New P&O UK Ship Named Iona

Posted on 25 May, 2018 by Spacejunkie2

P&O Cruises today revealed Iona will be the name of its LNG-powered 5,200-passenger newbuild.

The ship will debut in Southampton in spring 2020, making it the biggest vessel to sail out of the UK at 183,900 tons.

The name came from a contest as P&O asked its guests and fans to submit names, receiving over 30,000 entries.

“We can trace our history and roots back to Scotland,” said Paul Ludlow, senior vice president.

“We couldn’t think of a more fitting name for our new ship than after an island that is one of the UK’s most beautiful places: Iona.”

The name combines the company’s historic links with Scotland with the celebration of “our island nation’s connection to the sea.”

Ludlow called the name selection process challenging

“The ship is the next stage of the future of P&O Cruises,” he added.

Silversea orders ship, to be called Silver Moon

Posted on 16 September, 2017 by Spacejunkie2

Silversea Silver Moon

Silversea Cruises signed a contract with Fincantieri to build the Silver Moon, a sister ship to the Silver Muse, for delivery in 2020.

The order for the ship is valued at about $372 million at current exchange rates.

The newbuild, which will expand Silversea’s fleet to 10 ships, will displace 40,700 gross tons and carry 596 guests at double occupancy.

The Silver Muse, Silversea’s first new ship since 2009, entered service last April.

“Based on the high praise Silver Muse has earned with our guests, we are eager to build on our flagship’s success and move forward with a sister ship, which will bring us closer to fulfilling my father’s dream of a 12-ship fleet,” Silversea chairman Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio said.

Norwegian Cruise Order 4 new class of ship, with a option for another 2

Posted on 16 February, 2017 by Spacejunkie2

Norwegian Escape – Breakaway Class Plus

Norwegian Cruise today announced it has reached an agreement with Fincantieri S.p.A. to construct the next generation of extraordinary ships for its Norwegian Cruise Line brand. Four ships are on order for delivery in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025, with an option for two additional ships to be delivered in 2026 and 2027.

The four 140,000 gross ton ships will each accommodate approximately 3,300 guests. The new class of ships will build upon the highly successful offering of freedom and flexibility found on the brand’s most recent Breakaway-Plus Class ships and feature a host of innovative designs that will further elevate its already award-winning guest experience. A priority of the prototype design is energy efficiency, with the aim of optimizing fuel consumption and reducing the impact on the environment. Details on the ships’ many innovative guest facing and first at sea features will be announced at a later date.

“This new class of ships will continue Norwegian Cruise Line brand’s legacy of introducing meaningful innovation to the cruise industry,” said Frank Del Rio, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. “This order continues to highlight our disciplined newbuild program, extends our growth trajectory well into the future, enhances our already attractive earnings profile, and drives expected long-term returns for our shareholders.”

“For the past 50 years, Norwegian Cruise Line has been focused on offering our guests the very best in cruising,” said Andy Stuart, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line. “It is with great excitement that we look ahead to our next 50 years, which includes this next generation of ships that will offer guests the innovative experiences that have come to define the Norwegian Cruise Line brand.”

“We are extremely excited to collaborate with Norwegian Cruise Line and this partnership allows us to include a new prestigious client in Fincantieri’s portfolio,” said Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri S.p.A. “We are very proud of the innovative design of these ships and recognise the various stakeholders of the export chain who have contributed decisively to achieving this goal. The significant value of the order will provide substantial economic benefits by extending the employment horizon of our shipyards, and we are honoured to support the growth of our country’s economy.”

The contract price for each of the four vessels is approximately €800 million per ship. The Company has obtained export credit financing with favourable terms to fund 80 percent of the contract price of each ship delivered through 2025, subject to certain conditions.

With a combined fleet of 24 ships with approximately 46,500 berths, these brands offer itineraries to more than 510 destinations worldwide. The Company will introduce eight additional ships through 2025, and has the option to introduce two additional ships for delivery in 2026 and 2027.