Metamorphosis - Cruise Ship Portal

Epic The
265-seat Spiegel Tent.
adventure
Norwegian Cruise Lines has had to overcome many
challenges in the building of its first ‘mega-class’ vessel.
However, this hasn’t dimmed president and COO
Roberto Martinoli’s excitement at the prospect of
launching the Norwegian Epic, the next stage in the
company’s ‘Freestyle Cruising’ concept, writes Phin Foster.
With the launch of the Norwegian
Epic in June, Norwegian Cruise
Lines (NCL) will join Royal
Caribbean and Carnival as members of the
‘mega-class’ elite. With at least 60% more
passenger space than any member of NCL’s
existing fleet, the 4,200-capacity vessel
promises to reinvent the cruise experience,
introducing the next generation of the
Freestyle Cruising concept pioneered by
the operator over the past decade.
Insight > Shipbuilding, maintenance & repair
There is genuine excitement within
NCL around the benefits the Epic will
bring to a brand already famed for its
innovative culture, but the build process
has not proved completely smooth
sailing. The initial order, made in late-
2006, was for two F3-class ships.
However, a dispute between NCL and
shipbuilders STX in September 2008, with
construction of the first vessel already
well underway, saw the deal fall into
jeopardy. Reports suggested that the 50%
acquisition of NCL by private equity
group Apollo Management the previous
August had led to design changes being
made, prompting a disagreement over
revised costs. Eventually a deal was
reached, but it arrived with the caveat
that NCL would now only be taking
delivery of the one ship.
When broaching what might be a
delicate subject with NCL president and
COO Roberto Martinoli, however, he
makes no effort to duck the question.
“Yes, there were issues with the yard and
I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a difficult
eight months or so,” he acknowledges.
“But we came to an understanding and
it’s no exaggeration to say that the
relationship today is excellent. We moved
from what was a challenging situation to
World Cruise Industry Review | www.worldcruiseindustryreview.com 59