Maritime
First block placed in the building hall for Norwegian Bliss, signifying
the start of major construction for first ever custom-built ship for
the ultimate Alaska cruising experience
Norwegian Bliss' keel laying
ceremony held at MEYER WERFT
in Germany
N
orwegian Cruise Line and MEYER WERFT today
celebrated the keel laying of Norwegian Bliss at the
yard’s state of the art facility in Papenburg, Germany.
During the ceremony, the first of 90 blocks that will
comprise the 167,800 gross ton vessel was lifted into
the covered building hall, officially marking the start
of the ship’s assembly. Norwegian Bliss is due for
delivery in April 2018 and will be the first cruise ship
custom built with features and amenities for the ultimate Alaska cruise
experience.
Andy Stuart, Norwegian Cruise Line’s president and chief executive
officer, was present in the hall and laid the traditional “lucky coin”, etched
with the outline of the ship’s signature hull designed by wildlife artist
Wyland, before the first block was lowered into place.
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“We are overjoyed to celebrate the keel laying of Norwegian Bliss, our
sixteenth ship and sure to be our most innovative ship to date,” Stuart
said. “We have seen overwhelming anticipation and excitement from our
guests and travel partners for Norwegian Bliss, from her awe-inspiring
custom-designed spaces like her observation lounges to her elegant
suites in The Haven by Norwegian®, and we are all thrilled to see this
magnificent ship begin to come to life with the craftsmanship, precision
and cutting edge technology that MEYER WERFT consistently delivers.”
The third ship in the line’s Breakaway-Plus class, Norwegian Bliss will
accommodate 4,000 guests and will be the 12th ship in the Norwegian
Cruise Line fleet to be built by MEYER WERFT.
“We are very happy to celebrate the start of the block assembly for
another newbuild with Norwegian Cruise Line. This ship will be another
milestone in our collaboration to create most efficient and innovative