The 144,017gt Norwegian Getaway completed her conveyance of the River Ems on 18th November. She was towed stern first along the river, as is standard practice, and made the narrow passage through the ship yard’s locks with only 1.6 metres clearance separating the ship from the fenders that were specially installed along the starboard side of the locks.

The precise navigation, at a maximum speed of only 0.2 knots, was led by a team of two located on the bridge, with one navigation officer in charge of overseeing the bow manoeuvres and the other overseeing the movement of the stern. After passing through the locks, the Norwegian Getaway continued along the river, stern first. Due to the strong propulsion in the aft section of the vessel, travelling backwards assists manoeuvrability which is a key component when navigating the vessel through such a narrow passage.

Once at Eemshaven, The Netherlands, fitting out continued prior to the first sea trials 23rd-27th November from Bremerhaven. On 27th November the ship visited Rotterdam’s Keppel Verolme shipyard for a routine dry dock inspection. This was a first as Meyer Werft newbuilds generally visit Blohm & Voss in Hamburg for such work. Sea trials then continued in some of the worst weather experienced for several years, culminating in wind storm Xavier.

The Norwegian Getaway’s eyecatching hull artwork is by Miami’s own David “LEBO” Le Batard and features a whimsical mermaid holding the sun above the waves. The ship’s showcase events in Rotterdam and Southampton take place in January 2014 and once in home waters the Norwegian Getaway has been chartered for America’s NFL Superbowl in February. The ship will be turned into a floating hotel and entertainment venue in New York harbour for a few days leading up to and during the game, courtesy of Anheuser Busch, and themed as the Bud Light Floating Hotel.