P&O to build its biggest ever ship for 2020

Carnival Corporation’s British line P&O Cruises is to build a new ship for 2020.

The company signed a memorandum of agreement with German and Finnish shipbuilders Meyer Werft and Meyer Turku to build the new vessel, which will be fully powered by liquified natural gas.

The new ship will come in at 180,000 gross tons and be able to handle 5,200 guests. Its newest vessel, Britannia, can carry about 3,647 guests.

The ship will be built by Meyer Werft at its shipyard in Papenburg, Germany and will feature the company’s exclusive “green cruising” design as one of the first generation of cruise ships to be fully powered by Liquefied Natural Gas, shipping’s most advanced fuel technology, which will significantly reduce air emissions.

P&O Cruises senior-vice president Paul Ludlow said: “These are very exciting times. The number of British passengers taking a cruise in the past five years has significantly increased, boosted most recently by our very successful launch of Britannia last year. We know there is still huge potential as more and more people realise the value for money, choice and range of dining and entertainment options available on ships of all sizes. With an amazing range of itineraries, from two days to three months, there is a cruise to suit every budget.

As part of the deal Carnival Cruise Line will get two identical vessels in 2020 and 2022.

“P&O Cruises is uniquely experienced in designing ships to meet the specific needs and aspirations of British passengers and the agreement by Carnival Corporation & plc to build a new ship of this size reflects all that our guests and prospective cruisers have been telling us and shows our confidence in the growth of the UK market.

“This ship will be the largest in the P&O Cruises fleet, will have a striking new exterior and interior design and will comprehensively embrace the company’s classic and iconic features. Innovative new guest experiences will be announced soon.”

As part of the deal Carnival Cruise Line will take delivery of two identical vessels in 2020 and 2022. Aida and Costa will now receive their newbuilds in 2021 rather than 2020. Carnival Corporation currently has agreements in place to build seven LNG-powered cruise ships across four of its ten cruise brands.

“We are proud to be at the forefront of introducing LNG-powered ships to the cruise industry, working with our partners to achieve shipbuilding breakthroughs like this that will help us produce the most efficient and sustainable ships we have ever built,” Arnold Donald, CEO of Carnival Corporation & plc, said. “This is also an important step in our fleet enhancement plan that enables us to execute on our long-term strategy of measured capacity growth over time, while delivering innovative new ships that further elevate our already great guest experience. Every time we launch a new ship, we have a new opportunity to create excitement and show consumers why cruising is a great vacation at an exceptional value, especially for those who typically consider land-based vacations.”