Norwegian Viva Cabin 16136 Review: Mid-Ship Balcony on Deck 16 – Full Tour & Pros and Cons

• Introduction: My First Atlantic Crossing on the Norwegian NCL Viva Prima Class Ship
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• THE ONE Palácio da Anunciada American Express Fine Hotels Review Near Lisbon Portugal Cruise Port
• Review: Vibe Beach Club Plus Cabana on Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Viva – Is the Upgrade Worth the Cost?
• Norwegian Viva Cabin 16136 Review: Mid-Ship Balcony on Deck 16 – Full Tour & Pros and Cons
• Emergency Dentist in the Dominican Republic: Leaving Norwegian Viva for Urgent Dental Care
• Norwegian Viva Complementary and Main Dining Review – Is the Food Good Anymore?
• Norwegian Viva Specialty Dining Review – Should you pay to Enjoy “Better” Meals?
• What is the Entertainment Like on the Norwegian Viva?
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• How You Get Paid Taking an Oversold Flight Bump From Delta Air Lines
• Delta Air Lines A220-300 Comfort Plus Review. How Much Better than Coach
• Final Thoughts on my 15 day Atlantic Crossing on the Norwegian Viva Prima Class Ship

We booked this cabin while we were onboard our crossing from last year on the NCL Escape as we were able to both confirm Vibe beach club space, including a cabana, and use cruise next certs to hold it. Until the final payment date, the price kept going down, down, down, and we at last locked it at a very decent price for a 15-day cruise.

Cabin 16136 offers a modern, calming space with clean lines, soft lighting, and a highly functional layout – so much so that I have to say it is one of my favorite NCL standard balcony cabins I have ever sailed on. Floating-style bed frame (easy to store luggage underneath) and this is the first NCL ship I have not seen a dust ruffle hiding the underneath space – an interesting change for the cruise line.

My first impression of this cabin is warm light, neutral, and contemporary. As you can see the color palette leans into soft beige, sand, and ocean-blue accents — maybe a subtle nod to the sea outside your balcony? Either way I loved the decor and colors. The large backlit abstract wall art behind the bed creates a warm glow that elevates the space beyond a standard cruise cabin. The recessed LED lighting gives the room a boutique hotel feel rather than an older traditional ship stateroom. Just nice.

The love seat, while reasonably comfortable for two people is compact. So consider it nice for relaxing, not sprawling and while sitting and reading lengthwise my feet went past the armrest.

Storage around the bed is limited to a bank of two drawers and a small open cubby on the other side. However both lamps have USB power ports. In fact there are number of them throughout the cabin – a nice touch.

The desk area, while not huge, is practical for makeup / getting ready as well as laptop work if not for too long a stretch with no seat back for support. A tiny mini fridge is also tucked away just right of the desk. Now the storage area and closets:

So much above Prima class ships is unique. Open mesh slide-out shelves, as an example. They work fine, but I’m not sure what the idea is here vs. a closed basket shelf? Either way, we were impressed by the amount of storage, and our request for more hangers was quickly filled by our room steward (who was excellent, btw).

Heating and cooling is digital (compared to most other NCL ships) and now has integrated the make-up cabin / do not disturb lights outside the door. You will need either your room key, or a relocated hotel key, to keep the lights on in the cabin.

One of the stars of this cabin is the bathroom. Not only is the design great to make the compact space “feel” large but the shower is one of the largest I have been in outside of a suite. I really, really missed this large space on my next cruise on the NCL Spirit just a month later in New Zealand.

Oh, what a balcony! It felt spacious even with both my wife and me outside enjoying the space. On the 16th floor, you have a large overhang (more about that in a bit), so you are shaded most of the day if you are looking to get out of the sun for a bit, and the chairs – oh my – where have you been all my life on NCL ships! NCL needs to put these on every ship it sails. They are so comfortable and solid!

At this point, I bet you want to book this cabin, and I understand why, as this really is a fantastic space. But there is one HUGE issue. That issue is what is just above on floor 17. Take a look:

Every evening the pool guys stack up the deck chairs and strap them down for safety. Well, at 7 AM EVERY DAY, they loudly set them up again. Even with earplugs, you will hear them banging about each morning. If you are a late sleeper, you will HATE this cabin and the noise from above.

While I loved being on the 16th floor, I would, if there is a next time, book one towards the aft of the ship as Vibe does not break down their loungers as on the main pool deck. Either way, the noise did not spoil my sailing as I was often up to views like the above that never ever get old. – René