First look: Inside Norwegian Cruise Line's 

giant new ship

Gene Sloan, USA TODAY1:07 p.m. EDT September 16, 2015

Norwegian Cruise Line's next ship, the 4,200-passenger Norwegian Escape, 
is nearing completion at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany.  Gene Sloan, USA TODAY


The Norwegian Escape features maritime-themed hull art designed by marine 
artist Guy Harvey.  Gene Sloan, USA TODAY

PAPENBURG, Germany — What will it be like on Norwegian Cruise Line's next ship, theNorwegian Escape? See for yourself with a scroll through the carousel above, which offers a first look at the soon-to-debut, 4,200-passenger vessel as it nears completion at a shipyard in Germany.

USA TODAY is one of a handful of media outlets this week getting early access to the massive, 164,400-ton ship -- the fifth largest cruise ship ever -- and we're posting photos here and at the USA TODAY Cruise Twitter page.

As can be seen in the photos, parts of Escape still are a construction zone. But several major areas of the vessel are close to complete, and the ship is on schedule to debut in late October.

As the photos show, Escape features one of the largest deck-top fun zones at sea with four major water slides; a restaurant-lined boardwalk; and a giant, two-deck spa with a flurries-filled Snow Room. Escape also will offer Norwegian's first dedicated nursery for young cruisers two and under; the first Margaritaville at sea; the largest ropes course at sea, a miniature golf course, a full-size basketball court and a bocce ball court -- another first for the line.

As with past Norwegian ships, Escape also will feature the line's signature "ship-within-a-ship" luxury suite area, The Haven, which has its own private pool, restaurant, butler service and concierge.

Scheduled to sail year-round to the Caribbean out of Miami, Escape is an expanded version of Norwegian's recently unveiled Norwegian Getaway and Norwegian Breakaway and the line's largest ship to date (scroll through the carousel below for a look at the Norwegian Getaway).

Norwegian Cruise Line's newest ship, the 4.028-passenger Norwegian Getaway, 

set sail with passengers for the first time on Jan. 11, 2014. What's the vessel like? 

USA TODAY's Gene Sloan offers a photo tour.  Norwegian Cruise Line

Built at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, the 146,000-ton 

Norwegian Getaway is a sister to the nine-month-old Norwegian Breakaway 

and shares the same basic design.  Norwegian Cruise Line

Source: USA Today.