Cruise ship construction and design

cruise ship construction and designCruise ship building process involves numerous complex research and testing procedures. The cruise ship design company (which work is also called naval architecture) analyses and provides solutions to meet the Marine and Shipbuilding Industry’s requirements, submitting the basic and detailed designs, ship equipment designs and production drawings to the shipbuilding company.

The design firm also provides engineers with analysis, simulations, diagnosis, manufacture, repair and other data by using the latest CAE (Computer Aided Engineering) technology. The ship cabins manufacturer is able to design and produce various types of ready-to-install ship cabins and bathrooms for virtually all passenger ships – big and small, luxury, ferries, Ro-Ros, research, etc.

The ship builder also hires a company to provide the so called “Lifecycle Services”, pertaining mostly to the industry’s rules and regulations. Some of these services are retrofitting and refurbishing, and keeping regular updates regarding new rules and requirements.

cruise ship building process

It’s a common modern practice big cruise ships to be built of pre-made huge sections. Entire multi-deck segments are built at another place, transported or slipway to the shipyard and lifted into place.

The sections often feature even pre-installed equipment, cables, pipes and other components – it saves a lot of shipbuilding time, and it surely saves lots of money. This technique was used for the first time in the construction of the Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 ship (2002-2004) by the French “Chantiers de l’Atlantique” company.

The ice-going cruise ships building is so expensive as to hull strength and engines power, that the best option is to buy an unfinished vessel or to refit an existing Ice-class ship (often an ex navy vessel), like the case of the Regent Seven Seas Navigator ship. Constructed as a naval support ship and strengthened for navigation in ice, the Navigator ship’s hull was purchased from the former USSR (now Russia), while its superstructure was finished later at the T. Mariotti shipyards in Genoa, Italy.

Cruise ship design

This is an amazingly detailed cruise ship design infographic showing what is what and where on a typical cruise passenger vessel. Note: Click on image to enlarge, backspace/back button to return to the article page.cruise ship design companies

Marine design solutions for cruise ships are truly amazing and unique, using the latest innovations, technologies and materials to ensure difference from other existing passenger ships.

Special on-board features, such as the Royal Caribbean ships’ rock-climbing walls, ice-skating rinks, surf simulators, wave pools and the 9-deck high Zip-line are an irresistible temptation and a true allure for all the ship vacation fun fans.

As to the common features, all big passenger ships have a several decks high Atrium, at least 3 huge swimming pools, a Spa-Fitness complex, a grand casino, a library, duty-free shops, 2 huge capacity main restaurants, a grand theater, a disco, kids and teen areas, numerous bars and lounges, and all new big ships feature an open around-ship Promenade.

As to the biggest of all – the Allure and Oasis ships – each of them has 2,706 cabins – nothing short to a floating resort.

Cruise Ship Orderbook Updated Through 2022

MSC Cruise have 7 New Builds on order.

The Cruise Ship Orderbook page is now updated through 2022 on CruiseIndustryNews.com.

The updated page reflects all known ship orders through 2022, including Carnival Corporation’s recent nine-ship order, along with a fourth Quantum-class vessel for Royal Caribbean.

The update also includes deployment announcements as well as delivery changes, such as the Viking Sky being pushed back to 2017.

Cruise Ship Orderbook

Cruise Line Ship Cost(1) Tonnage Capacity Yard Sailing Delivery

2015:

P&O Cruises Britannia $760 141,000 3,611 Fincantieri Europe March
Viking Ocean Viking Star TBA 47,000 944 Fincantieri Europe Spring
TUI Mein Schiff 4 $625 97,000 2,500 Meyer-Turku Europe Spring
Royal Caribbean Anthem
$950 167,000 4,100 Meyer Eur/Carib Spring
Ponant Le Lyrial $150 11,000 262 Fincantieri World Spring
AIDA AIDAprima $645 125,000 3,250 Mitsubishi Europe Q4
Norwegian Escape $920 164,600 4,200 Meyer Carib October

2016:

Holland America Koningsdam $520 99,000 2,660 Fincantieri TBA Feb
Viking Ocean Viking Sea
TBA 47,000 944 Fincantieri Europe Spring
Carnival Vista
$780 135,000 4,000 Fincantieri TBA Spring
Royal Caribbean Harmony $1,300 227,625 5,400 STX France TBA Spring
AIDA Unnamed $645 125,000 3,250 Mitsubishi TBA March
TUI Mein Schiff 5 $625 97,000 2,500 Meyer-Turku Europe Spring
Royal Caribbean Ovation
$950 167,000 4,100 Meyer TBA “Mid 2016”
Regent Explorer $450 54,000 738 Fincantieri World Summer
Seabourn Encore TBA 40,350 604 Fincantieri World Second Half
Star Cruises Genting World $960 150,000 3,360 Meyer Asia Fall

2017:

Norwegian Bliss $920 164,600 4,200 Meyer TBA Spring
MSC Cruises Meraviglia $900 167,600 4,500 STX France TBA Early 2017
Viking Ocean Unnamed TBA 47,000 944 Fincantieri Europe Early 2017
TUI Mein Schiff 6 $625 97,000 2,500 Meyer-Turku Europe Spring
Princess Unnamed $760 141,000 3,600 Fincantieri TBA May
Viking Ocean Viking Sky
TBA 47,000 944 Fincantieri Europe June
Star Cruises Unnamed $960 150,000 3,360 Meyer Asia Fall
MSC Cruises Seaside $950 154,000 4,140 Fincantieri TBA November

2018:

Carnival Unnamed
$780 135,000 4,000 Fincantieri TBA March
MSC Cruises Unnamed $950 154,000 4,140 Fincantieri TBA May
TUI Mein Schiff 7 $625 97,000 2,500 Meyer-Turku Europe Spring
Seabourn Ovation TBA 40,350 604 Fincantieri World Spring
Royal Caribbean Unnamed $1,300 227,625 5,400 STX France TBA TBA
Norwegian Unnamed $1,100 164,600 4,200 Meyer TBA Q2
Celebrity Unnamed $900 117,000 2,900 STX France TBA Fall
Holland America Unnamed $520 99,000 2,660 Fincantieri TBA November

2019:

MSC Cruises Unnamed $900 167,600 4,500 STX France Europe Early 2019
TUI Mein Schiff 8 $625 97,000 2,500 Meyer-Turku Europe Spring
Royal Caribbean Unnamed
$950 167,000 4,100 Meyer TBA Spring
Norwegian Unnamed $1,100 164,600 4,200 Meyer TBA Q4
Carnival Corp. Unnamed TBA TBA Est. 4,000 Meyer TBA TBA
Carnival Corp. Unnamed TBA TBA Est. 4,000 Fincantieri TBA TBA

2020:

Celebrity Unnamed $900 117,000 2,900 STX France TBA First Half
MSC Cruises Unnamed $900 167,600 4,500 STX France Europe TBA
Carnival Corp. Unnamed TBA TBA Est. 4,000 Fincantieri TBA TBA
Carnival Corp. Unnamed TBA TBA Est. 4,000 Meyer TBA TBA

2021:

MSC Cruises Unnamed $950 154,000 4,140 Fincantieri TBA TBA
Carnival Corp. Unnamed TBA TBA Est. 4,000 Meyer TBA TBA
Carnival Corp. Unnamed TBA TBA Est. 4,000 Fincantieri TBA TBA

2022:

MSC Cruises Unnamed $900 167,600 4,500 STX France TBA TBA
Carnival Corp. Unnamed TBA TBA Est. 4,000 Meyer TBA TBA
Carnival Corp. Unnamed TBA TBA Est. 4,000 Fincantieri TBA TBA
Carnival Corp. Unnamed TBA TBA Est. 4,000 Fincantieri TBA TBA

(1) In Millions

TBA = To Be Announced

Interesting cruise industry facts, tidbits & statistics

Passengers

More than 10,000,000 people take a cruise each year. About 80% will do it in North American waters.

Ports of call

There are over 2000 ports of call around our planet that cruise ships can visit.

Most popular starting ports

About half of all passengers on major world cruise lines begin their trips in one of these three Florida ports: Miami, Port Canaveral, and Fort Lauderdale.

Most popular destination

More people cruise to the Caribbean than any other destination in the world.

Non-destination

For some cruisers, the ship itself is the primary destination, not the ports of call.

Cruise length

The average length of a cruise is slightly over seven days.

Cruise ship population

There are more than 300 sea-going cruise ships in the world. They can collectitvely accommodate over 300,000 passengers per day.

Individual capacities

The latest super-sized ships carry over 4 thousand people (counting passengers and crew). They would dwarf the Titanic and are as tall as a sixteen-story building.

Construction cost

Those gargantuan ships can cost a cruise line a half-billion American dollars before the first passenger boards.

The big three

Today, 3 cruise line groups (Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Star/NCL) control roughly two-thirds of world’s cruise passenger capacity.

Travel agents

Almost 90% of cruise tickets are sold through travel agents.