The Norwegian Escape, soon to be the largest ship in the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet, successfully completed its journey up the Ems River, arriving at its final destination in Eemshaven, Netherlands at 8:30 a.m. last Saturday, September 19.
The completion of the Norwegian Escape's passage through the Ems River marks another key milestone on the road to the ship's highly anticipated delivery. Measuring 326 meters in length and over 40 meters in beam, it will be the company's first Breakaway Plus-class vessel.
“After seeing firsthand how spectacular the Norwegian Escape is, I’m thrilled that the ship is now officially on track to welcome its first guests next month,” said Andy Stuart, President and Chief Operating Officer of Norwegian Cruise Line. “As the first ship in the Breakaway Plus class, the Norwegian Escape will offer our guests ultimate freedom and flexibility, and we can’t wait to officially welcome her to our fleet.”.
With its stern leading, the Norwegian Escape left the Meyer shipyard on Friday, September 18, at 2:00 p.m. and began its journey through the shipyard's narrow locks, with only 1.2 meters of clearance between the vessel and the specially installed buffers on the starboard side of the locks. The lengthy maneuver lasted approximately two hours at a maximum speed of 0.2 knots. The navigation, which demanded great precision, was led by a two-person team on the bridge, with one navigation officer overseeing the bow maneuvers and another overseeing the stern, both directed by Ems River navigation experts.
After passing through the locks, the Norwegian Escape continued sailing stern-first along the river, a necessary aspect to aid maneuverability, a key factor when the ship is passing through such narrow passages.
Before arriving in Eemshaven, Netherlands, last Saturday, September 19, the Norwegian Escape passed through additional narrow passages including the Weener Bridge in Weener, the Jann-Berghaus Bridge in Leer and the Ems Barrier in Gandersum.
The Norwegian Escape, soon to be the largest ship in the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet, will offer 7-night cruises from its homeport of Miami to the Eastern Caribbean, beginning November 14, 2015. At 164,600 tons and with a capacity for 4,200 passengers, the Norwegian Escape will be the largest ship to date with a year-round homeport in Miami. Its itinerary will visit the tropical Caribbean destinations of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; and Nassau, Bahamas.
