Norwegian raises US market profile

German construction and engineering of luxury passenger vessels has reached a new level with the delivery of the 165,000gt Norwegian Escape, the largest ship ever built at Meyer Werft’s Papenburg complex on the River Ems and the biggest in the Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) fleet.

Norwegian Escape is the first of the Breakaway Plus generation, signifying an important new stage in the evolution of the ‘Norwegian’ (NCL) brand. Marrying the best of the immediately preceding Breakaway class with an extra passenger deck and interior refinements and increased range of guest facilities, the latest ship has a double-berth capacity for 4,248 passengers. Homeported at Miami, where NCL is headquartered, she has been assigned to year-round operations in the Caribbean.

Compared to the 146,600gt, 4,000 passenger-capacity Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway, delivered by the Papenburg yard in 2013 and 2014, respectively, the Norwegian Escape is slightly longer and beamier and installed with 23% more primary power plus higher-rated podded electric propulsors. In addition, the new vessel was specified from the outset with a comprehensive sulphur emission cleaning plant, as has also been nominated for the three subsequent vessels in the Breakaway Plus build programme.

Norwegian Escape represents a capital investment of some Euro 700m (US$757m), and reinforces the company’s ultra-casual, ‘Freestyle Cruising’ concept. The vessel is deployed on mainly weekly cruises from Miami to eastern Caribbean destinations, including St Thomas (US Virgin Islands), Tortola (British Virgin Islands) and Nassau (Bahamas), and on western Caribbean itineraries that include Cozumel (Mexico), Roatan (Honduras) and Harvest Caye, NCL’s private island in Belize.

Giving new form to a lasting business relationship, the vessel is the 10th to have been delivered by the German yard to NCL. Overall build time was only 18 months, with Meyer Werft maximising its assembly-style approach to ship production at the fully-enclosed construction dock hall. The second vessel in the Breakaway Plus class is due for delivery from Meyer Werft in the spring of 2017, and will be customised for the Chinese market. The third and fourth newbuilds are scheduled to be completed during spring 2018 and autumn 2019.

Whereas the Breakaway-class vessels had two Azipod XO-series propulsors of 17.5MW apiece, the two units specified for each of the Breakaway Plus newbuilds are rated for 19.5MW, conferring a total propulsive effect of 39MW. The podded propulsors form one element of ABB’s comprehensive supply of electrical plant, including the generators, drives, and transformers. The Norwegian Escape installation includes the proprietary Intelligent Maneuvering (sic) Interface (MFI) system, which is equipped with the award-winning ABB Azimuth lever, and the fuel-saving Azipod Dynamic Optimizing system.

The Azimuth lever allows the largest cruise vessels to be turned a full 360 degrees at decimeter accuracy. Propeller speed is controlled by moving the lever in the horizontal axis, while control of steering angle is exercised by rotating the lever around its vertical axis. The ergonomic device fits easily into the palm of the hand, and its shape allows lever direction to be determined by feel. It also has scale lamps that can be adjusted to maximise visibility at night or in bright sunshine. The Azimuth lever won the 2013 Red Dot award for product design.

The Dynamic Optimizer is a software-based, automated system devised to improve sailing economy by fine-tuning a multiple-podded ship’s steering toe angle at both cruise and transit speeds. It calculates the optimal toe angle in real-time for all prevailing operational and weather conditions, and is claimed to yield fuel savings of up to 2%. The third and fourth Breakaway Plus-class newbuilds will be similarly equipped by ABB, as a consequence of a US$60m propulsion and power system contract placed by Meyer Werft in March 2015.

Medium-speed showcase

Norwegian Escape provides a new showcase for German medium-speed engine technology, by way of the five, powerful MAN common-rail diesels employed as the main generator drives. Manufactured at the company’s Augsburg factory headquarters, the shipset comprises three 12-cylinder models of the V48/60CR engine type plus two 14-cylinder versions. As the 480mm-bore design is rated for 1,200kW per cylinder at 514rpm, the plant has a maximum total output of 76,800kW. The powering arrangements ensure a top speed of around 22.5 knots, and a cruising speed of 18 knots. By comparison, the preceding Breakaway vessels each had a primary power concentration of 62,400kW, the difference arising from the use of four main gensets rather than the five in the latest class.

The electrical output of the generators in the Norwegian Escape installation is fed through switchboards into the ship’s grid, supplying the two 19.5MW Azipod azimuthing propulsion units and all other main consumers. Being of the latest XO type, the Azipods incorporate modifications that include a revised fin geometry, improving water flow into and out of the propulsors, and the X-tail pod cap structure, straightening the water flow from the pod, minimising swirling. The three Brunvoll FU115 tunnel thrusters in the bow each have a power rating of 3,000kW, to ensure the requisite manoeuvrability and independence from tug assistance in most circumstances.

The substantial boiler outfit aboard Norwegian Escape emanates from the Aalborg division of Alfa Laval, and comprises five XW330 waste heat recovery boilers, or ‘economisers’, situated in the exhaust gas lines from the main engines, plus two OM-TCi oil- or gas-fired auxiliary boilers.
Norwegian Escape is the first newbuild cruiseship to feature innovative exhaust scrubber systems developed by Green Tech Marine, which was acquired in 2014 by Norwegian-owned Yara Marine Technologies.

The plant is claimed to be the world’s largest marine SOx removal installation, in the sense of its capacity to clean emissions from 76.8MW of engine power. However, compactness is an outstanding aspect of the Yara solution, which uses one smaller scrubber for each engine instead of a large, multi-inlet scrubber serving several engines, and wherein the scrubber replaces the silencer. Due to the small footprint and low weight of each scrubber, the specific system has obviated the loss of cabin space or other service areas, while ensuring compliance with the 0.1% sulphur limit running on heavy fuel oil in designated Emission Control Areas (ECAs). The former Green Tech Marine had previously delivered scrubbers to the line’s Hawaii-based Pride of America in 2013, and contracted systems the subsequent year for six further vessels in the existing fleet, including the 2013-commissioned Norwegian Breakaway.

Maintaining a long business connection with both Norwegian Cruise Line and Meyer Werft, the Dutch company Bolidt Synthetic Products & Systems supplied decking solutions for the latest fleet addition. The scope of the contract included the low-maintenance Bolideck Future Teak, a slip-resistant material which offers an environmentally-friendly alternative to traditional teak wood, and the Bolideck 525 flexible decking system.

Bolideck 525 affords designers the freedom to incorporate almost any feature in a deck area. For example, the material was used to create the grass-like putting surface for the mini-golf course adopted on each of the earlier Breakaway-class ships.

Breakaway interiors

In terms of the ship’s interiors and passenger facilities, Norwegian Escape represents a continuation and further development of the Breakaway-class, with a more consistent and unified flow of international and contemporary design, taking hotel resorts as an inspiration. The interior architects retained for the project were SMC Design and Tillberg Design.

Balconied staterooms laid out for up to five guests are complemented by various accommodation configurations and options for families, multi-generation groups and spa enthusiasts, and by studio-type berths specifically designed and priced for solo travellers.

While the ship’s overall structure bears a close resemblance to Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway, there is a host of additions and changes in the interiors, especially as regards dining and recreation. In the latter regard, the relaxing qualities of water play a key role. Besides specific features such as a ‘water cave’, a two deck-high waterfall, water misters and overhanging whirlpool baths, the vessel has what is claimed to be the largest water park at sea, featuring a new Aqua Racer slide.

The most significant aquatic developments have been implemented in the spa sections of the ship. Spanning two decks with unobstructed sea views, the Mandara Spa is a thermal suite on the largest scale yet, encompassing whirlpools, steam room, dry sauna, sanarium, heated loungers, salt room and an icy chamber known as a snow room.

The combination of choice and quality in dining options, coupled with the up-market interior design, is intended to set Norwegian Escape apart in the contemporary segment of the cruise business.

The outer hull has provided a canvas for Guy Harvey’s distinctive artwork. Brightly-coloured sea creatures cluster at the stern and the bow, the most conspicuous of all being a huge swordfish, with mouth agape and sharp bill running parallel to the prow.

The intended allocation of the second vessel in the Breakaway Plus series to year-round cruising out of China constitutes a major new strategic initiative by NCL. Although the technical specification mirrors that of Norwegian Escape, the vessel will be tailored to the unique holiday preferences of Chinese guests in terms of accommodation, interior design, cuisine, and onboard entertainment. Due for handover in the spring of 2017, the shipowner claims that the vessel will be the most innovative ever built exclusively for the China market.

To better support the company’s expansion efforts in China, parent Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings has opened offices in Beijing, Hong Kong and Shanghai. These will promote all three brands encompassed by the group, namely Norwegian (NCL), Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, spanning the upper end of the contemporary, premium and luxury cruise categories, respectively.

PRINCIPAL PARTICULARS–‘NORWEGIAN ESCAPE’