Norwegian Cruise Line (www.ncl.com) announced today that Guy Harvey, a renowned marine wildlife artist and champion of ocean conservation, will design the signature hull artwork of the new 163,000-ton Norwegian Escape, scheduled to debut in late fall 2015.
At an event this morning at Cruise Shipping Miami, the artist revealed his custom design for Norwegian Escape's hull. Agents can expect to see an underwater scene of marine wildlife. The 4,200-passenger Norwegian Escape is 1,065 feet in length. It's going to be Harvey's largest "canvas" to date, with arts from the hull to the aft with two undersea scenes seamlessly blended together.
In addition, the line made another major announcement at CSM, telling reporters that Norwegian Escape will home port in Miami and sail seven-day eastern Caribbean itineraries when it joins the fleet.
Bill Johnson, director, PortMiami, said the new ship will be a fabulous addition to the port's fleet: "We are thrilled that this impressive vessel will make her debut at PortMiami -- 'Cruise Capital of the World' -- and will be the third Norwegian Cruise Line ship to homeport here year-round."
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In speaking about the new hull artwork, "Guy Harvey is the perfect artist to design Norwegian Escape's hull artwork because he is so passionate about the sea and his marine artwork is so life-like and well recognized," said Kevin Sheehan, CEO, Norwegian Cruise Line. "We also appreciate how Guy is focused on ocean conservation and keeping the marine environment pristine, we plan to work with him to help support the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation as that goes hand-in-hand with our company's strong commitment to the environment."
More than an artist, Harvey also is a marine biologist, avid diver, photographer and angler. "I am deeply honored to be asked by Norwegian to paint the hull of the newest and largest ship in their fleet," said Harvey. "The larger than life paintings of popular but endangered marine creatures in the Caribbean will heighten public awareness about marine life." He said the large scale mural demonstrates the concern and respect that Norwegian and he have for the marine environment through which the ship will travel over the years.
Agents and their clients may recognize Harvey's work. He has created floor-to-ceiling murals at the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport as well as at Nova Southeastern University in Florida. He's also known for his dynamic gamefish T-shirt designs.
Harvey's original paintings have sold for tens of thousands of dollars and today, reproductions of his art, often seen on magazine and catalog covers, are offered as limited edition prints. They can be found on a variety of clothing and gift items.
Harvey maintains his art studio in Grand Cayman, where he lives with his wife and two children. Grand Cayman is one of the Caribbean's most popular cruise ports of call.
The Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation funds inspired scientific research and innovative educational programs to encourage conservation and best management practices for sustainable marine environments.
Beyond the hull artwork, there also will be a Guy Harvey tie-in onboard Norwegian Escape. Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation-produced documentaries about endangered marine wildlife will be shown on the guest stateroom televisions so that guests can be more educated on how they can help with ocean conservation.
In terms of itineraries, Norwegian Escape will begin seven-day eastern Caribbean itineraries on Nov. 14, 2015. Ports of call include Tortola, British Virgin Islands; St. Thomas, U.S.. Virgin Islands; and Nassau in the Bahamas.
The line said that Norwegian Escape will boast all the innovative features found on Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway, plus new spaces and interactive experiences yet to be announced.
Norwegian Escape's itineraries will open for travel partners to book groups on March 19. Reservations for Latitudes Rewards members will open on March 25 and for the general public on March 26.
For more information on Norwegian Escape can be found at www.escape.ncl.com.