By
Rebecca Gibson |
Featuring hull artwork by Miami artist David ‘Lebo’ Le Batard, as well as bars and restaurants evoking the tropical feel of South Florida, there is no doubt that Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Getaway is Miami’s ‘ultimate ship’. Christer Karlsson, the line’s senior vice president of newbuilds, explains to Rebecca Gibson what makes Getaway special.
How does Norwegian Getaway differ from the line’s other newbuild Norwegian Breakaway?
Norwegian Getaway is technically a copy of her sister ship Norwegian Breakaway, but because Breakaway has been designed as New York’s ship and Getaway has been developed as Miami’s ship, we needed to theme their respective interiors differently.
How does the Miami theme play out across the ship?
Getaway’s Miami theme is very evident in the colours, finishes and embellishments we used to decorate her interiors. For example, we’ve used a lot of pink and light blue, combined with wood and marble to replicate the sophisticated interiors of many of Miami’s famous bars and restaurants. In addition, Getaway’s exterior features spectacular Miami-themed graphics, while her hull is adorned with exclusive artwork by local Miami artist David ‘Lebo’ Le Batard.
What do you think are the most exciting innovations onboard Getaway?
Much of Breakaway and Getaway’s design features are based on concepts that proved very popular with passengers on Norwegian Epic. For example, a lot of people really liked the fact that the public spaces are very open and create a feeling that you’re in a very large place. In addition, passengers like the fact that all of the restaurants and venues onboard Epic are linked together, which helps them to navigate through the ship easily. This concept has been expanded on Breakaway and Getaway through the Water Front walkway, which goes around the ships’ aft. Measuring 4.2 m in width and over 200 m in length on each side of the ships, the external walkway connects inside restaurants to various outside bars and dining venues, offering spectacular views of the ocean. It provides a great place for passengers to stroll on the promenade deck.
Another innovative feature is the exciting and extensive Aqua Park, which has four high-speed, full-size water slides including two of the first ever Aqua Loops onboard a ship. In addition, both Getaway and Breakaway have a very popular Kid’s Area, which has a fantastic family slide.
However, the innovations go way beyond the onboard features as both Breakaway-class ships are powered by various state-of-the-art systems that ensure their hydrodynamic performance is one of the best in the cruise industry. For instance, the propellor and engine-induced noises and vibrations are very low, while we are able to recover the maximum amount of ship-induced heat. We’ve also installed an advanced wastewater treatment system and LED lighting throughout the ship – the list of innovations goes on and on!