AFTER the curtain rises on the Broadway musical After Midnight in the shipboard theatre, the audience spends over an hour feeling it has been transported back to Harlem of the 1920s.
That is fitting for Norwegian Escape, the new cruise vessel of the US company Norwegian Cruise Line, which is a very American-style ship.
The vessel is an upgraded copy of the Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway cruise boats operated by NCL.
It is being marketed as a "freestyle cruising resort", meaning there are no set routines on board - no seating order and "freestyle dining" that means a free choice of restaurants.
"This is about having the freedom to organise one's own day on board," said Christian Boell, the shipping line's managing director for Europe, during the vessel's grand debut in the northern German port city of Hamburg.
At 326 metres in length and with space for 4266 passengers, the Norwegian Escape is the largest vessel in the Breakaway class.
Here is an overview of what it has to offer:
The exclusive residential area "The Haven" is one deck larger than on the other boats.
"The concept has been very well received," Boell said.
The exclusive sealed-off complex of suites is accessible via a chip card. Guests there can enjoy butler service, an exclusive restaurant featuring an open-air terrace and their own swimming pool.
Also new is a retractable glass roof and those who really want some special luxury can book one of the four 120-square-metre Deluxe Owner's Suites.
In order to expand the range of eateries, Norwegian called in American cook Jose Garces, who shows off his talent in the new Bayamo restaurant with a cuisine inspired by Cuba and in the Pincho Tapas Bar.
A further novelty is the District Brew House, a bar offering 24 beers on tap and more than 50 different bottled beers.
Wine-tasting is found at The Cellars, while a new concept in dining is offered in the a la carte restaurant Food Republic featuring dishes from around the world.
There, "tasting and sharing" of dishes on small plates is the attraction.
The waterfront area on the eighth deck has been expanded and some of the restaurants have an outdoor area.
There are 28 restaurants altogether on board, 11 of which are included in the travel price.
From far off, an observer will notice the water slides and the ropes course, an elaborate three-storey complex of 99 heart-pounding challenges. The Aqua Racer offers a new tandem slide of two parallel water slides, while the Kids Aqua Park has been expanded.
The climbing garden has two rope slides and, as on the other boats, two planks that jut out towards the sea.
Besides the 1920s Harlem musical After Midnight, there is the Million Dollar Quartet show, based on a famous recording session featuring Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins.
There is also a dinner show called For the Record: The Brat Pack, featuring Hollywood film music.
The ship's core areas are Decks 6, 7 and 8, where the guest finds most of the restaurants and bars and the casino.
For the first time, children between six months and three years will be cared for. The rate is $US10 ($A13.80) an hour for the first child, and $US8 for the next sibling.
In a new attraction, there is a room in the spa area that, cooled at between zero and 6C, has powdered snow. A bit disorientating when one considers just where the ship is travelling.
From Miami, the ship will be cruising the eastern Caribbean in seven-night trips. The destinations will be St Thomas (American Virgin Islands), Tortola (British Virgin Islands) and Nassau (Bahamas).
AAP