Princess Cruises orders two new ships

Princess Cruises is to add two ships to its fleet, due to enter service in 2019 and 2020 respectively. 

The vessels, which are to be built by Fincantieri and will be the fourth and fifth in the company’s Royal-class, follows the deal between the Italian shipyard and Carnival Corporation for five new ships.

Carnival Corporation, the parent company of Princess Cruises, currently has 16 ships scheduled for delivery between 2016 and 2020.

Carnival Corporation has an existing fleet of 100 ships.

“We are incredibly proud and excited to add two new ships to our already formidable fleet,” said Jan Swartz, president of Princess Cruises.  “With this new ship commitment Princess Cruises will continue to grow and expand globally as the world’s destination leader in premium cruising.”

The contract was signed on Saturday at a ceremony in Marghera attended by Graziano Delrio, the Italian minister of infrastructures and transport; Micky Arison, the chairman of Carnival Corporation;  Arnold Donald, the CEO of Carnival Corporation; Giuseppe Bono, the chief executive of Fincantieri CEO; and Stein Kruse, CEO of Holland America Group, which includes Princess Cruises.

The new ships will hold 3,560 passengers.