BLISS-FUL CEREMONY

Norwegian Cruise Line and Meyer Werft celebrated the keel laying of the Norwegian Bliss at the yard’s state of the art facility in Papenburg on 24th May (above). During the ceremony, one of the keel blocks of the 167,800gt vessel was lifted into the covered building hall, signifying a major milestone in the ship’s construction. The Norwegian Bliss is due for delivery in April 2018 and will be the first cruise ship custom built with features and amenities for the ultimate Alaska cruise experience. The third ship in the line’s Breakaway Plus-Class, the Norwegian Bliss will accommodate 4,000 guests and will be the 12th ship in the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet to be built by Meyer Werft. During her inaugural summer 2018 season, the Norwegian Bliss will sail weekly seven-day Alaska cruises each Saturday from the recently expanded Pier 66 Cruise Terminal in Seattle, offering guests the premier way to see America’s last frontier, while also providing all of the innovative features, entertainment, signature dining and on-board experiences that NCL is known for around the globe. The ship’s itinerary will feature calls in Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway and Victoria, British Columbia, along with scenic glacier cruising. The ship will sail her inaugural Winter season beginning in November 2018, offering seven-day Eastern Caribbean cruises each Saturday from Port Miami, featuring calls in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, Tortola, British Virgin Islands and Nassau, Bahamas.