File photo (c) Fincantieri – Cantieri Navali Italiani S.p.A
Carnival Corporation will be adding two more ships to its vast fleet of cruise vessels operating worldwide. The company signed an order today with Fincantieri shipyards for a 133,500 gross ton/3,954-passenger vessel and a 99,500 gross ton/2,650 passenger vessel which will be sister ships of two other vessels currently under construction, the Carnival Vista and the Pinnacle-class Koningsdam, respectively. The vessels will operate under the Carnival Cruise Line and the Holland America Line brands.
The delivery date for the yet-unnamed 3,954 passenger vessel for Carnival is scheduled for March 2018 and homeport and itinerary information will be announced at a later date. Holland America’s new vessel will be delivered in late November 2018.
“These beautiful new ships on order from Fincantieri signify our ongoing commitment to provide the best possible guest experience across our industry-leading brands,” said Arnold Donald, President & CEO of Carnival Corporation. “New ships with the latest in features, accommodations and innovations really bring the modern cruise experience to life and will help us continue to grow new demand for cruising.”
“To have been once more chosen for such an important order is the best recognition for our skills,” said Giuseppe Bono, Fincantieri Chief Executive Officer. “This is an extremely important sign, especially if we consider the shipbuilding industry’s present period of evolution, both in Europe and Asia.”
Bono added, “Today Fincantieri can count on a solid order book, without equal in terms of diversification and quality of the product, which is a testament to our leadership in the cruise ship business sector. This position has been solidified over the years also thanks to our relationship with Carnival, a partnership which has allowed us to grow and which is now strengthened by our recent agreement involving the Chinese market and by today’s orders. We are hopeful that many others will follow in the future.”
Since 2007, Carnival Corporation notes it’s global fleet – the largest in the world – has expanded by more than 30 new ship additions, including its two newest ships, Regal Princess and Costa Diadema, with another 10 ships scheduled to be delivered between 2015 and 2018.
In March, P&O Cruises UK plans to introduce Britannia, which is the largest ship ever built for the British cruise market. In the fall of 2015, AIDA Cruises will christen its new flagship, AIDAprima.
Looking forward to 2017, Carnival notes their Princess Cruises line is working with Fincantieri to build a 143,000-ton vessel featuring design elements introduced by the brand’s two newest ships, sisters Royal Princess and Regal Princess.
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