Fincantieri to build a next-generation ship for Cunard

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines

Published: 25 September 2017 25 September 2017

Fincantieri, leader in cruise ship design and construction, and Carnival Corporation & plc, the world’s largest cruise company, announced today the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MoA) for the construction of one next-generation cruise ship for the iconic luxury brand Cunard.

The agreement will become operational when all the financial and technical conditions will be satisfied.

The ship will be built at the Monfalcone yard and join the Cunard’s fleet in 2022. The 113,000 ton ship will carry 3,000 guests and be the 249th to fly the Cunard flag, the first since 2010 when Fincantieri delivered the Queen Elizabeth, three years after the Queen Victoria was built in 2007. Marking the first time since 1998 that the luxury cruise brand will have four ships in simultaneous service.

“We are very pleased to announce a fourth ship for our immensely popular Cunard brand, which is also one of the most legendary brands in the entire vacation industry,” said Arnold Donald, CEO of Carnival Corporation. “Cunard offers a fleet of unrivaled vessels and one of the most unique travel experiences in the world, which together create an enchanting and memorable vacation for our guests. While today’s news helps drive Cunard’s overall strategic growth plans, we also look forward to launching this next-generation cruise ship to help meet increasing global demand and entice even more travelers to explore the Cunard experience.” Donald added: “Fleet enhancement is an important part of our ongoing goal to exceed guest expectations. This includes replacing less efficient ships with more efficient vessels over time as part of our managed capacity growth”.

Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri, stated: “With this agreement we once more link our company's name with Cunard’s, a real icon of the cruise market, confirming us as a shipbuilder able to combine tradition and innovation like no one else in the world. It is a lasting journey that, besides the construction of the two authentic ‘queens’ like Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth, stresses the importance of our partnership with Carnival. Bono concluded: “In fact, for this Group we have built 63 ships, representing today almost two-thirds of their fleet, with other 9 to come in the coming years. A cooperation which can be defined as historical, based on relationships of mutual respect and trust”.

Fincantieri has built 78 cruise ships since 1990 (55 from 2002), 63 of which for Carnival’s different brands, while other 33, including agreements, are currently being designed or built in the Group’s yards, 9 of which for the shipowners of the American group.

Saga Cruises takes up option for second newbuilding at Meyer Werft, delivery brought forward

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines

Published: 22 September 2017 22 September 2017

Saga Cruises, part of the UK based financial services to travel group Saga plc, has taken up an option for second 55,900 gross ton newbuilding at Meyer Werft in Germany, the parent company said in a statement.

The second ship will be delivered a year ahead of original plans.

Lance Batchelor, group CEO, said in the statement: “Saga is on track to deliver a fourth consecutive year of growth. Underlying profits are up again and so is our dividend. Our retail broking and travel divisions are performing well. Saga's new ship, Spirit of Discovery, will arrive in June 2019, and pre-sales are very strong. Our confidence in demand has supported our decision to purchase our second new ship, Spirit of Adventure, and to bring forward delivery to August 2020.”

Batchelor continued: “Our new cruise ship, Spirit of Discovery, is now at an advanced stage of design with construction due to begin in February 2018. She will be delivered in June 2019 for her maiden cruise. We launched the first 19 cruises to our advanced registered members on 18 July, having generated over 18,000 advanced and pre-registrations by this date. Our calls with the advanced registered members are converting into sales at around 80% and as at 18 September we had booked 6,449 passengers.”

“The strong demand for Spirit of Discovery has given us the confidence to approve Spirit of Adventure, our second new ship, and to bring forward delivery to August 2020. This decision to further invest in our shipping capacity will complete the transformation of our cruise business for us and our members,” he concluded.

The first newbuilding will replace the 1981 built Saga Pearl II, while the second one appears to replace the Saga Sapphire that is of the same vintage, but much larger, at 37,012 gross tons, compared to 18,835 of Saga Pearl II.

The company, which is based in Folkestone on the south coast of England and listed on the London Stock Exchange, offers a wide range of services to customers aged 50 and more.