Norwegian Dawn arrives again

MOSSEL BAY NEWS - The stately cruise ship, Norwegian Dawn, anchored in the bay this morning.

Her colourful paintwork brightened up the grey sea on an overcast morning.

The Norwegian Dawn has stopped in the bay previously this cruise ship season.

Voyage

According to Wikipedia, the ship was completed on 4 December 2002 at the Meyer Werft Shipyard in Papenburg, Germany and sailed her maiden voyage in Europe on 7 December 2002. She was intended to operate with Star Cruises under the name SuperStar Scorpio, but it was decided that she would be delivered to Star's subsidiary, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), as Norwegian Dawn. Norwegian Dawn was formally named on 16 December 2002, in an elaborate ceremony in Manhatten, New York, by actress Kim Cattrall.

Decoration

Norwegian Dawn was the first NCL vessel to have "hull art" - a "decoration" on the hull. Planned as a way to promote the vessel, the concept was well received and hull art was incorporated on most other NCL vessels, with the exception of those vessels scheduled to transition out of the fleet within the next few years, Wikipedia notes.