Norwegian Jewel is a cruise ship operated by Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL). She is the lead vessel of NCL's Jewel-class cruise ships and entered service in 2005. The vessel sails primarily in the western Pacific Ocean.

Norwegian Jewel
Norwegian Jewel approaching Icy Strait Point, 2022
History
Bahamas
NameNorwegian Jewel
OwnerNorwegian Cruise Line
Port of registryNassau,  Bahamas
Builder
Yard number667
Laid down28 October 2003
Launched12 June 2005
Sponsored byMelania Trump
Christened3 November 2005
Completed4 August 2005
In service2005
Identification
StatusIn service
General characteristics as built
Class and typeJewel-class cruise ship
Tonnage
Length
  • 294.13 m (965 ft 0 in) oa
  • 263.5 m (864 ft 6 in) pp
Beam32.2 m (105 ft 8 in)
Draught8.6 m (28 ft 3 in)
Decks15
Installed power5 × MAN-B&W 12V48/60B
Propulsion2 × Azipod thrusters
Speed25.6 knots (47.4 km/h; 29.5 mph)
Capacity2,376 passengers
Crew1,100

Design and description

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Norwegian Jewel is NCL's first of four Jewel-class ships. The vessel has a gross tonnage (GT) of 93,502 and measures 7,500 DWT. The cruise ship is 294.13 metres (965 ft 0 in) long overall and 63.5 m (208 ft 4 in) between perpendiculars with a beam of 32.2 m (105 ft 8 in) and a draught of 8.6 m (28 ft 3 in).[1][2]

Norwegian Jewel is powered by a diesel-electric propulsion system comprising five MAN-B&W 12V48/60B diesel engines providing power to two Azipod thrusters.[1][3] The system is variably rated at 75,000 kilowatts (100,000 hp),[4] and 39,000 kW (52,000 hp).[3] This gives the cruise ship a maximum speed of 25.6 knots (47.4 km/h; 29.5 mph).[4][a]

The ship had a capacity for 2,376 passengers as built with a crew of 1,100.[4] This later grew to 2,394 passengers with a crew of 1,072.[3][b] There are 1,197 cabins aboard, ranging in size from 13.2–407.8 square metres (142–4,390 sq ft) of which 540 have a balcony. The vessel has 13 bars and lounges, 10 restaurants and a 1,037-seat theatre.[4][3][c]

Construction and career

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Norwegian Jewel under construction at Meyer Werft's shipyard in 2004

The cruise ship was ordered by NCL on 15 September 2003 constructed at the Meyer Werft Shipyard in Papenburg, Germany with the yard number 667. The keel laying ceremony took place on 28 October 2003.[1][d] The vessel was launched on 12 June 2005, left the shipyard on 25 June[6][7] and was completed on 4 August 2005.[1][2] The ship was formally named Norwegian Jewel on 3 November 2005 in a ceremony at the Port of Miami, United States. Her godmother is Melania Trump,[8] wife of business magnate Donald Trump and later the First Lady of the United States from 2017 through 2021. Norwegian Jewel was registered in the Bahamas on 1 August 2005 and entered service in December of that year.[3][9]

In an episode of The Apprentice, Donald Trump required his contestants to create a 30-second commercial of the ship, featuring both exterior and interior shots.[10]

Norwegian Jewel underwent a dry dock refurbishment at Sembawang Shipyard in Singapore from 22 October to 5 November 2018.[11] Norwegian Jewel was scheduled to spend the southern summer 2019–2020 undertaking cruises in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and the South Pacific.[12]

Coronavirus quarantine

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The cruise ship was stranded in the middle of the Pacific Ocean in 2020, after being denied entry into Papeete, French Polynesia and Lautoka, Fiji, due to fears of possible infection.[13] On 19 March the 1,700 passengers were prevented from disembarking in Honolulu, Hawaii.[14]

On 23 March, the passengers were allowed to disembark in Honolulu because the ship was experiencing mechanical problems. Passengers were able to catch chartered flights to return to their home locations. There were no confirmed cases of COVID-19 aboard the ship. The approximately 1,000 crew members were remaining on the ship as of 27 March.[15][16] On 10 April, 42 Filipino crew members arrived in Manila.[17]

Notes

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  1. ^ The Miramar Ship Index gives the maximum speed as 24.5 knots (45.4 km/h; 28.2 mph)[2]
  2. ^ According to the official Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Jewel site, the vessel has capacity for 2,376 passengers and a crew of 1,069.[5]
  3. ^ According to the official website, there are 15 bars and lounges.[5]
  4. ^ The Miramar Ship Index has the keel being laid on 4 June 2004.[2]

Citations

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  1. ^ a b c d DNV GL.
  2. ^ a b c d Miramar Ship Index.
  3. ^ a b c d e Ward 2019, p. 1213.
  4. ^ a b c d "Early Delivery of Norwegian Jewel". Meyer Werft. 4 August 2005. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  5. ^ a b Norwegian Jewel.
  6. ^ "Successful river transit". 27 June 2005. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  7. ^ Picture of the ship at the Friesenbrücke
  8. ^ Norwegian Cruise Line. "Melania Trump Christens World's Largest, Most Luxurious Gem - NCL's Norwegian Jewel" (Press release). CR Newswire. Archived from the original on 6 January 2018. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  9. ^ Equasis.
  10. ^ "Candidates for NBC's "The Apprentice" to create 30-second freestyle cruising ads for their NCL task challenge" (Press release). Norwegian Cruise Lines. 23 March 2006. Archived from the original on 26 February 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  11. ^ Souza, Ben. "Cruise Ship Dry Dock/Upgrade Schedules for Cruise Lines in 2018-2023". cruisefever.net. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  12. ^ Souza, Ben. "Norwegian Cruise Line Moving Cruise Ships to New Homeports". cruisefever.net. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  13. ^ Zdanowicz, Christine (17 March 2020). "Multiple cruise ships are left stranded as coronavirus cases increase". CNN. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  14. ^ Carrega, Christina (19 March 2020). "Despite no reported coronavirus, Hawaii won't let cruise ship passengers disembark". ABC News. Retrieved 23 March 2020 – via Yahoo News.
  15. ^ Sinco Kelleher, Jennifer (23 March 2020). "Norwegian Jewel cruise ship passengers disembark at Honolulu Harbor, bused to airport". Honolulu Star Advertiser. Associated Press. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  16. ^ "Hawaii DOT Helps Get 2,000 Cruise Line Passengers Home". The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. 27 March 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  17. ^ Panares, Joyce Pangco (10 April 2020). "47 Pinoy seafarers of stranded Norwegian cruise ship arrive in Manila". Manila Standard. Retrieved 24 April 2021.

References

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