Norwegian Cruise Line Orders Second 'Breakaway Plus' Ship

An illustration of NCL’s “Breakaway Plus” class. Image credit Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line on Tuesday confirmed an order for a second 4,200-passenger “Breakaway Plus” cruise ship with MEYER WERFT of Papenburg, Germany.

The new Breakaway Plus class will be the largest in NCL’s fleet at approximately 163,000 gross tons and 4,200 passenger berths each. The lead vessel is scheduled for delivery in October 2015 while the second is expected for delivery in spring of 2017. The vessels will be similar in design and innovation to the line’s current Breakaway class, the first of which, Norwegian Breakaway, launched in New York in early May.

The combined contract cost of the two Breakaway Plus class ships is approximately $1.4 billion, NCL says.

“The incredible response we’ve received from guests, travel agents and media regarding Norwegian Breakaway only reinforced our decision to add a second Breakaway Plus vessel to our fleet,” said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line’s chief executive officer. “With groundbreaking elements, yet to be announced, and an additional deck to incorporate further innovations, our two Breakaway Plus ships will provide guests even more ways to experience all that the new Norwegian has to offer.”

MEYER WERFT delivered Norwegian Breakaway, the first of Norwegian’s two new 146,600 gross ton, 4,000-passenger Breakaway class vessels on April 25, 2013. It will deliver Norwegian Getaway in mid-January 2014.

“We’re very pleased to build all these innovative ships for Norwegian Cruise Line,” said Bernard Meyer, managing partner of MEYER WERFT.

Prior to the Breakaway class ships, MEYER WERFT built Norwegian’s four Jewel-class ships; Norwegian Gem delivered in 2007, Norwegian Pearl and Norwegian Jade delivered in 2006, and Norwegian Jewel delivered in 2005. These two new Breakaway Plus vessels on order will be the tenth and eleventh that Norwegian Cruise Line will build with MEYER WERFT.