Giant new Norwegian Cruise Line ship emerges from shipyard

The first Norwegian Cruise Line ship built for the Chinese market has emerged from a shipyard in Germany.

The 3,850-passenger Norwegian Joy departed the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany on Sunday on its way to sea trials in the North Sea in advance of its debut later this year in China.

At 168,800 tons, Joy is one of the 10 largest cruise ships ever built.

Joy is scheduled to sail year-round out of Shanghai and Tianjin, China starting this summer. It'll be christened in Shanghai on June 27.

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After sea trials, Joy will undergo finishing work before being officially delivered to Norwegian on April 27. The vessel then will sail directly to China.

Joy is the second ship in Norwegian's new Breakaway Plus series. The first ship in the series, Norwegian Escape, debuted in 2015 and sails year-round to the Caribbean out of Miami.

While similar in size to Escape, Joy will feature accommodations, cuisine and on-board experiences that cater specifically to the preferences of Chinese travelers, the line has said.

Norwegian is one of several major North America-based lines that are sending new ships to China as they increasingly look to Asia for growth. Princess Cruises this year also is sending its newest ship to China, and Royal Caribbean has deployed two of its newest vessels to the country.