The Escape a step forward for Norwegian Cruise Line

PAPENBURG, Germany — The
Norwegian Escape will be a bigger, and improved, version of the two ships that preceded it in the Norwegian fleet.

On a tour here,
Norwegian executives showed off the line’s 14th ship, which is about six weeks
away from its debut in Miami in early November.

Although it is
based on the same platform as Norwegian Breakaway and Getaway, the Escape will
be notably different in its details and carry more passengers.

Escape,
designated Breakaway Plus in early discussions, will have one more deck of
cabins, giving it a capacity of 4,270 at double occupancy, up from 3,969 for its
predecessors.

The extra deck
also allowed for a two-story design in the deluxe Haven area, which now has an
elegant glass-enclosed curving staircase connecting the two levels. The Haven
also has an indoor-outdoor restaurant, a feature from Norwegian Epic that was
skipped on Breakaway and Getaway but is being resurrected.

On almost every
deck, Escape has something that distinguishes it as new. On the top deck, the
ropes course has been expanded to three levels and has 99 elements, including
five zip tracks. The Plank, a balance beam that extends out over the side of
the ship, is now on either side of the ship, doubling the opportunity for
passengers to try it.

The Aqua Racer
water slide has been given a bigger diameter and can accommodate 1,000 riders
an hour, up from less than 500 previously.

Breakaway/Getaway’s ice bar has been deep-sixed in favor of The Cellars,
Norwegian’s first wine bar. Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville replaces the more
generic Flamingo bar near the Spice H2O entertainment area, and his 5 O’Clock
Somewhere bar will use the space occupied by the Fat Cats jazz and blues club
on preceding ships.

At the new Food
Republic, guests will order dinner on iPads. “These ships come out with
ever-more innovative features with every ship we build,” said Norwegian
President Andy Stuart.

Stuart said that
the outdoor dining area in The Haven and the ropes course are among his
favorite additions on Escape. “The ropes course is going to blow people
away,” he said.