Which Norwegian Cruise Ships Have Go-Karts?

Six Norwegian Cruise Line ships have top-deck go-kart race tracks: Norwegian Joy, Bliss, and Encore, plus the newer Prima-class trio of Prima, Viva, and Aqua. If a ship isn’t on that list, it doesn’t have go-karts — the feature is exclusive to NCL’s most recent ships, and older vessels in the fleet never received it.

The ships with go-karts

These are the Norwegian ships built with race tracks on board:

• Norwegian Joy — among the first NCL ships to debut the go-kart track.
• Norwegian Bliss — a multi-deck track wrapping the top of the ship.
• Norwegian Encore — the longest of the original go-kart tracks.
• Norwegian Prima — launched the newer Prima class with an open-air track.
• Norwegian Viva — sister ship to Prima with the same racing setup.
• Norwegian Aqua — the newest Prima-class ship, continuing the go-kart tradition.

What to know before you race

The go-karts are popular, so a little planning helps:

• It costs extra. The track is a paid activity, not included in your fare, charged per session or race.
• It books up. Reserve a time early in the cruise, since slots fill fast on sea days.
• There are rules. Expect minimum height requirements, a safety briefing, and electric karts that staff can speed-limit.
• It only runs in good conditions. The open-air track may close in high winds or rain.

If your ship doesn’t have one

Most of Norwegian’s fleet — the older and smaller ships — has no go-kart track. Those vessels still offer plenty of top-deck fun like ropes courses, water slides, and sports areas, but if racing is a must-do for you, book one of the six ships above. The Prima-class ships in particular pair the go-karts with a redesigned top deck, so they’re the strongest pick for anyone cruising primarily for the track.

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