The Norwegian Prima was en route to the venue for the next F1 Grand Prix, so it seemed fitting to get behind the wheel and race over three decks on go-karts.
While we couldn't get tickets for the big event in Amsterdam, we got a taste of some hard-out racing on the world's newest cruise ship. The Norwegian Prima has the biggest racetrack at sea.
Prima Speedway is a 430m blast over three levels around and through the funnel of the ship, where up to 15 racers duel around 14 turns at speeds of more than 50km an hour. It was a hoot and once you warm into it, your inner Max Verstappen surfaces.
The canned engine roar on the battery-powered carts helped. If racing gets a bit too willing, ever-vigilant marshals can remotely govern the speed of a car.
A plunge down The Drop seemed logical after the carts. This dry slide plunges riders 10 stories down the side of the ship and claims they will reach the highest G-forces on any cruise ship, likened to those faced by F1 drivers. It was terrifying.
And like the karts, it exceeded expectations on the fun front.
This was what the Norwegian Prima was for us at every turn - a ship that was given a big build-up and didn't disappoint.
While the near-endless theme-park-at sea attractions will keep those inclined - especially kids - entertained for days, it was the more sedate parts of Prima that really appealed to us.
The brief to the Italian shipbuilders Fincantieri and Prima's designers was to throw away the rule book and create a unique ship with the feel of a hotel resort at sea.
The positioning of engines in the middle of the ship freed up space at the stern for the eight-level Haven, a ship within a ship for those splurging, or VIPs such as pop singer Katy Perry and her 10-strong entourage. As the ship's godmother, Perry and co joined us when we departed from Iceland on the ship's christening cruise.
Being able to fully utilise the stern of the ship means all passengers can enjoy great space on the aft deck. This forms part of the magnificent Ocean Boulevard, a 970-step walk around the ship passing gorgeous infinity pools, bars, self-pour drink dispensers, a variety of seating, and al fresco dining options.
No two areas are the same and there's a sculpture park with Instagram appeal, where some of the ship's $8m worth of art is displayed. On your stroll (rather than run) you'll cross a reinforced glass section, Oceanwalk, and feel like you're walking on water, despite the sea being eight stories down.
Norwegian Cruise Line says Norwegian Prima has more open space per guest than comparable ships and while there were 2500 guests of a possible 3100 on this shake-down cruise, there seemed acres of space in the outdoor areas of the ship.
If you want to work out more intensively than strolling the decks, the gym with the ultimate view is a great place to spend some time.
Pulse Fitness Centre is on deck 16: you've got the same forward view as the bridge and it's stacked with Technogym equipment and a range of classes with great instructors.
The Donna Summer Musical is on board Prima for three years with the option to renew for another two - it's a must-see.
While musical theatre is not normally our bag, we're big fans of Donna Summer's music and the show is a rollicking journey tracing the life of the Disco Queen, who we learned didn't like the tag.
The three-storey Prima Theatre is spectacular and is transformed into a Studio-54 style disco after the show. We were soon busting out a few moves. It's amazing how long muscle memory lasts.
Norwegian Cruises pulled out all the stops for Norwegian Prima's christening cruise. It marked a milestone for launching a new generation of ships but also made a big statement, saying cruising is back, bigger and better than ever when you're on the right ship. It not only had a special performance by Perry, but also the evergreen Kool & the Gang and Chaka Kahn.
For us, Iceland's own performers were a revelation. Briet is a brilliant young Icelandic singer who wowed in Reykjavik's waterfront theatre, and Dadi Freyr is an extremely likeable Eurovision contestant who delivered his quirky set as a warmup to Perry aboard the ship.
Perry and husband Orlando Bloom were on board with daughter Daisy. The couple also made a cameo performance at the very American show The Price is Right.
Perry struggled to guess the price of some big-ticket items, confessing to not having seen a receipt for years, and Bloom felt the need to take the stage and show off his abs by lifting a T-shirt bought in Reykjavik enigmatically adorned with the slogan "I'm just a ray of F…… Sunshine". He'd clearly benefitted from spending long hours in the gym between movies.
Dining is a treat on Norwegian Prima. There are 12 main eateries among 30 dining, bar and other hospitality venues. This is where you get to talk to staff who are unfailingly hospitable. Most are chatty and all delivered faultless service. They come from more than 70 countries and have eight-month tours at sea.
There are four main complimentary dining areas. Our favourite was Hudson's, a large restaurant where nearly every table is a good one due to the 270-degree views out the stern of the ship.
There's an extensive menu deliberately replicated in another large venue, The Commodore Room. That is part of Norwegian's strategy of concentrating on delivering a high-quality, consistent dining experience in the main dining rooms with a shorter menu.
Still, you wouldn't get near eating the same meal twice if you didn't want to. For even more variety try the more casual seated-and-served Indulge Food Hall, which has an open-air marketplace feel and where you order via a tablet from restaurants offering 11 different styles of cuisine from around the world.
The Local Bar and Grill is also great for breakfast. There are specialty restaurants offering food from around the world a la carte (think US city prices) and these venues push the boundaries in style and design. We had a great night at Hasuki, a lively teppanyaki experience with memorable filet mignon.
We also dined at Cagneys, an American-style steakhouse serving certified Angus Beef and excellent cocktails in a restaurant its designers told me was inspired by the Chicago School of Architecture and Frank Lloyd Wright.
There are many things you should slow down for on Prima, and taking in its design is one of them.
The designers' brief
One of the designers who worked on several interior spaces, Yohandel Ruiz, a founding partner at Studio DADO, was on board and said the ship, from conception to completion, took nearly five years to build.
NCL group boss Frank Del Rio's brief was to create ''the most beautiful ship ever built,'' said Ruiz.
''And when you look at all the spaces, they are elevated to another level, we consider it more premium than other vessels,'' said Ruiz.
He said the three-level Penrose Atrium, took "a lot a lot of manipulation and massaging" within the column grid of the ship, and with entry to it at different levels, it was an engineering feat. The designers had to make sure there was stability and weight was not an issue. Del Rio's instruction was "don't give me a typical atrium - give me something that has never been done at sea", said Ruiz.
"When we approached this project we didn't approach it as a vessel, we approached it as a design project, so we don't want you to feel you're on a cruise ship when you're here. When you're dining in a restaurant you could be dining anywhere on land or anywhere in the world.''
The aim was to ensure there wasn't a bad seat in the house; they all had to relate to the sea or other internal features and the designers have been successful. There's something to look at and enjoy wherever you go.
One restaurant, Le Bistro, has three stunning floor-to-ceiling chandeliers made in Austria (and worth about $110,000 each).
"On a ship, you have movement and vibration so how do you create a chandelier that looks like it's alive but every individual bit of crystal has to be rigid and attached? There was a lot of engineering in that,'' said Ruiz.
Cruise ships can't be top-heavy, so designers have to consider the weight of materials on the upper decks. That means floors in a bar may look like concrete but they are made of fibreglass.
The staterooms (no cabins here) were the hardest of all the spaces, because designers had to put themselves in the traveller's mind.
They had to consider the position of power and charging outlets and whether there were enough (indeed there were) and whether there was adequate lighting from different light points (success again – 30 per cent more than other ships apparently and very easy to control.)
In the staterooms' bathrooms, Ruiz said the aim was to give passengers the largest shower given the size of the room - studios have pivoting shower doors, while in other rooms (such as our 22sq m balcony stateroom) the shower size is one you'd be happy with in any hotel.
Simple moves such as getting rid of the bed skirt and coffee table give you more space and make the room easier to clean (which is done daily by the diligent and friendly housekeeping staff).
There's a big high-definition TV on the wall with loads of movies, news and information about the ship and ports you'll visit. Again, slow down and explore what's on offer.
While Norwegian Prima doesn't have self-service laundries found on other ships (it does have a quick-turnaround laundry service) there was a mini clothesline in the shower, which was perfectly adequate for washing and drying the essentials in quick time.
There's plenty of closet space and the delight of being on a cruise is that you only have to unpack once. The dress code is decidedly casual but you're on a ship so dig into the back of the wardrobe at home and go as formal and as sparkly as you like because there's plenty of nightlife on board.
It was hard to know whether the ship was moving at times. At 143,000 tonnes, Prima glided quietly through the North Sea even as it was chopped up by a 30-knot wind. Our balcony was a fantastic place to watch the ocean pass by and study the ports as you arrived and left.
The designers aimed to make the staterooms a retreat from what can be a busy ship. It was very much mission accomplished. From the muted tones to the high-tech features to the most comfortable bed imaginable, we loved everything about our room. You would need weeks to discover every part of Prima, but from what we enjoyed, the ship is a star.
CHECKLIST: NORWEGIAN PRIMA
DETAILS For itineraries, pricing and more information, go to ncl.com/nz/en/cruise-ship/prima
