Norwegian Escape Delivered to Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. CEO Frank Del Rio (left) accepts delivery of Norwegian Escape from Meyer Werft Managing Partner Bernard Meyer (right).
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. CEO Frank Del Rio (left) accepts delivery of Norwegian Escape from Meyer Werft Managing Partner Bernard Meyer (right).

Norwegian Cruise Line has taken delivery of the new Norwegian Escape, the first ship in the line's new Breakaway Plus class and Norwegian's largest vessel to date. 

The ship, which was built in Meyer Werft over a period of 17 months, has set sail for Hamburg for the ship's inaugural festivities. After a two-night stop in Southampton, Norwegian Escape will make the crossing to its year-round homeport of Miami on October 29. The ship will be christened in Miami on November 9.

Onboard, The Haven by Norwegian ship-within-a-ship concept is the largest such area in the Norwegian fleet, centered around a three-story covered courtyard on the top of the ship. There is also an expanded forward sundeck with a cantilevered whirlpool, along with a new outdoor dining space in the Haven’s private restaurant.

The ship's other dining options include signature specialty restaurants Le Bistro, Cagney’s and La Cucina, as well as two new specialty restaurants from James Beard Award-Winning Iron Chef Jose Garces: Bayamo, which serves Latin seafood, and Pincho Tapas Bar. Also new onboard is the Food Republic, a sophisticated food hall developed by Miami-based The Pubbelly Restaurant Group.

For entertainment the ship will offer two Tony Award-winning Broadway musicals that headline the Escape Theater: After Midnight, which spotlights the big-band songs of Duke Ellington, and Million Dollar Quartet, which was inspired by the famed recording session that brought together rock 'n' roll icons Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins. In a new concept exclusive to Norwegian Escape, the Supper Club has been re-imagined for a new dinner and show. For The Record: The Brat Pack is a Hollywood night that celebrates classic soundtracks of motion picture masters in a 360° post-modern cabaret.

Nightlife onboard includes outposts of several popular land-based outlets, including the first-ever Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville restaurant and 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar at sea, a music venue and outdoor bar on The Waterfront that features live nightly performances. The District Brew House, a craft beer hall featuring an exclusive partnership with Miami’s Wynwood Brewing Company, will serve more than 24 draft beers, while The Cellars, A Michael Mondavi Family Wine Bar, features an array of wine experiences, focusing on  tasting, education, and the enjoyment of wine. Norwegian Escape will also have Miami’s oldest bar, Tobacco Road.

For recreation, there is the largest ropes course at sea, a three-story multiplex with two planks and five Sky Rails, zip tracks that allow guests to soar through the air. On the top of the ship, guests will find a redesigned pool deck area that features an open area for sunbathing, a double-deck bar and two new large format LED screens. Norwegian Escape’s Aqua Park includes a new tandem Aqua Racer slide, complete with a clear acrylic section. For families, there is an expanded Kids’ Aqua Park with an enclosed slide, rope climb fun zone and spray cannons. Along with an expanded Splash Academy youth center that includes dedicated play spaces for specific age groups, Norwegian Escape also offers the line’s first nursery for cruisers two and under. 

In addition to family oceanview staterooms that accommodate up to five guests, Norwegian Escape’s accommodations include Studios, designed and priced for solo travelers; and many options for families, multi-generational groups, spa enthusiasts and more. 

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