Eden was abuzz on Friday as the largest passenger cruise ship to visit so far made port.
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The Norwegian Jewel made a spectacular colourful visitor to Twofold Bay, with a good percentage of the 2400 passengers disembarking to enjoy the sights of Eden and the Sapphire Coast.
It was not only the Norwegian Jewel’s maiden voyage to Eden, but also the first time for any ship from Norwegian Cruise Line.
Bega Valley Shire Mayor Kristy McBain was invited on to the ship’s bridge for the formal plaque presentation, made on every occasion of a maiden voyage. The mayor presented the plaque to ship captain Pelle Fredriksson with the view back over the bay and Snug Cove through the panoramic bridge windows.
Joining the mayor was Cruise Eden’s Natalie Godward and two excited young volunteers Chloe Jennings and Kaylah Faulkner, for their first time on board a cruise ship.
It was also a first for BVSC economic development officer Dan Murphy and this journalist as we not only got an invite on to the ship’s bridge, but also to enjoy lunch with the captain at one of the ship’s several top class restaurants.
READ MORE: Five ships in seven days for Eden
The ship itself has 14 floors, a pool deck with multiple pools, spas and a waterslide, 1098 passenger rooms plus 60 staterooms.
As well as the 2400 passengers on board, the Norwegian Jewel is serviced by 1050 crew from an estimated 17 nationalities.
It has five main thrusters, three at the front and two azimuth thrusters in the stern – propeller housings that can rotate through 360 degrees so the ship can manoeuvre more easily.
The engines push out 9500 horsepower giving the ship a top speed of around 23-24 knots depending on the conditions.
Captain Fredriksson said it usually takes 3000 tonnes of fuel at fill-up time.
There are also five power generators on board, four of them in use at any one time – putting out enough electricity to sustain “a substantial city” (which is essentially what the huge ship is).
Given all this, the Jewel is not the largest ship in the Norwegian line, with Captain Fredriksson saying Joy and Bliss even have go kart tracks with Ferraris for their passengers!