By
Rebecca Gibson |
Norwegian Cruise Line has exercised its previously announced option to order two more Project Leonardo Class ships, which will be delivered by Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri in 2026 and 2027.
The cruise line, which originally contracted Fincantieri to four Project Leonardo ships in March 2017, has opted to increase its order to six vessels so that it can expand to new markets in future. The four original newbuilds will be delivered in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.
“These orders extend our disciplined and measured newbuild programme and strong growth trajectory well into the future and will further drive long-term returns for our shareholders,” said Frank Del Rio, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. “Our six-ship Leonardo Class fleet will allow us to broaden our deployment into strong performing and mature unserved and underserved markets and offer new experiences to our guests.”
Each of the six 140,000gt ships will accommodate around 3,300 guests and build on Norwegian’s Breakaway-Plus class ships. In addition to energy efficient systems that optimise fuel consumption and reduce their environmental impact, the vessels will feature a host of new guest-facing innovations at at-sea firsts. These will be unveiled at a later date.
“Following the Breakaway Plus Class, the most successful class in our company’s history, the highly anticipated Leonardo Class will fuel future growth with exciting and innovative offerings that will meaningfully drive demand from new and loyal returning guests alike,” said Andy Stuart, president and CEO of Norwegian.