Norwegian Starts Construction of New Breakaway Ship

Norwegian Starts Construction of New Breakaway Ship
By Theresa Norton Masek

Norwegian Cruise Line said the first piece of steel was cut on Sept. 21 for its new 144,017-ton Norwegian Breakaway at Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. The first of two ships in the order, the new vessel is set for delivery in April 2013. The first plate of steel took four minutes to cut by a plasma torch in the yard’s facility. This plate will become a supporting part of the double bottom in the middle of the new ship.

The Breakaway-class ships, Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway, will each accommodate about 4,000 passengers. Attending the steel-cutting ceremony were the shipyard’s managing directors Bernard Meyer and Lambert Kruse, as well as project manager Aloys Meemann.

The ship will have a mix of accommodations, including Studios designed and priced for solo travelers, the re-introduction of ocean-view 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, comprised of 42 suites at the top of the ship and 18 additional suites located throughout the ship.