Norwegian Joy

Summary

Norwegian Joy is a Breakaway Plus-class cruise ship operated by Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) and is the second of four Breakaway Plus-class vessels in the company's fleet. Built by Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany, she was delivered in April 2017.

Norwegian Joy
Norwegian Joy (诺唯真喜悦号) in Kōchi, Japan, 2017
History
Bahamas
Name
  • Norwegian Joy
  • (formerly 诺唯真喜悦号)
OwnerNorwegian Cruise Line Holdings
OperatorNorwegian Cruise Line
Port of registryNassau,  Bahamas
Ordered17 October 2012[2]
BuilderMeyer Werft (Papenburg, Germany)
Cost700 million (2013)[5]
Yard number694[2]
Laid down5 April 2016[4]
Launched4 March 2017[1]
Sponsored byWang Leehom
Christened27 June 2017[3]
Acquired27 April 2017[3]
In service2017—present
Identification
StatusIn service
General characteristics
Class and typeBreakaway Plus-class cruise ship
Tonnage167,725 GT[2]
Length333.46 metres (1,094.0 ft)[2]
Beam41.4 metres (136 ft)[2]
Draught8.722 m (28.62 ft)[2]
Decks20 decks
Installed power
Propulsion
Speed
  • 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph) (maximum)
  • 22.5 knots (41.7 km/h; 25.9 mph) (service)
Capacity3,883[3]
Crew1,700

Construction history edit

Planning edit

In October 2012, NCL announced it was ordering its first Breakaway Plus-class ship from Meyer Werft, with an option for a second ship slated for delivery in spring 2017.[6] Breakaway Plus-class ships were designed larger than the fleet's Breakaway-class ships, with an increase of 17,000 GT to 163,000 GT, making room for a higher guest capacity and more features.[5] In July 2013, NCL announced that it was confirming the order for the second ship, reportedly at an estimated cost of approximately €700 million.[5][7] Together with the first Breakaway Plus-class ship ordered nine months prior, the two-ship order amounted to a total cost of approximately €1.4 billion.[5]

In October 2013, NCL announced the name of its second Breakaway Plus-class ship as Norwegian Bliss, which was chosen from an online contest it held for fans in September to name its two new ships on order.[8][9] In October 2015, NCL announced the ship would be deployed to China and would no longer be named Norwegian Bliss,[10] In February 2016, it was announced that she would be named Norwegian Joy, and have a conjoining Chinese name, 诺唯真喜悦号 (Nuò Wéi Zhēn Xǐ Yuè Hào).[11]

Construction edit

The ship began construction with steel-cutting at the Meyer Werft shipyard in September 2015.[12] Her keel-laying and coin ceremonies were performed in April 2016, where a ceremonial coin was placed under the first of 80 total blocks to be laid.[13] The first 120 metres (390 ft) section was launched in June 2016.[14]

During her construction, two separate fires broke out. The first occurred in September 2016[15] and was later attributed to welding work, costing the shipyard approximately €50,000.[16] The second occurred in October 2016,[17] damaging several cabins after it broke out on a balcony, and was also later attributed to welding work.[16] Four weeks after the second fire, in November 2016, Meyer Werft announced that construction was no longer behind schedule from the fires.[18]

In March 2017, Norwegian Joy was floated out from the shipyard.[19] She began her 14-hour conveyance along the Ems from Papenburg to Eemshaven in March 2017[20] and performed her sea trials in the North Sea through the rest of the month.[21]

Delivery and christening edit

In November 2016, Norwegian announced that Norwegian Joy would be christened by a godfather, Chinese singer, Wang Leehom.[22]

In April 2017, Meyer Werft delivered Norwegian Joy in Bremerhaven.[23]

In June 2017, Wang christened the vessel in Shanghai.[24]

Operational career edit

Deployment in Asia edit

In March 2016, following news that the ship would debut in China, Norwegian announced that Norwegian Joy would be homeported in Shanghai and Tianjin once she arrived in China.[25]

Following her delivery in April 2017, she left for Shanghai from Bremerhaven, making maiden calls in Singapore, Qingdao, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong for inaugural one-day events, before arriving in Shanghai in June 2017 to sail exclusive cruises prior to her christening.[26][27] She began her inaugural season of voyages from Shanghai on 28 June 2017, with sailings from Tianjin between 26 August and 15 September.[27]

During her time homeported in China, Norwegian Joy primarily sailed four-to-five-day voyages from Shanghai to various ports in Japan. She moved to Tianjin for a brief period in the summer, performing the same length of voyages that also visited various ports in Japan.[27][28]

Deployment in North America edit

In July 2018, Norwegian announced that Norwegian Joy would be redeployed from China to the United States, to begin sailing to Alaska from Seattle in 2019, replacing Norwegian Pearl, joining sister ship, Norwegian Bliss.[29] Before moving to Seattle, Norwegian Joy underwent a $50 million refurbishment to redesign her public spaces, with features more popular for a Western audience and make her more similar to Norwegian Bliss.[29]

Work began on the ship's transformation in March 2019, as the ship sailed from China to Singapore for a 21-day dry dock,[30] continued through the transpacific crossing,[31] and ended in late-April 2019 after a five-day wet dock upon arriving in Seattle.[32] She sailed two preview voyages between 26 April and 30 April before debuting on her first Alaskan sailing from Seattle on 4 May.[33]

Following her first Alaskan season, Norwegian Joy sailed Mexican Riviera cruises from Los Angeles and Panama Canal transits between Los Angeles and Miami.[33] In the summer of 2020, she was scheduled to return to Seattle to operate Alaska cruises,[34] though the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the season.[35][36] In fall 2020, she is scheduled to cruise five-to-seven-day voyages from Miami to the Caribbean,[37] before debuting in New York City in April 2021 to sail to Bermuda and the Maritimes.[33]

For nineteen days in January 2024, the ship underwent renovations in Rotterdam. After a reposition to Southampton she left for an 11 night reposition cruise to Miami, Florida to begin her regular itinerary out of Miami. Some areas of the ship were closed and there were initial WiFi issues during the initial part of the sailing. [38]

Design and specifications edit

In October 2015, NCL announced that the ship would be deployed to China, with new accommodations, dining options, and onboard features specifically designed to cater to the Chinese market.[10] In March 2016, NCL unveiled details about the changes in design and features of Norwegian Joy that would distinguish her from Norwegian Escape.[25][39] Of them, they include a lower guest capacity of 250 fewer passengers and fewer staterooms overall, more connecting cabins and family-oriented suites, an expanded casino, an expanded boutiques space, more restaurants amounting to a total of 29, and a two-level electric go-kart race track.[39] In July 2016, Norwegian announced it had commissioned Chinese artist, Tan Ping, to design the ship's hull art, which is inspired by the phoenix.[40]

Norwegian Joy has five main engines, with a total power output of 102,900 hp. The vessel has two MAN B&W 14V48/60CR, each with 22,520 hp and three MAN B&W 12V48/60CR, each with 19,300 hp. The propulsion system is two ABB Azipod XO units with total power of 40 MW, which allows service speed of 22.5 kts. The maximum speed during trials exceeded 25.0 kts. The ship has an air lubrication system installed which creates a carpet of tiny air bubbles along the hull to reduce drag.[41]

References edit

  1. ^ "Norwegian Joy has just been floated out!". CruiseBe. 6 March 2017. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Norwegian Joy (33556)". Vessel Register for DNV. DNV. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  3. ^ a b c "Norwegian Cruise Line Takes Delivery Of First Purpose-Built Ship For China". Norwegian Cruise Line (Press release). NCL Corporation Ltd. 27 April 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  4. ^ "Keel laying ceremony for the Norwegian Joy". 5 April 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  5. ^ a b c d Norton, Theresa (16 July 2013). "Norwegian Confirms Order for Second Breakaway Plus Vessel". TravelPulse.
  6. ^ "Norwegian Cruise Line to Build Third New Ship". Cruise Critic. 17 October 2012.
  7. ^ Norton, Theresa (17 October 2012). "Norwegian Places Order for 4,200-Passenger "Breakaway Plus" Ship". TravelPulse.
  8. ^ "Norwegian Launches New Ship Naming Contest". Cruise Industry News. 10 September 2013.
  9. ^ "Norwegian Names Their Ships Norwegian Escape and Norwegian Bliss". The Maritime Executive. 8 October 2013.
  10. ^ a b "Norwegian Cruise Line to Send New Ship to China". Cruise Industry News. 12 October 2015.
  11. ^ "Norwegian Cruise Line names new Chinese-market ship Norwegian Joy". Porthole Cruise Magazine. 29 February 2016.
  12. ^ Wood, Donald (16 September 2015). "Norwegian Cuts First Steel for New Norwegian Bliss Cruise Ship". TravelPulse.
  13. ^ Kalosh, Anne (5 April 2016). "Norwegian Joy keel-laying at Meyer features a coin blessed in China". Seatrade Cruise News.
  14. ^ "Teil der "Norwegian Joy" verlässt Meyer-Werft-Dock" (in German). 4 June 2016. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
  15. ^ "50000 Euro Schaden nach Feuer auf Meyer-Schiff" (in German). 28 September 2016. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  16. ^ a b Belling, Christian (11 October 2016). "Schweißarbeiten verursachten Feuer auf Meyer-Schiff". Noz.de (in German).
  17. ^ "Feuer auf Schiffsneubau unter Kontrolle" (in German). 8 October 2016. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  18. ^ Gonzalez-Tepper, Daniel (9 November 2016). "Nach Bränden auf Norwegian Joy: Meyer Werft holt Zeit auf". Noz.de (in German).
  19. ^ Tribou, Richard (6 March 2017). "Norwegian Joy gets first taste of water". Orlando Sentinel.
  20. ^ "Norwegian Joy Begins Her Journey To China With Conveyance Along The Ems River". Norwegian Cruise Line. 28 March 2017.
  21. ^ Bond, Mary (28 March 2017). "Norwegian Joy completes Ems conveyance, preparing for sea trials". Seatrade Cruise News.
  22. ^ Kalosh, Anne (21 November 2016). "It's a godfather for Norwegian Joy—pop star Wang Leehom". Seatrade Cruise News.
  23. ^ "Norwegian Joy Delivered to NCL". World Maritime News. 27 April 2017.
  24. ^ "Norwegian Joy Christened in Shanghai". Cruise Industry News. 27 June 2017.
  25. ^ a b "Norwegian Cruise Line Releases Details on Its Ship for China, Norwegian Joy". Cruise Critic. 30 March 2016.
  26. ^ "Norwegian Cruise Line Takes Delivery of First Purpose-Built Ship for China". Meyer Werft. 27 April 2017.
  27. ^ a b c Wood, Donald (15 June 2017). "Norwegian Joy Welcomed to New Shanghai Home Port". TravelPulse.
  28. ^ Mathisen, Monty (14 December 2017). "Norwegian Joy 2018 Full Year Deployment Revealed". Cruise Industry News.
  29. ^ a b "Norwegian Cruise Line Will Move Another Mega Ship to Alaska in 2019". Cruise Critic. 18 July 2018. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  30. ^ Gibson, Rebecca (20 February 2019). "MJM Marine to lead Norwegian Joy refit project". CruiseandFerry.net.
  31. ^ "Norwegian Joy Departs Drydock Bound for Alaska Market". Cruise Industry News. 6 April 2019.
  32. ^ Stutt, Amanda (7 May 2019). "Joyride: The Norwegian Joy's inaugural voyage from Vancouver to Los Angeles". North Shore News.
  33. ^ a b c Saltzman, Dori (25 April 2019). "Norwegian Joy Arrives on West Coast, Set to Do Alaska Cruises". Cruise Critic.
  34. ^ Kalosh, Anne (18 September 2018). "Encore to NY, Bliss and Joy back to Alaska, Escape to Europe in NCL's summer 2020". Seatrade Cruise News.
  35. ^ "Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Suspends Cruises for NCL, Oceania and Regent Seven Seas Through September". Cruise Critic. 16 June 2020.
  36. ^ Clarke, Patrick (1 July 2020). "Norwegian Cruise Line Cancels 2020 Alaska Sailings". Travel Pulse.
  37. ^ "Norwegian Cruise Line Reveals Winter 2020-2021 Itineraries". Norwegian Cruise Line. 18 December 2018.
  38. ^ Assies, Christoph (8 February 2024). "Renovierung: Das passiert an Bord der Norwegian Joy". Crucero - Das Kreuzfahrtmagazin (in German). Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  39. ^ a b Weissmann, Anne (30 March 2016). "Norwegian's ship in China to feature many firsts at sea". Travel Weekly.
  40. ^ Kalosh, Anne (27 July 2016). "Noted Chinese painter creates symbolism-rich hull art for Norwegian Joy". Seatrade Cruise News.
  41. ^ "First Commercial Silverstream Air Lubrication System Installed on Norwegian Cruise Ship".

External links edit

  • Official website
  • Norwegian Joy passing the Ems barrier