the ship feel more modern from the get go.
The public spaces were also impressive. Norwegian Pearl still has an older ship layout, but the design remains pretty intuitive and easy to navigate. Nothing felt cramped or confusing, and we didn’t struggle to navigate the midsize vessel.
On the other hand, I’ve sailed on old Carnival ships that are very confusing to navigate, such as my cruise on Carnival Valor. The layout felt extremely choppy and counterintuitive. For instance, we struggled to find the dining room on the first night of the cruise!
Regardless of this outdated design, Carnival deserves some credit here.
The cruise line has added signature venues like Guy’s Burger Joint, BlueIguana Cantina, and Alchemy Bar across many of its older ships.
I was surprised to find all three of these venues on Carnival Ecstasy when I sailed in 2022, despite the ship being one of the oldest mainstream vessels still sailing. Additions like these go a long way toward making older ships feel more current, especially when they include some of Carnival’s signature experiences.
Royal Caribbean hasn’t taken the same approach with its oldest vessels.
Vision Class and Radiance Class ships still largely operate with many of the same amenities they debuted with, and very few major changes have been made over the years. I’ve been sailing on these ships for more than 15 years, so their somewhat stagnant evolution has become noticeable.
Jewel of the Seas looked almost identical in 2023 when I sailed to Iceland compared to when I cruised the Caribbean onboard in 2018. I also sailed aboard Radiance of the Seas to Alaska in both 2010 and 2022, and the ship felt largely unchanged.
I’d personally love to see more updates on Royal Caribbean’s oldest ships, whether that means new dining venues, refreshed public spaces, or additional casual options. So far, though, that doesn’t seem to be part of Royal Caribbean’s approach.
Even something easy like adding a dedicated pizza venue like Sorrento’s would make a difference. New casual dining options, updated gathering spaces, new bar concepts, or refreshed public venues could go a long way.
I will say that Royal Caribbean has invested heavily in Freedom Class and Voyager Class upgrades over the years, but their oldest ships haven’t seen the same level of attention.
After sailing on Norwegian Pearl this year and Norwegian Jade last year, I’ve been reminded why I prefer NCL’s older ships.
The condition of Norwegian Pearl was equally as impressive
The other thing that stood out to me on Norwegian Pearl was simply how good the ship looked. Even knowing Pearl had recently completed a dry dock in November 2025, I still expected to notice more wear and tear because of her age.
After all, this is a ship that first debuted in 2004. But that really wasn’t the case. Obvious signs of rust were minimal, and the paint looked fresh throughout the ship. Norwegian Pearl’s public areas, bars, and restaurants all appeared very well maintained.
As I mentioned above, I’m not someone who turns down an older cruise ship, and I certainly don’t expect perfection. Cruise ships spend decades operating in saltwater, so some wear and tear is inevitable.
Even still, I do appreciate visible investment and basic upkeep, and Norwegian Pearl impressed me in both areas.
Normally, on a ship this age, you expect to notice chipped paint, aging surfaces, visible corrosion, or little reminders that the vessel has been around for decades. This was certainly the case when we sailed on Carnival Sunshine, which had tons of rust everywhere.
We kept looking for those signs of aging on Norwegian Pearl, but we never really noticed it. Outside of the ship’s older design style, Norwegian Pearl barely felt like a vessel built in 2004.
On the flip side, I’ve found that Royal Caribbean’s oldest ships often show their age. This isn’t necessarily criticism, as it’s normal for ships to age and feel dated at times. For instance, I was surprised by how much wear-and-tear we saw aboard Jewel of the Seas, including a broken window in the atrium!
After sailing Norwegian Pearl, I found myself wondering what each cruise line prioritizes during dry dock periods. In my opinion, Norwegian appears to put significant effort into refreshing the guest experience rather than simply preserving what already exists.
I’d happily sail onboard Norwegian’s old cruise ships again
If you asked me whether I’d book Norwegian Pearl again tomorrow, my answer would be an easy yes. Honestly, I’d happily sail aboard any of Norwegian’s old cruise ships without much hesitation.
After more than 55 cruises, that’s not something I can say about every older vessel I’ve sailed.
Norwegian seems to have figured out how to keep aging ships competitive through updated cabins, refreshed interiors, added amenities, and strong maintenance. The result is a cruise ship that feels far younger than its actual age, and that matters more to me than the launch year printed on a fact sheet.
I’ll always enjoy a brand-new ship with all the latest features and attractions. But if I’m choosing between an old Royal Caribbean, Carnival, or Norwegian ship, I’m probably booking Norwegian.
