By
Rebecca Gibson |
This article was first published in the Spring/Summer 2015 issue of Cruise & Ferry Interiors.
Since 2013, Norwegian Cruise Line has invested over US$250 million to enhance the interiors, dining concepts and entertainment experiences on eight ships by the end of 2015. Norwegian Star was refitted in March and Norwegian Epic will enter drydock in October.
“Our Norwegian Next programme is helping us to enhance the aesthetics of our ships so that they complement the crowd favourites we’ve already introduced via our onboard entertainment, dining and sports and leisure activities,” says Willard. “We’ve incorporated today’s prevalent interior design trends by introducing relaxed colour schemes, as well as stylish and sophisticated designs. When paired with our outstanding customer service, these elements help to bring our vision of Norwegian’s signature Freestyle Cruising experience to life.”
This October, Norwegian will also launch Norwegian Escape, the first of its Breakaway Plus vessels and its largest ship to date. Completing a newbuild and so many upgrades in such a short timeframe will be challenging, but Willard is confident Norwegian has cracked the success formula.
“We work with skilled contractors who have extensive marine experience so we know they will deliver a product that is both aesthetically pleasing, and compliant with relevant maritime and safety regulations,” says Willard. “We’ll have a daily dialogue between the site office, our contractors and Norwegian’s Miami headquarters in the US to make sure we’re on track throughout each project.”
This will allow Norwegian to design better interiors in future. “All prototype projects are rewarding and we learn new lessons every time, such as how to improve the super structure design, the outlet concepts and the accommodation layouts,” Willard says. “At the end of the day, everyone is satisfied when they know they’ve delivered a quality product.”