PHOTO: Norwegian Yacht Voyages’ M/Y Caroline final design rendering versus old concept (inset). (photo courtesy of Norwegian Yacht Voyages, Oslo)
Norwegian Yacht Voyages continues to be an ever-evolving brand, but it is also one that is uniquely including the public in all of its initial designs from phase one through the finished product.

Now, it is unveiling its final design for the line’s ultra-luxury inaugural vessel—the M/Y Caroline, considered by the company to be the “World’s First True Hybrid Expedition Mega-Yacht.”

That means the ship will be capable of operating dual fuel generators powered by diesel and LNG (liquefied natural gas). It will also feature battery banks for peak-shaving over the need for extra energy via diesel at key times like at startup, as well as solar-powered hydrogen fuel cells.

The resulting environmentally-friendly vessel can fully run on LNG for several days at a time but can’t indefinitely due to the fuel’s limited availability in the ship’s global destinations.

Besides what’s under the hood, the ship will sport even sleeker lines than it did originally, as can be seen in the comparison of the old (inset) and new designs in the header image above. It will now measure in at 173.8 meters long with a passenger capacity of 220 accommodated in 110 suites.

A total of 160 crew members will cater to guests onboard.

Individual suites will be sized from 485-square-foot entry-level ones to 1,506-square-foot Penthouses. Each will be equipped with private balconies, and some will even be connecting for even greater configurations.

It may be untraditional, but Norwegian Yacht’s marketing approach has certainly been refreshing.

In a press release, the company humbly admitted, “We have changed our brand three times and we have evolved our design from something more traditional to something dramatically the world has not seen before. While we are not going to reveal everything yet, we promise to introduce news-breaking innovative solutions and amenities not seen on board any other vessels today,

“Secrecy and NDAs might work for the well established players, but we strongly believe that by creating a transparent brand, and already at the earliest stages invite our future potential guests and partners to share their thoughts and comments, we are able to create a brand that will offer exactly what the market wants.”

Let’s take a look at the exterior design a little closer.

From the get-go, the swooping superstructure at the stern to midship has always been in place, but now the lines are even more yacht-like than before as the smokestack is further integrated into the curvature outlined by the rear windows. The stack wonderfully disappears into the design as does the singular satellite sphere on top.

Particularly edgier are the forward elements from the near-vertical bow to the angular windows’ leading edges. Even the UFO-like observation lounge perched on the top deck sits back, nestled closer to the stack, making for a more aerodynamic forecastle. Thankfully, the awesome diamond-patterned atrium side glass remains.

As a concept drawing, the M/Y Caroline is a beauty akin to an aquatic sports car.