NCL Breakaway VS Verrazano Bridge

[$hip$hape]

The Verrazano Bridge marks the gateway to New York Harbor; all cruise ships and most container ships arriving at the Port of New York and New Jersey must pass underneath the bridge and thus must be built to accommodate the clearance under the bridge. This is most notable in the case of the ocean liner RMS Queen Mary 2. The Queen Mary 2, with 17 decks (and modified stacks), has 13 feet of clearance.

The NCL Breakaway has 18 decks.

I'm interested; does anyone have the height of the Breakaway?

[Got Tequila?]

The Verrazano Bridge marks the gateway to New York Harbor; all cruise ships and most container ships arriving at the Port of New York and New Jersey must pass underneath the bridge and thus must be built to accommodate the clearance under the bridge. This is most notable in the case of the ocean liner RMS Queen Mary 2. The Queen Mary 2, with 17 decks (and modified stacks), has 13 feet of clearance.

The NCL Breakaway has 18 decks.

I'm interested; does anyone have the height of the Breakaway?

 

 

This is the only info I could find on the ship itself.

 

144,017 tonnage

1062 feet

130 Max beam

127 feet draft

18 decks

 

4000 passengers

1595 crew

[CPT Trips]

Breakaway was built to pass under the Verrazano at high tide according to the CPT of the Gem. I don't recall, if he stated it, what the clearance is.

[$hip$hape]

Thanks. I'm sure NCL must know what they are doing; just curious.

It maybe the reason the Breakaway is slightly smaller than the Epic; so it can dock in NYC.

Maybe the height is given AFTER they place it in the water,

fully equipped? :-)

The Verrazano Bridge has a clearance of 228 Feet(68.5m)

 

This is the only info I could find on the ship itself.

144,017 tonnage

1062 feet

130 Max beam

127 feet draft

18 decks

[NYcruzzer]

Thanks. I'm sure NCL must know what they are doing; just curious.

It maybe the reason the Breakaway is slightly smaller than the Epic; so it can dock in NYC.

Maybe the height is given AFTER they place it in the water,

fully equipped? :-)

The Verrazano Bridge has a clearance of 228 Feet(68.5m)

 

This is the only info I could find on the ship itself.

144,017 tonnage

1062 feet

130 Max beam

127 feet draft

18 decks

 

The Epic spent a few days docked in NYC before heading to Miami. If the Breakaway is slightly lower then the Epic then she should be fine.

[$hip$hape]

Thanks.

My wife and I are booked on the NCL Breakaway TransAtlantic

30 APL 2013

...We are forward, in the front of the ship on DECK 11,

so WE should be okay. LOL

Breakaway was built to pass under the Verrazano at high tide according to the CPT of the Gem. I don't recall, if he stated it, what the clearance is.

[njhorseman]

(deleted)

[electricron]

The Norwegian Epic has 19 decks and has sailed under the bridge. I don't see a problem with an 18 deck ship sailing under the bridge. Obviously, the QEII must have taller decks.

[smeyer418]

127 feet draft can't be right. most harbors have limits less than 50 feet..

 

unless they mean air draft...

 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/gcaptain/2011/10/25/the-port-of-new-york-and-new-jersey-a-critical-hub-of-global-commerce/.

[Cmdr Cody]

This is the only info I could find on the ship itself.

 

144,017 tonnage

1062 feet

130 Max beam

127 feet draft

18 decks

 

4000 passengers

1595 crew

 

 

From NCL.com

 

Norwegian Breakaway

 

Ship Specifications

 

• Passenger Capacity: 4,000 (double occupancy)
  
• Gross Register Tonnage: 144,017
  
• Overall Length: 1,062 feet
  
• Max Beam: 130 feet
  
• Draft: 27 feet
  
• Engines: Diesel Electric
  
• Cruise Speed: 21.5 knots
  
• Crew: 1,595
  

The onboard cruise rep on our cruise last May on the Norwegian Jewel stated the Epic's mast cleared the bridge by only 6 ft (and she showed photos of the mast passing below the bridge). The insurer's did not like that, so Epic hasn't returned to NYC. She said the two new ships (now known as Breakaway and Getaway) were designed to operate out of NYC and would have more clearance so their masts are probably lower.

 

Hope that helps.

[smeyer418]

the full full limit of a ship is normally in the 125-130% of lower two(double occupancy)...

 

which would mean that the ship when full with passengers and crew would be between 6500 to 7000 people...

 

that's an awful lot...

[Cmdr Cody]

The Norwegian Epic has 19 decks and has sailed under the bridge. I don't see a problem with an 18 deck ship sailing under the bridge. Obviously, the QEII must have taller decks.

 

It's not decks that cause the problem it is MAST height.

 

Before the new highlevel bridge in Toledo, Ohio I had to wait for the drawbridge on I-280 to be raised because my 42 foot sloop's mast was two high. The highest point of my deck is about 6 feet above the waterline, but my mast is 50 feet above that.

[shof515]

I dont know if the Breakaway or Epic can do it, but i watched a few ship shows and they were a few ships where they can adjust the amount of ballast to lower the ship by a few inches for bridge clearance.

[Davechipp74]

maybe they only sail the ships, that may have a clearance issue at low tide under the bridge, perhaps that few feet difference is all they need

??

[jaja]

I dont know if the Breakaway or Epic can do it, but i watched a few ship shows and they were a few ships where they can adjust the amount of ballast to lower the ship by a few inches for bridge clearance.

 

can they just let a little air out of the tires? :D:rolleyes:

[njhorseman]

I dont know if the Breakaway or Epic can do it, but i watched a few ship shows and they were a few ships where they can adjust the amount of ballast to lower the ship by a few inches for bridge clearance.

 

By increasing the ship's speed it "squats"...it will sit a little lower in the water...or so I learned from a TV show about the building of the Freedom of the Seas, which had to pass under a bridge with barely sufficient clearance and was able to do so by increasing its speed.

 

BTW, the former Norwegian Dream had hinged funnel stacks that allowed them to be "folded" down in order to clear low bridges. As a result it was the largest ship that could pass through the Kiel Canal in Germany. We learned that when we did a Baltics cruise on her some years ago.

[njhorseman]

maybe they only sail the ships, that may have a clearance issue at low tide under the bridge, perhaps that few feet difference is all they need

??

 

According to this tide table, the tides today would be near their highs at approximately the times cruise ships would be passing under the bridge (for example the Gem returned from a CTN this morning and departed this afternoon), so what you're saying doesn't appear to be the case.

 

Tides for Fort Wadsworth, The Narrows starting with February 19, 2012.

 

Day High Tide Height Sunrise Moon Time % Moon

/Low Time Feet Sunset Visible

 

Su 19 High 5:44 AM 5.1 6:45 AM Rise 5:05 AM 10

19 Low 12:11 PM -0.4 5:35 PM Set 3:34 PM

19 High 6:12 PM 4.6

[electricron]

Link to site with photos of the Norwegian Epic sailing under bridge.

http://www.worldshipny.com/NorEpicMaidenNYC.shtml

 

Per Wiki, the Verrazano Bridge has a vertical clearance of 228 feet during mean high tide. For what it's worth, the Golden Gate vertical clearance is 220 feet. Additionally, the vertical clearance at the Bridge of the Americas (Panama Canal) is 201 feet. Every ship, including those using the new larger locks, using the Panama Canal will be able to sail under either bridge.

[AttilaTheFun]

Link to site with photos of the Norwegian Epic sailing under bridge.

http://www.worldshipny.com/NorEpicMaidenNYC.shtml

 

Per Wiki, the Verrazano Bridge has a vertical clearance of 228 feet during mean high tide. For what it's worth, the Golden Gate vertical clearance is 220 feet. Additionally, the vertical clearance at the Bridge of the Americas (Panama Canal) is 201 feet. Every ship, including those using the new larger locks, using the Panama Canal will be able to sail under either bridge.

 

Very cool info! Looks like the 6 ft clearance story is a myth. :rolleyes:

[ZoneHPH]

If I was running late to the NY Terminal, would the ship be high enough where I could be driven to the VZN Bridge...and just time my jump onto the pool deck...a la Bugs Bunny style? :D

[Davechipp74]

If I was running late to the NY Terminal, would the ship be high enough where I could be driven to the VZN Bridge...and just time my jump onto the pool deck...a la Bugs Bunny style? :D

very funny, i'd like to see that

:eek:

[cliffd64]

Hmmm it would be a drop that's for sure... Lol

[CPT Trips]

The Norwegian Epic has 19 decks and has sailed under the bridge. I don't see a problem with an 18 deck ship sailing under the bridge. Obviously, the QEII must have taller decks.

 

snip

The Epic spent a few days docked in NYC before heading to Miami. If the Breakaway is slightly lower then the Epic then she should be fine.

 

The Epic came and went out at low tide . . . not a good thing when ships arrive at same time of day.

[time2cruise1]

 

The Epic came and went out at low tide . . . not a good thing when ships arrive at same time of day.

 

I was on the Epic when it arrived in NYC. We in fact cleared the bridge about 1 hour before high tide. Plenty of clearance.

 

 

[dega2]

 

I was on the Epic when it arrived in NYC. We in fact cleared the bridge about 1 hour before high tide. Plenty of clearance.

 

 

 

In case they have a problem passing under bridges they have come up with a solution to add more weight to the ship, either more passengers or anything they can add the weigh down the ship.