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Marine artist Wyland has put the finishing touches to the hull art of Norwegian Bliss as the cruise ship prepares for launch.
The artist was on hand to add the final brush strokes during a ceremony at the Meyer Weft shipbuilding facility in Papenburg, Germany, earlier.
The ship, which will launch in April, will cruise from Seattle to Alaska in its debut season.
Entitled Cruising with the Whales, the engaging and beautiful art prominently features a stunning image of a mother humpback whale and her calf as the centrepiece of the design, signifying the beauty of Alaska and the importance of conservation.
Known for his iconic whale murals, marine life paintings and sculptures, Wyland has inspired generations to be passionate about preserving the oceans and the incredible wildlife that calls it home.
Andy Stuart, Norwegian Cruise Line president and chief executive officer, joined Wyland as he added the final strokes.
“Humpback whales are an iconic part of the Alaska landscape and one of the most compelling sights visitors can see while cruising the Last Frontier,” said Stuart.
“It was only fitting that an artist of Wyland’s calibre should create the artwork for our first ship designed for Alaska, which includes humpback whales and other signature marine life found in the world’s oceans.
“We hope that our guests are just as inspired as we are by this beautiful artwork.”
The enormous extent of Wyland’s public artworks, his award-winning art galleries and his non-profit foundation’s community service projects have made him one of the world’s most recognised and beloved artists.
An artist inspired by different canvases, Wyland has been diving the world’s oceans for the past 30 years and these wildlife encounters have inspired him to paint the animals life size, on more than 100 ocean murals throughout the US and 18 countries around the world.
Wyland has taken advantage of Norwegian Bliss’ unique canvas to create a life size portrait of the planet’s most spectacular marine life, including giant manta rays, dolphins, sea lions and sea turtles, to give the viewer a sense of being part of the ocean’s realm.
The beauty in Alaska and along the Pacific coast has inspired many of Wyland’s paintings and sculptures and contributed to his inspiration for Norwegian Bliss’ hull artwork.
“As a marine artist who has painted the largest murals in the world, it is an honour to have the opportunity to collaborate with Norwegian and present my art on such a grand scale,” said Wyland.
“I can’t think of a more perfect canvas for a marine artist than Norwegian Bliss and I hope my art inspires people to see the beauty in nature and hopefully work to preserve it.
“Norwegian is as committed as I am to ensuring the health of the oceans and our planet and I look forward to our partnership as we use art, science and adventure to inspire a generation to take care of our blue planet.”
The third ship in the line’s Breakaway Plus class, Norwegian Bliss will be the first cruise ship custom-built with features and amenities for the ultimate Alaska cruise experience and the first Norwegian Cruise Line ship to make its debut in Seattle.
More Information
Norwegian Cruise Line is considered the World’s Leading Cruise Line by the World Travel Awards.
Take a look at a series of images from the ceremony here.
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