NCL F3 - keel-laying and new cabins at Aker Yards, St Nazaire, France
CRUISE ships are busy adding whizz-bang attractions like rock climbing walls, outdoor movie screens and floating ice rinks, but last night NCL revealed plans to dramatically change the one place passengers spend most of their time – the cabins.
Cabins on their new F3 ships will have curved walls and will do away with the traditional bathroom “box”.
Instead the shower and toilet will be part of the open-plan cabin, separated from the bed and living area by a curtain.
NCL's president Colin Veitch said: “We are taking everything that is traditional about cruise ship cabins and throwing it over the side.”
He was speaking at the Aker Yards shipyard at St Nazaire, France, where a keel section of the first of two ships – codenamed F3 – was laid in position to mark the start of assembly.
The new cabin design is the first major change in shipboard accommodation since balconies were introduced 20 years ago.
Instead of walking through a narrow passage past the bathroom, passengers will open their door into the full width of the cabin.
On one side will be a semi-circular cubicle containing the bath or shower; on the other will be the toilet. Both will have frosted-glass doors, and the area can be concealed from the rest of the cabin by a curtain. A trendy sink will be inside the main part of the room.
One wall of the cabin will be S-shaped, matching the cabin next door, with curved artwork on the walls.
On the other side the wardrobes, cupboards and drawers – plus shelves for the flat-screen TV and tea-coffee making – will also be curved.
Concealed and coloured LED lighting replaces the traditional ceiling light pots. Cabins will be decorated in earth tones, with splashes of colour and dark, rich wood.
The two F3 ships will carry 4,200 passengers and at 150,000 tons will be the biggest in the NCL fleet. The first will be launched in 2010.
NORWEGIAN JADE, which is now based in Europe all year round including several summer sailings from Dover, is being used to test new entertainment on the NCL fleet.
Six new shows are the highlight - the rock and roll musical Smokey Joe’s Café, the 60s tribute Shout! The Mod Musical, a version of the Broadway hit Tony ‘n Tina’s Wedding, songs from the shows in As The World Goes Round, an X-Factor style contest and a ballet set to the music of Frank Sinatra.
But instead of the traditional two performances of the same show every night – once each for the early and late dinner sittings, not found on NCL – the performances will be different each evening.
Mr Veitch said: “We are raising the bar for cruise ship entertainment.”
