Indulging in new dining experiences is a cruise highlight for many Norwegian Cruise Line passengers.
Many cruisers plan their vacation meals far in advance of their sailings and look forward to discovering new flavors and ways to enhance their cruise experiences through the array of complimentary and specialty dining options available.
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As the launch of Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship, Norwegian Aqua, approaches, some passengers booked on its first season of cruises are already looking ahead to the new dining experiences they’ll enjoy on board.
While browsing options available for their cruise on Aqua in Norwegian’s app, one passenger noticed that the cruise line released the menu for its brand-new specialty dining experience featured on the ship. The passenger shared screenshots of the menu in the NCL community on Reddit so others could share in their excitement.
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Norwegian Aqua’s new Thai specialty restaurant will feature dishes like Thai Cashew Chicken.
Image source: Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Cruise Line releases menu for new Thai specialty restaurant
On board Norwegian Aqua, the cruise line’s first-ever Thai specialty restaurant, Sukhothai, will allow passengers to try new takes on traditional Thai dishes in an upscale and inviting atmosphere.
Passengers will be able start their Thai dining experience with appetizers such as salt and pepper prawns, chicken satay skewers, and Thai spring rolls. Other appetizers include Bangkok-style tom kha gai chicken and coconut soup; som tum, a classic Thai papaya dish; and nam tok neua, which features sliced, charbroiled beef with green and red onions.
For entrees, Sukhothai will offer a selection of Thai curries as well as house specialties including Thai cashew chicken, almond beef, and pla yum mamuang, a fried red snapper dish. House specialties will also feature roasted duck curry, pad Thai, and vegetable fried rice.
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For dessert, passengers will indulge in Norwegian’s spin on Thai sweets like mango with sticky rice, Thai coconut and pandan pudding, lychee sorbet, and fried bananas served with toasted coconut and vanilla ice cream.
“That menu looks awesome,” Reddit user Bulky_Knowledge_4248 wrote in the thread where the menu was shared. “Hope that it comes to other ships in the future!”
Sukhothai will also be a featured on Norwegian Aqua’s sister ship Norwegian Luna, which launches in April 2026. Whether it will be added to any of Norwegian’s existing ships remains to be seen.
On board Norwegian Aqua, Sukhothai will join a lineup of fan-favorite Norwegian Cruise Line specialty dining restaurants including Nama Sushi and Sashimi, hibachi-style restaurant Hasuki, Mediterranean seafood restaurant Palomar, Cagney’s Steakhouse, high-end French restaurant Le Bistro, Mexican dining venue Los Lobos, and upscale Italian restaurant Onda by Scarpetta.
Norwegian Aqua will offer a new plant-based eatery, other novel experiences
Passengers sailing on Norwegian Aqua will also be able to enjoy plant-based bowls and other healthy options from Planterie, the cruise line’s first dedicated eatery serving a full plant-based menu. Planterie will be one of 10 food stations inside the ship’s Indulge Food Hall, which draws inspiration from international food marketplaces.
Norwegian Aqua will also debut a new contemporary wine lounge, Swirl Wine Bar, an intimate, hidden bar offering a comprehensive wine-by-the-glass menu, and an extensive list of rare and premium vintages.
Related: Norwegian Cruise Line passengers reveal why they’re loyal to NCL
As the first ship in Norwegian’s Prima Plus Class, Norwegian Aqua will offer passengers even more new experiences like the Aqua Slidecoaster, a first-of-its-kind hybrid roller coaster and water slide. The ship will also feature a new immersive digital sports complex, the Glow Court, as well as the Aqua Game Zone, a reimagined version of Norwegian’s Galaxy Pavilion and arcade offerings.
The 20th ship to enter the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet, Norwegian Aqua will set sail on its maiden voyage on April 26 from Port Canaveral, Fla. Norwegian Aqua’s inaugural season will feature seven-day Caribbean cruises visiting destinations such as Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; and Great Stirrup Cay, the cruise line’s private island in The Bahamas, which will feature a brand-new pier in late 2025.
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