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.

NCL Pulls a Switcheroo

After announcing that the Pride of Aloha would be leaving the NCL America fleet and be transferred to Star Cruises (NCL's parent company), which anticipated selling the Aloha, NCL today announced a bit of a switcheroo. Instead of saying goodbye to the Pride of Aloha, she will instead be transferred to NCL, reflagged in the Bahamas with an international crew, and renamed back to her original name, Norwegian Sky.

That's not all the changes for her, either. NCL is going to use her to re-enter the popular 3- and 4-night Bahamas market out of Miami, a market they left back in 2003 due to lack of available ships. This market is one I expect to become more popular in the next year as some feel they need to tighten their belts, not to eliminate vacations, but perhaps scale them back a bit. These shorter cruises make for a great, affordable quick getaway. When she begins service, she will be the newest ship for any line serving these shorter Bahamas itineraries.

It was originally thought that she couldn't serve the new "NCL 2.0" as she had fewer restaurants than the newer ships, but for the shorter market, she can offer the choice that makes NCL so popular, and perhaps introduce more people to the concept.

Of course, during her wetdock prior to introduction in this market, she will be re-fitted with a casino and have other NCL 2.0 enhancements added. However, both her itineraries are fairly port intensive, featuring visits to Nassau and the NCL private island, Castaway Cay, with the 4-night option also visiting Grand Bahama Island, so you might not even notice the casino is there.

Sailings will start on July 14, 2008, and bookings through April, 2009, are currently on sale, starting at $229/person for the 3-night itineraries and $329/person for the 4-night options.

Sailings between July 18-September 26, 2008 have an additional bonus of a "Kids Sail Free" promotion if booked byMay 31, 2008. Call me for details and the fine print.

NCL and Bermuda Sign 10-Year Agreement

NCL and Bermuda have announced that they have signed a 10-year agreement for ships to visit the popular island. Starting in 2009, NCL will have two of their newer ships designed for Freestyle sailing from Boston and New York to the Dockyards in Bermuda.

From Boston, NCL has an exclusive contract, and will sail the Norwegian Spirit. The schedule is for Friday sailings, with Sunday through Wednesday docked at King's Wharf.

Out of New York, the Norwegian Dawn will sail on Sundays and will be docked at King's Wharf Wednesday through Friday.

In addition, in 2009, the smaller Norwegian Majesty will sail a 7-night program from Charleston, Philadelphia and Baltimore to St. George's. There is no agreement to operate from those cities beyond 2009.

Beyond the fact this is a long-term agreement, the fact that Bermuda is actively seeking these larger ships, which can only dock at King's Wharf, signals a change in policy from wanting the ships to be in Hamilton and St. George's. The fact is that there are now few cruise ships of a size to enter those harbors, and they are tasked to other areas of the world during the summer season. Consequently, Bermuda is investing in a fleet of fast ferries able to make the journey from King's Wharf to Hamilton in just 15 minutes. But it will take a bit of adjustment for cruisers used to being docked right in town.

In addition to the Freestyle dining offered onboard the ships (which is actually a good fit to this type of itinerary), NCL will continue to partner with restaurants ashore to offer discounted dining around the island. If you choose to sail to Bermuda aboard NCL, I highly recommend you take advantage of these offers to enjoy the evening ashore. Yes, you've paid for the food aboard the ship, but you're missing something if you always head back to the ship when the sun goes down.

NCL is also making a committment to the island culturally through sponsorship of various activities. As part of the agreement, NCL will partner with Bermuda's Department of Tourism and Chamber of Commerce to be a sponsor for the annual Bermuda Music Festival, supporting the St. George's Foundation and the Bermudian Heritage Association with a contribution of $275,000, according to Bermuda's Premier, Dr. Ewart Brown. It's clear this is a long-term relationship between NCL and Bermuda, going beyond mere port calls.