Carnival Corporation today announced it has reached an agreement for the construction of two new cruise ships – a 99,000-ton ship for its Holland America Line brand and a 135,000-ton vessel for its Carnival Cruise Lines brand.

A memorandum of agreement has been signed with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri for the construction of a 2,660-passenger ship for Holland America Line scheduled for delivery in fall 2015 and a 4,000-passenger ship for Carnival Cruise Lines scheduled for delivery in winter 2016.  The total cost for the two vessels combined, which includes the U.S. dollar denominated contract price and all owner’s costs, will be approximately $195,000 per lower berth. The memorandum of agreement is subject to customary closing conditions, including execution of shipbuilding contracts and financing.

The Holland America ship, which will be a new class of vessel for the line, will enter service five years after the last Holland America ship, the ms Nieuw Amsterdam, delivered in 2010. The Carnival Cruise Lines vessel, also a new class of ship, will be launched four years after the introduction of Carnival Breeze, which debuted in spring 2012.  The timing of capacity additions for these brands is similar to the five year span between upcoming new ship introductions for both Princess Cruises and P&O Cruises (UK), as previously announced.

“Today’s order continues the company’s strategy of introducing two to three ships per year across the corporation’s 10 brands. We have strategically timed the introduction of these new ships to allow ample time for those brands to further grow their passenger base and absorb the new capacity while minimizing revenue yield dilution in the remainder of their existing fleets,” said Micky Arison, chairman and CEO of Carnival Corporation & plc.

Including the newbuilds announced today, Carnival Corporation & plc currently has nine new ships scheduled for delivery – two for 2013, two for 2014, three for 2015 and two for 2016. Arison also noted that the addition of new tonnage is expected, to some extent, to replace existing capacity reductions from possible sales of older ships.

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Norwegian Cruise Line announced today that it will order a new ship for delivery in October 2015 that, at 163,000 gross tons and about 4,200 passengers, will be the line’s largest to date.

The ship will be built by Germany’s Meyer Werft  and is expected to cost around 700 million euros or $920 million U.S., Norwegian said. The line also has an option for a second ship, for delivery in spring 2017. The new vessel will be larger than the 4,000-passenger Norwegian’s Breakaway-class ships currently under construction at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. Its biggest ship, the Norwegian Epic, is 155,873 gross tons and accommodates 4,100 passengers.

Norwegian is calling the project “Breakaway Plus,” and it said the new ship will incorporate many of the design elements and innovations of the Breakaway and Getaway.  Norwegian Breakaway will enter service in April 2013 and Norwegian Getaway will enter service in February 2014.

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Royal Caribbean International continues to provide its guests with the ultimate vacation experience by enhancing its onboard dining options with the addition of Oasis-class amenities to even more ships. Next in line is Serenade of the Seas, which is scheduled for an extensive revitalization this fall.

Serenade of the Seas will wow guests in December when she re-emerges from her dry dock with a new lineup of specialty restaurants, which will include Giovanni’s Table Italian restaurant, Izumi Asian cuisine and the intimate Chef’s Table dining experience, as well as dining packages for guests to enjoy all of them at incredible value. Guests will have the option of choosing the Royal Choice Dining Package, which includes dinner at Chops Grille, Giovanni’s Table and Izumi for $55 per guest, or the Chef’s Table Dining Package for $130 per guest, which includes all of the specialty restaurants as well as the Chef’s Table.

Serenade of the Seas also will offer additional dining deals at Giovanni’s Table. Groups of four or more can take advantage of the Celebration Dining Deal, which is valid for the first two nights of each sailing and allows groups of four or more to enjoy a delicious meal plus a $30 beverage credit at a cost of $20 per person. Groups of eight or more can opt for the Set Sail Dining Deal which includes dinner on the first night of their cruise for $14 per guest.

Further enhancing its onboard culinary offerings Royal Caribbean is expanding its partnership with renowned wine producer Domaines Barons de Rothschild by offering the exclusive Lafite Wine Tasting Experience onboard. Available for $23 to $25 per person, depending upon ship and itinerary, the experience, which was first introduced onboard Allure of the Seas, offers guests a unique tasting showcasing the renowned vintages from France’s Bordeaux region.

Developed in conjunction with Château Lafite Rothschild, the premier estate under the Rothschild name, and Master Sommelier John Blazon, the Lafite Wine Experience aims to expand guests’ understanding of growing regions within Bordeaux. A Royal Caribbean cellar master leads the tasting, sharing details about the wines and the winemakers and the history and suggestions for food pairings. A souvenir packet allows guests to take a piece of the experience home with winemakers’ notes, recipes and more.
The Lafite Wine Tasting Experience is now available for pre-booking on select ships, including Allure of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas and Enchantment of the Seas.
Guests can book the Serenade of the Seas dining packages or the Lafite Wine Tasting Experience online at www.RoyalCaribbean.com.

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