NCL F3 Lives!

After months of uncertainty as to the future of the NCL F3 project (NCL's next generation of mega-ships), NCL and STX Shipyards today announced they have reached an agreement which would allow the project to go forward to completion.

Back in September, the future of the ship was put in doubt (Is the F3 in Trouble?). Since then, the rumours as to the disagreement have been flying - is it that Apollo Management, the owner of NCL, wanted more input? What aspects of the design were objectionable?

We got a hint a couple days ago when NCL signed a 10-year agreement with the Port of Miami that there might still be a future of the F3 project. One of the provisions hidden in the agreement text was a commitment by the Port of Miami to make adjustments to the pier facilities should they be necessary to accommodate a F3 ship.

And now today we get the agreement. NCL and STX Europe (formerly Aker Shipyards) have agreed to revise the original F3 order. STX France Cruise is now building one F3 ship at 150,000-tons with a total of 4,200 passenger berths, representing the largest ship in NCL’s fleet. This will mean a continuation of the original hull which is currently in the early phases of construction, with delivery set for late May 2010, as originally scheduled. The planned second vessel, currently only in the preparatory stages, will not be built. Further terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

“With this agreement, we can all focus on completing the new vessel successfully,” said Kevin Sheehan, NCL’s president and CEO. “We are looking forward to the arrival of our much-anticipated F3 ship as it represents a major step forward for NCL in terms of ship size, design and innovation.”

“We are pleased that the ongoing construction of the ship for NCL will continue. We, along with our subcontractors, will now make the necessary adjustments to our plans for this project," said Jacques Hardelay, president of STX France Cruise SA.

To date, information has only been revealed regarding F3’s staterooms and nightlife. NCL plans to unveil the full F3 story in the near future. Further information can be found online at http://www.f3.ncl.com/.

In other words, the F3 will be an oddity in contemporary cruise building - a one-of ship. Interesting! I'm sure we'll get more information as time goes on.

Is NCL's F3 Project In Trouble?

There are several reports out today that Aker Shipyards and NCL Corporation have hit a snag in the construction of the new F3 project ships.

According to reports, NCL and Aker shipyard are in a legal dispute about the first of the vessels which, at 150,000 tons, is 60 percent larger than the line's existing ships. Some reports even have NCL informing employees that the first F3 ship has been cancelled, though the entire project may go forward with later ships still in the earlier stages of development.

The first of the 4,200-passenger F3 ships was slated for delivery in March 2010. Seatrade Insider reported Sept. 19 that Aker is shopping around the F3 project, for which the keel was laid in April. The yard approached Carnival Corp., Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and MSC Cruises, Seatrade reported. The problems with the $2 billion F3 project apparently center on the cost of major changes in the prototype. NCL had promised the ship would be unlike any other, with no main restaurant, no main show lounge and no Lido café. The “New Wave” staterooms have curved walls. The company’s last major announcement on the ship revealed plans for an ice bar and other hip nightlife venues more akin to South Beach or Las Vegas. But the ship’s differences could make it difficult for another company to pick up the prototype without making major changes.

While building the ships is a challenge in itself, the 50 percent sale of NCL to Apollo Management last August seems to have added to the hindrance, with Apollo wanting more of a voice in design implementation. NCL said it had no comment on the issue.

I'll stay on top of this, of course, and report back when there is new, more concrete information.

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.