The new 161,000 gross ton vessels will be built at the Monfalcone shipyard and delivered in 2024 and in 2026. Including the new pair, the cruise line’s Mein Schiff fleet will grow to nine ships by 2026.
“These will be the largest ships ever built in Italy,” said Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri. “We proved once more we can provide the market with the best mix of reliability and innovation, pillars of Made in Italy and distinguishing features of Fincantieri in the global shipbuilding landscape. The project we developed and offered to the client allowed us to achieve this outstanding commercial record, which is not just about adding a new brand to our client portfolio, but also a confirmation of the absolutely cutting-edge technological content of our products. All of these factors consolidate our leadership in the field and further extend the workload horizon of our shipyards, which has no comparables in any other industrial sector.”
“With the new class of ships we are responding to the wishes of our guests and creating offerings that will also inspire new cruise passengers. As with the other ships in the fleet, the passenger/space ratio remains generous,” stated Wybcke Meier, CEO of TUI Cruises. “The decision to run the two additional low-emission new builds is a logical continuation of our environmental strategy.”
Hamburg headquartered TUI Cruises, a joint venture between TUI group and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. founded in 2008, has been offering cruises for the German-speaking market since 2009. Within the expanding of its fleet, TUI Cruises will be introducing two new ships, in 2019 and 2023 with a total bed capacity of about 18,800.