Conference abbott::cruise_travel

261.0. "S/S Norway-trip report" by FSTVAX::SIMPSON () Mon Feb 18 1991 14:53

		Having just returned from a week on the "new" SS Norway,
	I thought some of you might like to hear about the ship.

		Due to some extenuating circumstances, we were upgraded
	to a Category 2C cabin on the new Sun Deck.  The cabin was approx.
	12 feet wide and about 14-16 feet deep.  There was a private 
	balcony which was as wide as the cabin and about 4-5 feet deep.
	There was enough room on the balcony for a chaise lounge, a table
	and two chairs.  The cabin was very roomy with a king size bed,
	a love seat and a coffee table.  The bath had a full size tub
	with shower.  All in all, the cabin was great!

		We also checked out the cabins in the other categories
	on both the Sun Deck and the new Sky Deck.  The category 2B cabins
	were basically the same as ours, only about 4-5 feet deeper, also
	with a balcony.  If you really have money, the Owner's Suites  were 
	fabulous!!  They were a total of three rooms... bath with Jacuzzi
	tub, a separate bedroom and living room.... all very large.  A 
	little too rich for my wallet though.  On the Sky deck the category
	3 cabins were very nice and roomy.  They were basically the same as 
	ours, only no balconies.

		As for the rest of the ship... the only other major change
	was that they re-opened the 2nd level of the Leeward Dining Room.
	That level was converted into cabins in 1987 and re-done while they 
	were in dry dock last fall.  Parts of the ship had obviously been
	re-carpeted and had new furniture installed during the dry dock.
	The rest of the ship looked the same as it did when I was last there
	6 years ago.

		The food and entertainment during the week were great!  They
	are doing a Broadway play (Meet me in St. Louis) which was excellent.
	They also do 2 different Las Vegas style shows which are also great.
			
		We did find out some interesting facts about how they added
	the new decks.  Last summer the engineers from the shipyard in 
	Bremerhaven, Germany (where the Norway/France was built) came aboard
	and did any required measuring for the new decks.  When the Norway
	arrived in Bremerhaven last October, the new decks were already built.
	They used cranes to lift the decks into place and it only took them
	2 days to weld them onto the ship!  They then had people working 24
	hours a day to do the finishing touches.

		In summary, I must say that not only is the Norway, once again,
	the largest cruise ship in the world... in my book, it's the best!
	We are already making plans to go back in a couple of years and 
	looking forward to that trip.