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On Monday, March 4, 2013, the very first group of Norwegian Breakaway crew members arrived to Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany and moved on board their new ship home, marking another very significant milestone in the launch of Norwegian Breakaway. For Norwegian, welcoming crew on board is a very momentous and symbolic stage in the new ship launch process. Mike Flesch, the line’s Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations commented, “The crew members are the ones who bring the ship to life and now that they are starting to come on board, the heart of the ship will truly start beating.”
Shortly after their arrival to the yard, the team of new crew members were escorted straight to the ship by Norwegian Breakaway’s Captain and Hotel Director. As they approached the vessel, the group stared in awe at Norwegian Breakaway, and happily snapped photos of each other in front of the ship to send home to their friends and family around the world. All of the new joiners were eager and excited to get on board, settle in and explore the various areas. When asked how they felt about boarding Norwegian Breakaway today, they expressed their overwhelming excitement and also remarked how honored they felt to be among the first to sign on to the new vessel.
The first group of crew members to arrive represented various departments including deck and engine, housekeeping and galley. Each one of them has extensive experience working on board other Norwegian ships and was specially selected to be part of Norwegian Breakaway’s initial launch team based on the expertise they possess in their respective areas.
Norwegian Breakaway is nearing completion, but is still under construction in many areas; therefore, this team has their work cut out for them. Now that they have arrived, they will assist in the final stages of construction, clean all areas of the ship and prepare the ship for their fellow crew members, who will continue to move on board over the next month, and of course make sure the ship is perfect for guests that will start embarking just over 50 days from today. All of these crew members know that it will be hard work, but they are up for the challenge and are proud that they are the ones who have the opportunity to be there to make it happen.
