By
Rebecca Gibson |
SeaDream Yacht Club has ordered its first-ever newbuild cruise yacht, SeaDream Innovation, from Damen Shipyards Group’s new venture Damen Cruise.
Marking a first for both SeaDream and Damen Cruise, the 15,600gt mega yacht will be 155 metres long and will offer 110 luxury ocean-view suites, fine dining venues, spacious outside areas and three marinas.
The ice-class vessel has been designed to introduce the concept of ‘global yachting’ and will debut in September 2021, sailing to all seven continents in her inaugural year. Guests will be able to choose for a range of all-inclusive itineraries to a total of more than 200 ports in 49 countries. Highlights will include remote destinations such as Svalbard in Norway, the Northwest Passage, Antarctica, Japan, New Zealand, the Fiji Islands and Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.
“This project has been a dream of mine for many years,” said Atle Brynestad, owner, chairman and CEO of SeaDream. “It has been a true labour of love to meticulously design every aspect of this yacht, from the interiors and facilities to the itineraries.”
Damen Cruise, which was launched in 2018, will collaborate with suppliers to construct and outfit SeaDream Innovation at its new shipyard in Mangalia, Romania, which was set up as a joint venture with the Government of Romania. Construction will start this October and the vessel will be delivered in September 2021. Following delivery, Damen will be able to provide ongoing maintenance, repair and upgrade services at Damen Shiprepair’s yards around the world.
“We are delighted to sign this historic contract with which the Damen Shipyards Group enters the cruise market,” said Andrea Trevisan, senior vice president of Sales and Marketing at Damen Cruise. “We feel very honoured that SeaDream has chosen Damen to deliver this special project and are looking forward to a long-term cooperation with this unique ultra-luxury brand.”
Commenting on the choice of Damen Cruise to build the vessel, Brynestad said: “We were drawn to Damen Shipyards for its excellent reputation and proven track record as innovators in the shipbuilding industry. Damen Shipyards understood our vision from the very beginning, making the company a natural fit for this venture. We are looking forward to working closely with the Damen team to bring this dream to reality.”