AIDA Orders Two New Ships From Fincantieri

Posted on 10 April, 2025 by Spacejunkie2

Carnival Corporation today announced an order for two new ships for AIDA Cruises, a new class of mid-sized vessels.

The agreement with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri provides for the design, engineering, and construction of these multi-fuel-capable ships, which will be delivered in the first quarter of the fiscal years 2030 and 2032, respectively.

“With approximately 2,100 cabins each, these remarkable new ships give our guests a completely new class of ship which slot in perfectly between our 1,600 cabin Hyperion Class vessels and our more than 2,600 cabin Helios Class vessels,” said Felix Eichhorn, President of AIDA Cruises. “Our next generation of ships will delight our guests with amazing new features and experiences that we will reveal over time. Its innovative technology with multi-fuel propulsion systems, including LNG, will future-proof our operations into the coming decades.”

Eichorn added that once the second ship is delivered, AIDA will have a total of 13 ships in its fleet, further expanding its leadership position in the German cruise market.

“The introduction of these next-generation ships, when combined with the AIDA Evolution program modernizing much of the existing fleet’s décor, features and technologies, will drive even more demand for our AIDA brand, which is synonymous with cruising in Germany,” said Josh Weinstein, chief executive officer of Carnival Corporation.

According to Weinstein, with today’s order, Carnival Corporation’s newbuild pipeline includes eight new ships scheduled to enter service between now and 2033, including Star Princess this year and one each from 2027 to 2033.

“We’re maintaining our disciplined approach to growth and strategically directing new capacity to the highest-performing brands in our world-class portfolio like AIDA Cruises and its sister brand Carnival Cruise Line, which now account for seven of our eight ships on order. This growth plan will maximize our returns and allow us to use our strong free cash flow to continue lowering our debt balance and transferring value from debt holders back to shareholders,” he said.

“We are honored that our long-standing partner Carnival Corporation has selected Fincantieri to build ships for AIDA Cruises for the first time in our history. This milestone confirms our ability to serve the entire Carnival Corporation portfolio while ensuring long-term visibility for our shipyards. These new ships will embody the most advanced technologies for sustainability and efficiency, further strengthening Fincantieri’s and Carnival Corporation’s roles as leaders in cruise industry innovation,” said Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO of Fincantieri.

Norwegian Encore Arrives at Damen for Refit

Posted on 28 November, 2024 by Spacejunkie2

The Norwegian Encore arrived in France this week for a major refurbishment at the Damen shipyard in Brest.

Over the next two weeks, the Norwegian Cruise Line vessel is scheduled to undergo significant work on its public areas and staterooms.

According to the company, the project follows guest feedback and will include the creation of new features, as well as the addition of more cabins.

One of the main changes coming to the Norwegian Encore is the debut of Spice H2O. The adults-only complimentary sun deck will be created in the area currently occupied by the ship’s laser tag arena.

The enhancements will also include the expansion of two of Norwegian’s popular speciality dining venues, Cagney’s Steakhouse and Teppanyaki.

Both restaurants will offer greater capacity by taking over the footprint of Los Lobos and Coco’s, respectively.

The Norwegian Encore is also seeing the addition of 24 new balcony cabins, which will take over a part of the ship’s Observation Lounge.

Other changes include updates to Haven’s Premier Owner’s Suites. The two staterooms will be expanded to include a new bedroom, a fully renovated living room, and a new separate dining room.

In addition, work on the vessel’s technical side includes planned routine maintenance, class inspections, and upgrades to various systems.

Following the shipyard stay, the Norwegian Encore is scheduled to resume revenue service on December 3, 2024.

The 2019-built vessel welcomes guests back for a 12-night trans-Atlantic crossing that sails from Southampton, England, to Miami, Florida.

During the 2024-25 winter season, the Encore is scheduled to offer a series of seven-night cruises to the Eastern Caribbean and the Bahamas, departing from PortMiami.

The itineraries feature a visit to Norwegian’s private island destination of Great Stirrup Cay, as well as St. Thomas, Tortola and more.

Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas Completes 25 Years

Posted on 4 November, 2024 by Spacejunkie2

After being delivered to Royal Caribbean International on Oct. 29, 1999, the Voyager of the Seas has completed 25 years in service.

Built by Kvaerner Masa-Yards in Finland, the 142,000-ton vessel was the first in a series of ships originally known as the Eagle Class.

Then the world’s largest cruise ship, the Voyager of the Seas spent its inaugural season in the Caribbean, offering week-long cruises from Miami.

To accommodate the 3,115-guest vessel, a new 250,000-square-foot cruise terminal was built by Royal Caribbean at the South Florida port.

After crossing the Atlantic Ocean with no guests onboard, the Voyager arrived homeporting Miami on Nov. 11, 1999.

Following a series of pre-inaugural activities, the ship was christened by godmother Katarina Witt, a two-time Olympic gold medal skater.

The ceremony was designed to highlight one of the various new features introduced by the vessel: the first permanent ice-skating rink at sea.

The Voyager of the Seas then departed on its maiden voyage on Nov. 21, 1999, offering a seven-night cruise to the Western Caribbean.

Sailing to Jamaica, Mexico and Haiti, the itinerary featured visits to Ocho Rios and Cozumel, as well as Royal Caribbean’s private destination in Hispaniola, Labadee.

The vessel continued to sail from Miami until 2004 when it repositioned to Cape Liberty for a summer deployment sailing out of the New York City region.

In 2006, the Voyager of the Seas kicked off a series of summer programs in the Western Mediterranean before debuting in Galveston in late 2007 and in New Orleans in late 2011.

A few months later, the ship repositioned to China, becoming the largest ship to sail in Asia on a year-round basis.

Having spent considerable time in Asia, the ship underwent a major refurbishment in 2019, and the vessel returned to the Western Hemisphere in 2022.

After completing another summer program in the Mediterranean, the Voyager is scheduled to return to Florida in November for a winter season sailing to the Caribbean and the Bahamas.

In 2025, the ship offers additional sailings in Europe and the Caribbean, as well as Australia, where it is set to spend the 2025-26 winter season.

In a first in its 25-year sailing career, the Voyager of the Seas is scheduled to debut in Alaska for the 2026 summer.