Norwegian Dream

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Norwegian Dream

Status:	in service
Placed in Service:	1992
Tonnage:	50,764 gross tons
Length:	754 feet
Beam:	94 feet
Draft:	23 feet
Decks:	10
Speed:	21 knots
Complement:	1,748 passengers, 700 crew
Registry:	Bahamas

Norwegian Dream is a cruise ship operated by Norwegian Cruise Line.

The vessel was built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique in 1992 as Dreamward (39,217 gross tons, 190 metres in length and 1,450 maximum passengers). In 1998, the vessel was lengthened by inserting a 30 metre long section into the hull of the ship. Following this refit, the vessel was named Norwegian Dream. The tonnage correspondingly increased to 50,700 gross tonnes, and the passenger capacity increased by almost 300.

In August 1999, the vessel was involved in a collision with a cargo vessel near Dover, England. Mistakes by an officer on the Norwegian Dream were determined to be the primary factor in the accident[1]. Although there were no fatalities, the accident lead to criticism of the lack of oversight and the safety of foreign-registered cruise vessels. [2]

It is notable for being one of the few cruise ships capable of using the Kiel Canal: most are too tall to pass under the canal's bridges, but the Norwegian Dream is capable of lowering its funnels and masts in order to make the passage.