Tag Archives: Breakaway-Plus class

Norwegian Joy on the way to Shanghai!

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Norwegian Joy cruise’s down the river Ems

The Norwegian Joy begins its journey to China with the passage through the Ems

28 March 2017 . For the Norwegian Joy, the first cruise ship designed by the international shipping company Norwegian Cruise Line, designed specifically for the Chinese market, the Ems Passage has begun a journey to its Chinese home port Shanghai. On Sunday, March 26, the second ship of the Breakaway-Plus class left the Meyer shipyard in Papenburg and began its 14-hour ride over the Ems.

 The transfer of the 333 meter long and 41 meter wide Norwegian Joy represents another important milestone on the way to the transfer to the shipping company on April 27th.

 “We are very pleased that Norwegian Joy has officially started its journey to China,” said David Herrera, President of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings China. “As the first ship built specifically for the Chinese market, the Norwegian Joy will offer our guests a first-class cruise experience, and we can not wait to welcome them to the fleet in June.”

 The journey of the 168,800-ton vessel began around 9:00 pm when the Norwegian Joy passed the ship’s dock sluices with the stern, leaving only 1.2 meters of space on either side of the ship. The team of the ship was under the guidance of experienced shipyards and river controllers, as well as several navigation officers who were responsible for the bow and stern maneuvers. In addition, members of local authorities and other partners were involved in supporting the maneuvers.

 After the lock, the Norwegian Joy continued the passage with the stern ahead, which ensures optimum maneuverability. Prior to reaching its provisional destination Eemshaven in the Netherlands on Monday evening, 27 March, the ship passed further bottlenecks, including the Fries Bridge in Weener, the Jann-Berghaus bridge in Leer and the Ems barrage in Gandersum. Upon arrival in Eemshaven, the Norwegian Joy will take on board other equipment and crew before the trial runs start at sea.

 About the Norwegian Joy

The Norwegian Joy, currently under construction at Meyer Werft, is the first Norwegian Cruise Line ship to be designed specifically for the Chinese market. The name Norwegian Joy emphasizes the possibilities and experiences that the ship offers to guests, the promise to feel like in “paradise on the sea”. The new ship of the Breakaway-Plus class will accommodate 3,850 guests and will be commissioned in the summer of 2017 in China.

 The Norwegian Joy is designed to provide guests with an unparalleled cruise experience, equipped with onboard equipment tailored to the specific needs of Chinese holidaymakers. The vessel has a variety of VIP cabins and suites, including The Haven by Norwegian ® , the exclusive cruise ship-to-ship luxury cruise ship from Norwegian Cruise Line, which also includes a completely new 180-degree view deck, As well as the Concierge category, which offers guests VIP services and larger balcony cabins. There are also cabins specially designed for families, a variety of cabins with connecting doors that are particularly suitable for larger families, as well as a large selection of mini suites, balcony, outdoor and indoor cabins, many of which have a virtual balcony.

 The Norwegian Joy offers exciting and innovative board activities, including the first two-level kart track, an open-air laser-day arena, racing car simulators and interactive video walls in the Galaxy Pavilion, and two water slides reaching over several decks. In addition, the Norwegian Joy will have a park-like recreational area and the largest shopping center in the fleet, from extraordinary duty-free shops to shops with world-famous luxury brands.

 

Is a shipbuilding duopoly good for the cruise industry?

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In the modern facilities, the most technologically sophisticated cruise ships are being built.
 
Before the end of 2017, it looks like there will be a worldwide duopoly in the business of building cruise ships. Can this be good for cruise lines, their customers or travel agents?
It would come about if Italy’s Fincantieri buys the French shipyard in Saint-Nazaire where Royal Caribbean International’s Harmony of the Seas, and a string of other ships, have been built. (Fincantieri won’t buy all of the Saint-Nazaire yard. The French government will hold onto a one-third stake.)
The yard is currently operating under the name STX France, but the STX parent company, based in Korea, has been trying to sell it to consolidate its way out of financial trouble.
A South Korean court recently approved Fincantieri as the approved bidder.
STX already sold its yard in Turku, Finland, to Germany’s Meyer Werft, the other big name in cruise ship building. Together, Fincantieri and Meyer Werft would dominate cruise shipbuilding the way Boeing and Airbus control the world’s output of commercial jetliners. (Fincantieri has built almost all of the recent Carnival Corp. brand vessels while Meyer Werft has delivered most of Norwegian Cruise Line’s latest ships, among others).
The business of building jets and cruise ships is similar. Both are capital intensive businesses, with a need for specialized labor and a network of subcontractors. Both are subject to wicked swings in the business cycle that can leave them with either more work than they can handle or none at all.
Big cruise lines spend billions of dollars annually on new ships. Yet it is telling that there were no bidders other than Fincantieri for the French yard. It is a very specialized and risky business.
Does it matter to the cruise lines that there are only two suppliers left to do business with?  It doesn’t seem to matter much to the airlines, who haven’t been cornered by the Airbus-Boeing duopoly. One difference may be that there are dozens of customers for the plane makers, but less than a dozen for cruise yards.
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Fincantieri’s yard in Trieste. Credit: Fincantieri
One well-informed source in the industry rated Fincantieri’s takeover of STX France as “neutral to slightly negative” for cruise operators. The reduction in negotiating partners is a negative, while the stability of having the yard in the hands of a familiar, known entity somewhat offsets that.
There are some other players in the shipbuilding game. Genting Hong Kong bought several German yards, which will build the future ocean and river ships for Crystal Cruises, the line Genting acquired in 2015, and the Chinese government, which has partnered with Fincantieri to begin building ships in China.
Neither poses much of a current threat to the duopoly. So for the foreseeable future, if you want to build a big cruise ship, the choices are Meyer Werft or Fincantieri.
Let’s hope it doesn’t mean anything negative for the cruise lines or their travel partners.

Norwegian Bliss to debut in Seattle for 2018 Alaska season

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At 167,800gt, Norwegian Bliss will become the largest cruise ship in Alaska
 

It’s official: Norwegian Cruise Line is calling its 2018 newbuild Norwegian Bliss and will base the ship in Seattle for its inaugural Alaska season after a positioning voyage through the Panama Canal’s new locks.

Bliss will sail from Pier 66 where a $30m upgrade is going to vastly expand check-in space, add a VIP lounge and two new passenger boarding bridges.

‘Norwegian was the first cruise line to begin cruising to Alaska from Seattle in 2000 and it’s only fitting that we bring our newest ship, Norwegian Bliss, directly to this incredible location,’ said Norwegian president and ceo Andy Stuart.

The long-rumored deployment was confirmed Thursday in a ceremony at Pier 66 by Stuart, alongside Port of Seattle ceo Ted Fick and Port of Seattle Commission president John Creighton.

The third ship in the line’s Breakaway-Plus class, Norwegian Bliss will have undisclosed features that optimize it for Alaska. The 167,800gt ship will also become the largest passenger vessel in the region, outsizing Royal Caribbean International’s 138,000gt Explorer of the Seas which sailed to the Great Land this year.

Under construction at Meyer Werft, Norwegian Bliss is scheduled for delivery in spring 2018. After a trans-Atlantic cruise and a Panama Canal transit through the new locks, the ship will sail north along the US West Coast, reaching Seattle for the start of the summer season.

Weekly Inside Passage cruises will call at Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway and Victoria, BC, along with scenic glacier cruising.

Marine life artist Wyland has been commissioned to design the hull artwork for Norwegian Bliss. Known for his iconic whale murals, marine life paintings and sculptures, Wyland raises awareness about the importance of conservation. His design for the hull of Norwegian Bliss will be revealed later this month.

The expansion and upgrades of Pier 66 spring from 2015’s historic 15-year agreement between Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings and the Port of Seattle. Collectively they will invest $30m to expand the check-in space by 300% to more than 150,000 square feet and add a VIP lounge with expansive views of Elliott Bay. Two new elevated passenger boarding bridges will be installed, too.

The 15-year lease gives priority to NCLH ships, including those of Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, and provides passenger volume guarantees estimated to bring $73m to the port.

‘As we cross the one million passenger [movements] mark next year, having the largest vessel scheduled on the West Coast for the 2018 cruise season shows real commitment by Norwegian Cruise Line to invest in Seattle,’ Port Commission president Creighton said. ‘Larger cruise vessels like the Norwegian Blissmean more passengers, bringing more revenue and jobs to our region.’