26 June 2008

As cool as ice on new NCL ship

NCL claims it will have the cruise industryÃ¢â¬â¢s first true ice bar, and one of only 14 in the world.

The frozen chamber will feature LED lighting to a soundtrack of the latest techno beats.

The bar, walls, tables, stools, glasses and life-size sculptures will all be made of ice.

The ice bar will accommodate 25 passengers who will be provided with fur coats, gloves and hats, since the room temperature will not rise above minus eight degrees Celsius.

This is one of a number of bars and nightspots to be unveiled by the company for the first of its new generation F3 ships to be delivered in 2010.

Garden and Courtyard villa passengers will have exclusive access to a VIP Halo bar located on private deck 16.

The POSH Beach Club will require the purchase of a memberÃ¢â¬â¢s only pass to give access to an outdoor complex with day beds and cabanas with a 35-ft waterfall during the day and an open-air nightclub after dark.

Spice H₂0 will enable passengers to sunbathe on lounge beds around the pool while enjoying Asian-inspired music and cuisine in Chinese noodle boxes during the day. At night, the area becomes an Ibiza-inspired beach club with live entertainment and dinner served tableside or to beds.

F3 will also have the Bliss Ultra Lounge and Nightclub with bowling alley, featured on Norwegian Gem and Norwegian Pearl.

NCL UK general manager Stephen Park said: Ã¢â¬ÅâœThere is nothing ordinary about these ships. The F3s are unconventionally extraordinary.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœEvery experience on board will be unique. F3 wonÃ¢â¬â¢t have massive void spaces and rooms used just for one activity, these venues have multiple uses for sunbathing, bowling and dining, as well as being party playgrounds."

by Phil Davies