Construction begins on new Norwegian Cruise Line ship

A shipyard in Germany this week officially began construction on the first of two new, larger ships ordered by Norwegian Cruise Line.

The Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany on Thursday held an official steel-cutting ceremony for the 4,200-passenger Norwegian Escape, which will be the largest Norwegian ship ever built.

The 163,000-ton vessel is the first of two "Breakaway Plus" ships that will be similar but bigger to the recently launched, 4,028-passenger Norwegian Breakaway and sisterNorwegian Getaway. It's scheduled to debut in the fall of 2015.

RELATED: Escape to be adorned with sea creatures
PHOTO TOURS: Norwegian Getaway | Norwegian Breakaway

Norwegian Cruise Line and Meyer Werft executives watched on Thursday as the first plate of steel was cut by a plasma torch at the yard. The plate will become part of one of the blocks that will be welded together to create the ship.

Norwegian announced earlier this month that the Norwegian Escape would join the just-unveiled Norwegian Getaway in sailing to the Caribbean year-round from Miami. It'll operate a seven-day Eastern Caribbean itinerary starting Nov. 14, 2015 that features stops in Tortola, British Virgin Islands; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; and Nassau, Bahamas.

With the addition of the Norwegian Escape, Norwegian will have 14 vessels.

MORE: USA TODAY's guide to new ships on order

Norwegian Escape and sister ship Norwegian Bliss, due in 2017, will be about 10% larger than the Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway. For a deck-by-deck look at the new Norwegian Getaway, click through the carousel below.

Norwegian Cruise Line's newest ship, the 4.028-passenger Norwegian Getaway, set sail with passengers for the first time on Jan. 11, 2014. What's the vessel like? USA TODAY's Gene Sloan offers a photo tour.  (Photo: Norwegian Cruise Line)

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