A rendering of The Haven courtyard on the Norwegian Breakaway, with private pool, sun deck, hot tub and fitness area.
By Jackie Roseboom
On Sept. 21, the first piece of steel was cut at Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany for the construction of Norwegian Breakaway, the first of two new ships for Norwegian Cruise Line. The Breakaway is set for delivery in April 2013.
“Today’s steel cutting marks the start of construction for Norwegian Breakaway, our next generation Freestyle Cruising ship, that will captivate and amaze our guests,” said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian’s chief executive officer. “We are extremely pleased with the progress we have made so far in planning this incredible vessel. We now look to the capable and talented team at Meyer Werft to bring this ship to life.”
The Breakaway class ships, Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway, will each be 144,017 gross tons and will carry approximately 4,000 passengers. These mega ships represent an opportunity for the Norwegian guest to “break away” from the routine of work, school, and daily stress, and find a true bliss at sea. While massive, they have many intimate spots to make your own. The new ships will take the best of the best from Norwegian’s existing ships. The ships’ names were chosen from 230,000 entries received in “Norwegian’s Cruising for Names” contest held in conjunction with USA Today.
To date, the company has revealed details on all of the ships’ staterooms which combine the form and function of the line’s Jewel class ships’ staterooms with the modern and contemporary design touches of Norwegian Epic. A wonderful selection of staterooms will be available starting with the innovative Studios, designed and priced for solo travelers, the re-introduction of Oceanview staterooms, Balcony and Mini-Suites, along with Spa Balcony, Mini-Suites and Suites in close proximity to the spa. The ship also features The Haven by Norwegian, which consist of 42 suites at the top of the ship and 18 additional suites located throughout the ship. The Haven includes plush amenities that include: 24-hour butler service, poolside valet, special platinum-colored keycards, white tablecloth in-suite dining, exclusive access to The Haven courtyard with private pool, sun deck, hot tub and fitness area, and priority reservations.
Norwegian Cruise Line has a 44-year history of breaking the boundaries of traditional cruising. Most notable was the introduction of Freestyle Cruising, which has revolutionized cruising by allowing guests more freedom and flexibility to make their vacation their own.
Norwegian made a splash with its Norwegian Epic in 2010 as it collaborated with Blue Man Group, Howl at the Moon, Gibson Guitar, Nickelodeon and Cirque Dreams. The announcement of the two new ships have cruise fans excited to hear what innovations they will add this time.
In addition to the new Breakaway class ships, Norwegian Cruise Line is committed to keeping their existing fleet up to date. Both Norwegian Dawn and Norwegian Sun received major enhancements earlier this year. Norwegian Spirit and Norwegian Jade are finishing up their dry dock enhancements soon. Â
For more information go to ncl.com.
