Aker Yards shipyard in St Nazaire, France, is an awfully long way to go to see a piece of steel lowered to the ground, but there is something rather special about being there at the start of a new ship build.
This time it was for the birth of F3, Norwegian Cruise Line's next new ship - 150,000 tons, 4,200 passengers. Two of these giants are due to launch within months of each other in 2010.
Before going to the shipyard we dropped in on the place where they are developing the cabins, where NCL president and chief executive office Colin Veitch gave us a taste of just how different this ship promises to be (look out for details in Travel Weekly next week).
We also each struck a coin bearing the F3 name (I trust they will come up with a snappier one soon, as also for the next biggie, which currently goes under the moniker F3 - 2).
Then it was to the shipyard, a few more words from Veitch and the first piece of the keel - number 5006, weighing 322 tons - was lowered into place. Once it had landed, beside an unflinching mistress of ceremonies, we all placed our coins in a box that was welded shut and will be forever part of the first F3.
Jane Archer
