Another Megaship to Join Royal Caribbean Cruise Fleet

 

With two Quantum-class vessels already delivered and a third under construction, Royal Caribbean Cruises on Thursday announced plans to order a fourth. 

 

The Miami-based cruise ship company said it had entered into an agreement with the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany to build the 4,180-passenger vessel. 

 

The sister ship to Quantum and Anthem of the Seas will be delivered in 2019, three years after Ovation of the Seas joins the fleet of Royal Caribbean International. 

 

Richard D. Fain, Chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., said the news was "a reflection of the success of the first two Quantum-class ships.”

 

Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas is expected to debut in 2016 and will be the world's largest cruise ship.

 

 "Royal Caribbean International is synonymous with adventure and the icons and amenities on this ship will continue to challenge and expand guests' expectations of the cruise experience," Richard said.

 

It is not clear yet where the new ship will be based; Royal Caribbean has announced that Quantum and Ovation will sail from China. Anthem of the Seas launched in the UK last month and will head to New Jersey in the fall.

 

Projected expenditures based upon the company's current ship orders for the full year 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 are $1.6 billion, $2.3 billion, $400 million, $2.4 billion and $1.3 billion, respectively.

 

Capacity for the cruise line is expected to increase for 2015, 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2019 by 5.5 percent, 6.3 percent. 3.9 percent and 6.5 percent respectively.

 

Royal Caribbean owns Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Pullmantur, Azamara Club Cruises and CDF Croisieres de France, as well as TUI Cruises through a 50 percent joint venture, which operate 43 ships. With the announcement of the agreement to build the company's fourth Quantum-class ship May 7, the brand expects to build a total of seven ships.