Tag Archives: new build

MSC, Meyer Werft Expect to Seal 4+2 Ship Deal in Coming Weeks

Posted on by
Reply

MSC, Meyer Werft Expect to Seal 4+2 Ship Deal in Coming Weeks

MSC Cruises and Meyer Werft have issued a joint statement on the status of talks concerning the construction of four next-generation cruise vessels and two additional options.

The deal introducing a new class of vessels, called the “New Frontier,” was announced at the end of last year. 

The contract would ensure the shipyard’s capacity well into the next decade.

“In December 2025, Meyer Werft and MSC Cruises announced a letter of intent for the construction of four innovative cruise ships, plus two options, at Meyer Werft. In the meantime, concrete planning for the ships’ design and negotiations for the conclusion of the relevant contracts have reached an advanced stage,” the statement reads.

“This involves an extensive and complex set of contracts, for which at least six months is typically required. Meyer Werft and MSC Cruises are confident that they will successfully conclude the negotiations in the coming weeks. The partners will then inform the public accordingly.”

With a maximum passenger capacity of 5,400 at 180,000 tons, the vessels are due to be delivered annually starting in 2030.

Adora to Take Delivery of New Ship Sooner than Planned

Posted on by
Reply

Adora to Take Delivery of New Ship Sooner than Planned

Adora Cruises will take delivery of its new cruise ship, the Adora Flora City, ahead of schedule.

Based on an agreement with Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipyard, the vessel will be delivered on November 6, 2026, the company said in a press release.

The ship will then launch international routes from Guangzhou, the capital of South China’s Guangdong Province.

Adora’s CEO, Roger Chen, said: “We are now fully focused on the early delivery of Adora Flora City and on preparations for her launch.  We will continue to optimise the deployment, deepen our ‘Cruise + Culture’ strategy and refine the guest experiences, bringing fabulous cruise vacations to more travellers at home and abroad.”

After being floated out on March 20, 2026, the vessel has now fully entered the commissioning phase.

According to Adora, the overall construction progress has reached 96 per cent, with interior outfitting 87 per cent complete and commissioning work 76 per cent complete. At the same time, sea trials are set to follow in mid-May.

Chen added that the ship’s maiden voyage plan would be announced soon.

Viking Names Vesta in Croatia

Posted on by
Reply

Viking Names Vesta in Croatia

Viking named its newest ocean ship, the Viking Vesta, with a traditional ceremony in Split, Croatia, over the weekend. The vessel was recently delivered from Fincantieri to Viking.

Serving as ceremonial godmother of the Viking Vesta was the Norwegian journalist Lene Tangevald-Jensen, according to a press release.

The Viking Vesta will now continue her inaugural season sailing in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe.

“As we celebrate 10 years of ocean voyages in 2025, we are pleased to welcome the new Viking Vesta to our award-winning fleet of elegant sister ships,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman and CEO of Viking.

“We are also very grateful to Lene for serving as godmother. In addition to her personal and professional accomplishments, Lene embodies the values that are very important to me and to Viking—she is kind, honest, hardworking and, of course, curious. I am proud to count her as a friend and a valued member of the extended Viking family.”

In keeping with the naming tradition, during the ceremony, Lene used a Viking broad axe to cut a ribbon that allowed a bottle of Norwegian aquavit to break on the ship’s hull.

Guests also enjoyed performances by Sissel Kyrkjebø, one of the world’s leading crossover sopranos and godmother of the Viking Jupiter, and Norwegian violinist Tor Jaran Apold.