Three new 25 m cruise tenders designed by digital shipbuilder, Incat Crowther are now operating in the Caribbean for Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL).
Stationed at NCL’s private island at Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas, the tenders are designed to accommodate 354 passengers in comfort and safety, while operating from the cruise ships to the island resort.
Accessibility was a key design feature of each tender with two wheelchair-accessible spaces on the main deck, as well as three toilets, one of which is wheelchair accessible.
Built by Singapore’s Penguin Shipyard International, they also include a wheelchair lift to provide access to the upper deck, which has seats for 188 people and offers covered outdoor seating. The main deck seats 164 passengers in air-conditioned comfort.
Their design has optimised disembarkation and boarding via main deck bow ramps that interface with the existing tender docks at the resort, while disembarkation and boarding are also possible from two access points on the upper deck.
The vessels also feature elements of Incat Crowther’s catamaran design expertise, including deep hulls for maximum comfort.
Incat Crowther’s Managing Director for Europe, Ed Dudson, said the project was the latest in a long line of tailored design projects for clients around the world.
“This project required Incat Crowther to work closely with Norwegian Cruise Lines to ensure the tenders were designed specifically for pre-existing infrastructure.
“Our digital shipbuilding process helped to ensure these tenders were operationally efficient, as well as providing guests with the luxury experience you would expect while on a Caribbean holiday with Norwegian Cruise Lines.
“The project also proves that our world-leading catamaran hull designs can be applied across multiple sectors and in almost any environment – from the open ocean to tourist transportation routes such as this one in the Bahamas,” he explained.
