Norwegian Bliss
Norwegian Bliss in Seattle, 2022
History
Bahamas
NameNorwegian Bliss
OwnerNorwegian Cruise Line Holdings
OperatorNorwegian Cruise Line
Port of registryNassau,  Bahamas
OrderedJuly 2014[1]
BuilderMeyer Werft, Papenburg, Germany
Yard numberS.707[2]
Launched17 February 2018
Sponsored byElvis Duran
Christened30 May 2018
Completed15 March 2018
Acquired21 April 2018
Maiden voyage2 June 2018
In service21 April 2018 (including positioning voyages)
Identification
StatusIn service
General characteristics
Class and typeBreakaway Plus-class cruise ship
Tonnage
Length1,094 ft (333 m)[3]
Beam136 ft (41 m)[3]
Draught28.5 ft (8.70 m)
Decks20
Installed power
  • 2 × MAN B&W 14V48/60CR
  • 3 × MAN B&W 12V48/60CR
Speed22.5 knots (41.7 km/h; 25.9 mph) (cruising)
Capacity4,002 passengers (at Double Occupancy)[4]
Crew1,700[3]
NotesHull art designed by Wyland

Norwegian Bliss is a cruise ship for Norwegian Cruise Line, which entered service on 21 April 2018. The ship was built by Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany. The ship had a schedule of debuting in Alaska, United States in June 2018, and is designed for improved energy efficiency to meet Alaska's environmental regulations.[5][6]

History

Norwegian Cruise Line placed an order for a third Breakaway Plus cruise ship in July 2014. Construction started with steel cutting on 28 October 2016.[2] Norwegian Bliss is the sister ship to Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Joy, and Norwegian Encore.[7]

On 29 November 2017, nationally syndicated radio and digital personality Elvis Duran was announced as her sponsor. Duran hosts the morning talk radio show, Elvis Duran and the Morning Show. On-air, Duran also made the entire morning show (along with himself) "godparents" of the ship.[8] Duran is the third godfather to any Norwegian vessel, only behind Pitbull and Wang Leehom, who sponsored sister ships Norwegian Escape and Norwegian Joy.

Norwegian Bliss' float-out was on 17 February 2018. The ship was towed from the building dock and berth at the outfitting pier to get her funnel.[9]

The ship was delivered to NCL on 21 April 2018 when the CEO of NCL, Andy Stuart, signed the ship documents where Norwegian Cruise Lines Holdings Limited took possession of the ship and started her inaugural voyage later on in the day.[10] She reached North America, approaching New York in the overnight hours of 3 May 2018.[11] The next day, a remote broadcast of Elvis Duran and his morning show took place.[12] While sailing to Seattle, Washington from New York, Norwegian Bliss passed through the Panama Canal and became the largest cruise ship to ever transit it.[13] The ship arrived in Seattle on 30 May 2018, and was officially christened later that same day.[14]

Design

Norwegian Bliss interior

Norwegian Bliss has an overall length of 333.5 m (1,094 ft 2 in), moulded beam 41.50 m (136 ft 2 in), and maximum draft 9.00 m (29 ft 6 in). The ship has gross tonnage of 168,028 GT and deadweight of 11,700 DWT. Norwegian Bliss has 20 decks and 2,220 cabins, and can carry 4,000 passengers.[15]

The hull art for Norwegian Bliss was designed by marine wildlife artist Robert Wyland.[16] Wyland is best known for his "Whaling Wall" murals,[17] in which he painted life-sized whales on 100 buildings all over the world.

Norwegian Bliss sailed on her inaugural cruise on 21 April 2018.[18] Norwegian Bliss sailed on Mexican Riviera cruises from Los Angeles, California and cruises from Miami, Florida for her 2018 winter/spring season. For her 2019–2020 winter season, Norwegian Bliss sailed out from Manhattan, New York replacing her sister ship, Norwegian Escape, which moved back to Miami. Norwegian Bliss will sail to the Bahamas and eastern Florida, as well as longer cruises to the Caribbean, before repositioning to Seattle to resume cruising around Alaska in the summer of 2020.[19]

Norwegian Bliss has five main engines with total output power of 102,900 horsepower (76,700 kW). The vessel has two MAN B&W 14V48/60CR, each with power of 22,520 hp (16,790 kW) and three MAN B&W 12V48/60CR, each with power of 19,300 hp (14,400 kW). The propulsion system is two ABB Azipod XO units with total power of 40 MW, which allows service speed of 22.5 knots (41.7 km/h; 25.9 mph), while the maximum speed during trials exceeds 25.0 knots (46.3 km/h; 28.8 mph). The engines are equipped with scrubbers and a heat recovery systems for improved energy efficiency.[6]

Ship amenities

Norwegian Bliss has various themed dining areas and bars.[20][21][22] The Olivier Award nominated musical, Six and Tony Award winning musical, Jersey Boys currently play in repertory on the ship.[23] The Bliss and the Encore each have an electric go-kart track.[24]

Route

Norwegian Bliss docking in Juneau, Alaska, on April 17, 2023

Following the christening, she sailed Alaska cruises with the first departure occurring on 2 June 2018,[25] then at New York.[26] On 24 October 2018, on a Diverted Baja Peninsular (Originally Mexican Rivera) cruise, she visited San Diego for the first time. Upon docking, she became the largest ship to dock at the port's facilities in terms of passenger capacity and length, superseding the 2013 docking of Celebrity Solstice.[27] The vessel began sailing in November 2018 from Miami.[28]

Incidents

Coronavirus pandemic

On 18 March 2020, it was reported that Norwegian Cruise Line had sent a letter to passengers who had booked a cruise[lower-alpha 1] on Norwegian Bliss that "a 2-year-old who traveled aboard the vessel on 1 March 2020 voyage of the Norwegian Bliss tested positive for COVID-19.[29] Although passengers receiving that letter stated that they wanted to reschedule, Norwegian Cruise Line refused to honor their requests.[29] As a result, some people who decided not to embark on the cruise lost thousands of dollars, while others who chose to risk infection by joining the cruise ended up displaying symptoms of the disease while on the cruise.[29]

Notes

  1. ↑ This refers to the cruise that began on 8 March 2020 and ended on 15 March 2020.[29]

References

  1. ↑ "NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE ORDERS TWO NEW SHIPS". 14 July 2016. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  2. 1 2 "Steel cutting for Norwegian Bliss". 28 October 2016. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "NORWEGIAN BLISS". Norwegian Cruise Line. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  4. ↑ "Norwegian Bliss Cruise Ship". Ship Technology.
  5. ↑ "Norwegian Bliss to debut in Alaska in June 2018". 14 October 2016. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  6. 1 2 "Steel cutting for Norwegian Bliss" (Press release). Meyer Werft. 28 October 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  7. ↑ "Norwegian Joy to Join Sister Ship Norwegian Bliss in Alaska Beginning Spring 2019 | Blog de viagem da NCL". www.ncl.com.
  8. ↑ "Elvis Duran Named Norwegian Bliss Godfather - NCL Travel Blog". Retrieved 3 June 2018.
  9. ↑ Staff, CIN (17 February 2018). "Norwegian Bliss Floated Out in Germany". Retrieved 19 February 2018.
  10. ↑ Delahaye, Julie (1 June 2018). "Cruise ship Norwegian Bliss makes history at christening ceremony in Seattle". mirror.
  11. ↑ "New York, New York - Norwegian Bliss Maiden Arrival into New York City (2018)". YouTube.
  12. ↑ "Our Adventures Aboard Norwegian Cruise Line's Bliss - Elvis Duran - Elvis Duran and the Morning Show". Retrieved 3 June 2018.
  13. ↑ "Norwegian's New Cruise Ship Largest to Ever Pass Through Panama Canal". cruisefever.net. 16 May 2018. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  14. ↑ "Norwegian Bliss Christening". YouTube.
  15. ↑ "Norwegian Cruise Line To Debut New Ship Designed For Alaska Cruising In 2018 (NASDAQ:NCLH)". Norwegian Cruise Line. 19 October 2016. Archived from the original on 19 October 2016.
  16. ↑ "Norwegian Cruise Line Reveals Wyland's Visionary Hull Artwork for Norwegian Bliss". www.ncl.com. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
  17. ↑ "Wyland Foundation's National Mayor's Challenge for Water Conservation". Wyland Foundation. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
  18. ↑ Sloan, Gene (21 April 2018). "Norwegian Bliss, biggest Norwegian Cruise Line ship ever, begins maiden voyage". USA Today. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  19. ↑ "Bliss to Homeport in New York for Winter 2019-2020". Cruise Industry News. 12 January 2018. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
  20. ↑ "Norwegian Bliss Cruise Ship Amenities | Onboard Experience | Norwegian Cruise Line". www.ncl.com. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
  21. ↑ "Margaritaville at Sea & The Five O'Clock Somewhere Bar | Norwegian Cruise Line". www.ncl.com. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
  22. ↑ "The Cavern teams up with Norwegian Cruise Lines for a 2nd time!". Cavern Club. June 2018. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
  23. ↑ Media, ShermansTravel. ""Jersey Boys" Will Headline on Norwegian Bliss | ShermansTravel". www.shermanstravel.com.
  24. ↑ "Go-Karts on Norwegian Cruise Line". www.cruisecritic.com.
  25. ↑ Tribou, Richard. "Norwegian Bliss makes way back to Florida". orlandosentinel.com.
  26. ↑ Sloan, Gene. "Giant new cruise ship Norwegian Bliss to sail from New York". USA TODAY.
  27. ↑ Sloan, Gene. "With arrival of Norwegian Bliss, Los Angeles gets its biggest cruise ship ever". USA TODAY.
  28. ↑ Sloan, Gene. "Norwegian Bliss: Biggest Norwegian Cruise Line ship ever begins sailing from Miami". USA TODAY.
  29. 1 2 3 4 "KIYC: Several people show COVID-19 symptoms after cruise they say they wanted to reschedule". newjersey.news12.com.
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