Norwegian unveils Caribbean lineup for winter 2014

Posted on 19 December, 2012 by Spacejunkie2

Norwegian unveils Caribbean lineup for winter 2014

By Tom Stieghorst

Norwegian Cruise Line will shuffle its lineup in the Caribbean in the winter of 2014 after the arrival of Norwegian Getaway in Miami.

Norwegian Sun, currently sailing to the southern Caribbean from Miami, will shift to Tampa, while Norwegian’s current Tampa vessel, Norwegian Dawn, will debut in New Orleans.

In addition, Norwegian Jewel will sail from Houston, giving Norwegian passengers five homeports (including New York) to choose from when going to the Caribbean.

Norwegian’s itineraries for 2014-15 also include an increased schedule of Mexican Riviera cruises. Norwegian Star will offer seven-day cruises from Los Angeles to Mexico in December 2014 and March of 2015.

Norwegian Getaway to have tropical hull art

Posted on 4 December, 2012 by Spacejunkie2

Norwegian Getaway to have tropical hull art

By Tom Stieghorst

Hull art for the Norwegian Getaway will depict a mermaid holding the sun, along with pelicans and palm trees, Norwegian Cruise Line disclosed Monday.

Miami artist and muralist David Le Betard will execute the whimsical tropical ocean theme, which was unveiled at Le Batard’s studio in the city’s Wynwood area.

The Getaway is scheduled to launch in early 2014 and will sail year-round from Miami.

“Norwegian Getaway will be Miami’s ship and, therefore, we wanted to ensure that her hull was designed by artist with strong ties to Miami and the Latin community,” Norwegian CEO Kevin Sheehan said.

Le Batard paints in a style called “post-modern cartoon expressionism,” which according to Norwegian “combines cartoon imagery with bold color and unique linear composition.”

He has previously worked with Gibson Guitars, Ferrari and Harley-Davidson.

Report: Finnish government rejects financing for third Oasis-class ship

Posted on 27 November, 2012 by Spacejunkie2

By Tom Stieghorst

The Finnish government rejected a financing package for shipyard STX Finland to build a third Oasis-class ship, according to a report in Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat.

The paper said the shipyard in Turku and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. will try to renegotiate an acceptable financing package.

Royal Caribbean, which had the Oasis and Allure of the Seas ships built in Turku, confirmed in an earnings call last month that it was negotiating for a third 5,400-passenger ship.

Oasis cost $1.4 billion or about $220,000 per berth when it was ordered in 2006. Royal Caribbean said the new ship could be ordered at a lower cost per berth than the Oasis or sister ship the Allure of the Seas, which cost $1.2 billion.

Outside of the Oct. 25 earnings call, Royal has declined to comment on the negotiations.

A second Finnish paper, Yle Uutiset, quoted former Turku shipyard CEO Martin Saarikangas, as saying he was confident the deal would get done.

“I’d take the silence as a positive signal,” he said to the paper. “If history is correct, there is sure to be something pending. The situation is not hopeless.”
Yle Uutiset said Finnish Economic Minister Jan Free Mount and Defense Minister Carl Haglund refused to comment on the financing of the project.