If you stand along the banks of the Ems river in Germany near the Papenburg shipyard you are bound to see an amazing sight.   A giant cruise ship going down the river - backwards!   Is this a prelude to a parallel parking test for the Captain’s driver’s license exam? No, but it is certainly a huge challenge. Like cars and trucks, the most efficient direction for a ship to move is forward. However, when ships are being built at Meyer Werft yard in Papenburg, the layout of the assembly buildings dictate that they enter the structure head in. Therefore, when the ship is nearly completed and ready for sea trials it must leave stern first. And since the Ems River is quite narrow, larger cruise ships can’t execute a U turn and have to depart for the open sea by traveling in reverse.

Recently, Celebrity Crusies’s newest Solstice-class ship, the 2,850 passenger Equinox left on this 26 mile backwards journey en route to Eemshaven, Netherdlands where the Ems River meets the open sea. Under the watchful guidance of Captain Apostolos Bouzakis, the ship successfully transited the narrow river channel and is now at its temporary berth. There the ship will be provisioned and loaded with additional supplies. The ship then proceeds to sea trials and is scheduled for official hand off to Celebrity Cruises from the builder on July 16^th. After a series of trade and press functions the ship will sail on July 31 on a 8 night cruise through the Norwegian fjords.   The only question left unanswered? Do ships have back up lights?

Kathy Collins, Cruise Planners, 866-486-2800, kcollins@cruiseplanners.com