A Ship With Curves!

As they laid the keel of their new ship, dubbed F3 (for Third Generation Freestyle), NCL slowly began to release some pretty unique details of their newest creation. They've been touting to the media and cruise agents that they've thrown away the rule book in cruise ship design, and so far I'd say that if not totally gone, they're definitely making major re-writes.

Of course, the first thing that people think about with a Norwegian Cruise Lines ship is the dining. Freestyle dining is the hallmark of the line. F3 takes that concept to a new level, doing away completely with a "main" dining room. All the restaurants onboard are the smaller (but still plenty large enough to serve all the passengers onboard between them) themed venues.

But where you'll really recognize the physical difference of the ship is in the cabins. Gone are the traditional box shapes we've all come to know so well. Instead, these rooms have some bodacious curves! It's hard to describe, but in suites and balcony cabins, the wall opposite the bed is one big bowed shape. The wall behind the bed is in an undulating wave. Even the sofa is curved. Look to the flooring - the carpeting isn't cut straight, but instead is curved as well!

This non-linear design is becoming very popular in higher-end hotels and boutiques, and actually is easier than you might think to build. Because adjacent cabins are mirrors of one another, fitting together like a jigsaw, two cabins together are actually a box-shaped component and fit nicely in the modular building of a modern cruise ship.

These curved spaces and furnishings - the bed also has rounded edges - actually make for better space allocation, as traffic flows more easily around them. Royal Caribbean and Carnival have had rounded beds for awhile, and though sometimes you feel like the bed is smaller, especially for taller people (something I've not had to contend with), they're actually almost exactly the same size as traditional, rectangular beds. In addition, curved lines are more restful to the eyes and brain. While western societies have traditionally been rectilinear (straight lines), many Asian cultures are more comfortable with curved lines. Think highway vs. garden path. These cabins will take a bit of getting used to, but I'm looking forward to them!

Another divergence from the norm is the way they've designed the bathroom area. Gone is the single box with the commode, sink and shower all together. While NCL had split the commode and shower into separate stalls a few ships ago, they're taking that a step further with this design, placing the commode on one side of the entry door, and the shower on the other! The sink and vanity are actually outside either area, in the cabin itself. It's an interesting concept, but not one which I can pass judgment on until I see it. I do like having the commode separate - that way two people can shower and use the commode at the same time while preserving each's modesty, but the sink in the cabin has me pausing, as does less room in the shower area. I can envision some "oops" moments with the cabin door at the entry to the shower if there's not much room in the shower to get dressed. But I'm sure NCL has thought this through, and the functionality will be much better than the concept on paper. It's one of those "you have to experience it to understand it" things.

Color and light will also play a key role in these new staterooms, with recessed dome lighting and a very comfortable color palette.

Overall, I think this is a great step in cabin design. Like the Celebrity Solstice, I applaud NCL for daring to change the traditional.

Want to see more? The artist renderings can be found at f3.ncl.com.