A Closer Look at the Hull Art on Norwegian Cruise Line Ships

Have you ever noticed how vibrant the hulls are on Norwegian Cruise Line ships? These incredible works of art have been showcased in photos taken by cruise passengers around the world. And rightfully so, as they really are significant works of art. But do you know who the artists are? Let's take a closer look at the hull art on Norwegian Cruise Line ships.

Norwegian Cruise Line first started its hull artwork concept with Norwegian Dawn when she entered service back in 2002. Dawn's hull art was created by the London firm SMC Design and soon after all ships have come to feature unique, colorful designs and artists. All Norwegian Cruise Line ships that entered service prior to 2008 were also retrofit with hull artwork.

Next, Norwegian Epic got the royal design treatment from the in-house creative service team at Norwegian Cruise Line. And to this day, its the only ship in their fleet whose hull art was designed in-house. Such a talented group of people!

In 2013, Norwegian Cruise Line decided to take its hull art program to the next level by commissioning world-renowned artists to create signature artwork for their new ships. Norwegian Breakaway received a New York City skyline courtesy of Peter Max, a popular artist known for his colorful, pop icon-style paintings. For her sister ship, Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Cruise Line reached out to Miami artist, David "Lebo" Le Batard, who created a whimsical mural featuring a mermaid, tropical palm trees, and pelicans.

The next ship to receive the artist treatment was Norwegian Escape, the first ship in the Breakaway Plus class. This time, Jamaican ocean conservationist and marine wildlife artist, Guy Harvey, was chosen to create a glimpse into the underwater world which includes a huge cresting marlin! And besides the artwork itself, Norwegian Cruise Line has partnered with the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation in support of their mutual commitment to the environment and ocean conservation efforts.

The work of Chinese artist Tan Ping is featured on the hull of another Breakaway-Plus class vessel, Norwegian Joy. Purpose-built to home port in Shanghai and Beijing, the distinctive artwork on Norwegian Joy hull focuses on a mythical red phoenix, which has been found in Chinese art for centuries. The hull sports an almost magical quality including vivid ocean waves. The hull art designs for both of these Breakaway-Plus ships are meant to serve as a beacon for conservation, showcasing the beauty of our oceans and all of the marine life that lay within them.

What's coming up? Norwegian Cruise Line continues to advocate for ocean conservation through their latest partnership with another renowned marine artist, Wyland, whose artwork will be featured on the hull of the new ship, Norwegian Bliss, set to start sailing to Alaska beginning in June of 2018. Fittingly, his piece entitled Cruising with the Whales will include a prominent mother humpback whale and her calf, along with other marine life. How cool is that?

If you'd like to channel these exquisite works of art at home, why not attend a live art auction while on board your Norwegian Cruise Line ship? Park West Gallery represents several of the talented hull artists mentioned above, so you can grab a great deal while bringing home a little piece of the sea with you. Or a skyline. But not a mermaid.

Read more: 9 Things You Didn't Know About Your Next Cruise!