Celebrity Cruises orders pair of 2,900-passenger ships

By Tom Stieghorst

Celebrity Cruises said it has ordered two 2,900-passenger ships from the STX France shipyard in St. Nazaire.

The ships are scheduled for delivery in the fall of 2018 and early 2020.

Celebrity’s most recent ship, the 3,046-passenger Celebrity Reflection, was delivered in the fall of 2012.The line recently agreed to send its oldest ship, Celebrity Century, to a new joint venture in China.

Celebrity’s parent, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., said the ships are being built under the Project Edge name. RCCL said they will deliver small-ship itineraries with large-ship amenities.

“STX France designs and builds some of the most innovative and stylish cruise ships in the world, and Project Edge offers them the opportunity to again set a new standard for modern iconic architecture,” said Michael Bayley, presdient and CEO of Celebrity.

Contract costs for the ship were not disclosed. With the addition of the two new orders, RCCL said company-wide capacity is scheduled to increase by 2.4% this year, 5.5% next year, 6.7% in 2016, 3.8% in 2017 and 4.3% in 2018.

The 117,000-gross-ton ships will be part of a new class of vessels for Celebrity. the line currently operates five Solstice-class vessels, including Celebrity Reflection, and four Millennium-class vessels.

Celebrity competes in the premium segment with Holland America Line, which has a 2,650-passenger ship called Koningsdam under construction for delivery in February 2016.

Royal Caribbean orders fourth Oasis-class ship

By Tom Stieghorst
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. said it will move forward with a fourth in its Oasis-class of ships, the largest in the world at 5,400 passengers and 225,000 gross tons.

RCCL Chairman Richard Fain made the announcement at the STX France shipyard in St. Nazaire while there for the keel laying ceremony of the third Oasis-class ship, which is to be delivered in 2016.

The first two ships in the class, the Oasis of the Seas and the Allure of the Seas, have been in high demand since they debuted in 2009 and 2010, respectively. They both sail Caribbean itineraries from Port Everglades.

The fourth Oasis-class ship is scheduled to be delivered in 2018. RCCL hasn’t announced where either ship will be sailing after delivery.

Each of the ships costs more than $1 billion to build, but RCCL didn’t disclose an exact price for the newly ordered vessel.