Lisbon/Galveston Transatlantic Review – NCL Viva in The Haven (page 2 of 5)

I'm here. The outdoor space looks especially peaceful.. It's so inviting.

Anyone still following?

Well, of course we’re following you!

The ship looks really nice, and the food—wow. No comparison to the Sky (the ship I took last year, which wasn’t great at all, to put it mildly).

Ready for the next update! !

Yeah, okay, this is The Haven. (So it's kind of like a private section of the ship.) Texte It's not really comparable, even though I did enjoy the Spirit.

I'll move on to breakfast now 😉

I have to say, this cruise is mostly going to be about eating, drinking, and relaxing... That's pretty much the point of transatlantic crossings 😄

Hello, So today is November 29th. We had a great night. Today the ship is still docked, so we decided to visit Sintra. Originally, I hadn’t planned on it since we were supposed to be at sea heading toward Punta Delgada. We woke up early and were among the first to go for breakfast, which opens at 6:30 AM on port days and 7:00 AM on sea days.

There’s only one place to have breakfast here, which is different from the Yacht Club where there are three spots: the restaurant, One Pool, and TSL.

Here, it’s at the restaurant, which is actually a mix of all three since you can have it outside or inside. You’ve got a buffet with plenty of choices, and it’s really good—especially the pastries and fresh fruit. There’s also an à la carte menu for hot dishes, coffee, and fresh juice. I found it super convenient because orders are taken quickly, and then you can help yourself at the buffet, so there’s practically no waiting to eat

And here are the photos... I find it really annoying to post photos here compared to Facebook where it’s done in 3 seconds

And here are a few photos of the restaurant itself. We were pretty much able to get a table for two by the picture window with an ocean view every day—morning, noon, and night. The restaurant is quiet, and what I really appreciated was that, unlike on the new MSC ships, there’s no TSL noise to disrupt meals. Alain, who’s really sensitive to ear issues like tinnitus, really appreciated that.

The restaurant is really sleek and not crowded at all!

Do you have any photos of the "Bistro"? On Sky, this restaurant seemed nice but not quite up to the grand French restaurant hype they’re selling.

Hi Nathalie, Yeah, I can read you... from Doha, whenever I get 5 free minutes. It seems to me that The Haven at the back of the ship should be more comfortable than the YC all the way at the front, right?

Hey Nathalie, still around too! Most of the photos you posted on FB weren’t visible outside your group—at least I couldn’t see them. Plus, a travel journal is way nicer to read 😎

We're early risers 😉, I think most people got up later. But it's true that even though The Haven was full, we never felt crowded, noisy, or had to wait for a table in the restaurant, no matter the meal. I think part of it is that while all the cabins were booked, it wasn't full in terms of people... For example, there were very few kids or big families. Though I hear the vibe is different during American school holidays and even more so during Spring Break.

Oh... Weren't you scared a few days ago with the issues in Iran?

I’ve always preferred being at the back of boats—I think the view of the wake is the best on the ship. The big advantage is the One pool (even if they don’t call it that) You don’t get that feeling of being closed in like you do in the Yacht Club, where it’s still pretty glassed-in to act as a windbreak. It also means, since there’s less wind exposure, you can have umbrellas everywhere, and that was really nice because the hunt for shade has often been a problem.

Oh, you should’ve told me!

About the bistro While I loved it on the Spirit, we were really disappointed with it on this ship. I honestly think that because the food in The Haven was excellent, the service was fast and efficient, and it was so quiet, we found the bistro just okay by comparison—especially since it was extremely noisy. We had the same feeling in most of the specialty restaurants... it’s just that we were so comfortable "at home." The only specialty restaurant I really enjoyed was the Italian one because we could eat outside—it was mild out, quick, tasty, efficient, and pleasant with the ocean view.

A little hello to Catherine

Nathalie, I confirm—I really enjoyed my Southampton-Barcelona cruise in October 2023 on the Prima, the Viva’s twin. Hardly any families, and I didn’t enjoy the one on the Viva in Greece in July 2025 as much. Too many families and kids... but obviously, I wasn’t in The Haven.

These two ships still have the advantage of a large outdoor area.

I can confirm for the Italian restaurant.

I’ll move on to the stopover in Sintra. I’m going to have a hard time choosing just a few photos—I really felt it was worth it. It was beautiful and interesting. I didn’t regret at all staying an extra day in Lisbon.

It’s not exactly nearby—you should count on nearly an hour from the port with traffic. The fare is around 30 € one way, same for the return. And we paid 7 € to connect between the two palaces.

Pena Palace. Wow, it's quite a climb to get there! There’s also the option to take a paid shuttle to the top. But hey, we had to walk off all that food we ate! The palace is truly stunning, the view is absolutely gorgeous, and I really loved it.

Just realized I have very few photos because my phone battery was acting up, and I had to turn it off most of the time to save enough battery to call an Uber. So, no photos of the second part! But it was less impressive than this part anyway, so you’ll have to make do with these!

Still interested in your review. Thanks!

Oh... Weren’t you scared a few days ago with the issues in Iran?

We left the day after the American president asked his citizens to leave Qatar. I just figured that if the Iranians struck, it’d be more likely the American base than the capital. 😉 Anyway, I’m glad I didn’t have to witness the fireworks. For us, it would’ve been a shame to cancel everything. Though the thought did cross my mind the next day at Roissy for another reason... But I’ll save that story for my trip report. 😉

Hi Nathalie,

Thanks for this report—it really takes us along on your trip! Have a great Sunday, Guylène