Construction Begins on Norwegian Bliss

It might not look like much, but the steel being cut in the photo at left marks a historic week in ship building history for Norwegian Cruise Line. It was the first piece of steel cut at MEYER WERFT in Papenburg, Germany on Tuesday, Sept 15 to signal the construction of Norwegian Bliss the second ship in the line’s Breakaway Plus class, which is set for delivery in spring 2017. Andy Stuart, President of Norwegian Cruise Line, pushed the button to start the plasma torch during the steel cutting ceremony in the laser center.

‎"On behalf of the more than 20,000 Norwegian team members worldwide, we are thrilled to mark the start of construction of the second ship in our company’s Breakaway Plus class and the continued evolution of the Norwegian brand," said Stuart. "Not only will this ship fully embody the Norwegian brand and the freedom and flexibility that a Norwegian Cruise Line vacation means, but the combined expertise of the company’s new leadership team will create what is sure to be the epitome of contemporary cruising‎."

Norwegian Cruise Line executives, along with Meyer Werft's managing directors Bernard Meyer and Lambert Kruse and the yard's project manager Stephan Schmees, watched as the first plate of steel was cut by a plasma torch in the yard's state of the art facility. This plate will become part of Block 46, the first to be assembled for the new vessel.‎ It took the plasma torch in the yard's state-of-the-art laser center merely a couple of minutes to cut a silhouette of the new ship from the steel plate.

Having a tonnage of 165,600 gross tons and reaching more than 1,000 feet in length, the ship will carry 4,200 guests, reaching speeds of up to 23 knots.

On a related note, pictured here Norwegian Escape, the first Breakaway Plus class vessel, has left the Papenburg shipyard to make its way down the River Ems to the sea.

Images Courtesy Norwegian Cruise Line