Major order at Fincantieri: New cruise ships for AIDA and other brands

Bild: etwasmeerzeit.de
Carnival Corporation, the parent company of AIDA Cruises, is intensifying its efforts to expand its fleet. According to a recent report from Italian media sources, the signing of a contract with the renowned Fincantieri shipyard is imminent. This contract includes a firm order for six new cruise ships and also offers options for two additional ships, each with a size of around 150,000 gross tons (GT).

It is expected that four of these newly ordered ships will be delivered to AIDA Cruises. If the information available is correct, delivery of this new class of ship is scheduled to begin in 2029. This is in line with AIDA Cruises' previous ambitions, which aim to integrate the first fully emission-neutral ship into its fleet by 2030. The significant increase in demand for AIDA cruises could be effectively met by these additional newbuilds.

These ships, with a size of around 150,000 GT, are smaller than the latest AIDA newbuilds, the AIDAnova and the AIDAcosma, which measure around 180,000 GT, but larger than the Hyperion class ships, which include the AIDAprima and the AIDAperla with around 125,000 GT. Construction of these ships will initially begin at the Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera, with the possibility of extending production to the Sestri Ponente site near Genoa.

This large order represents a significant success for Fincantieri and is estimated to be worth around 8 billion euros. The optional additional orders could further increase this amount. It is still unclear which other shipping companies could receive the additional ships; however, there is speculation that Costa Crociere, whose fleet has recently been downsized, could possibly be the recipient. The expansion of Carnival Cruise Line could also require additional newbuildings.

The online portal Shipping Italy, known for its insider information, previously reported on talks between Fincantieri and Carnival Corporation regarding the construction of ships larger than 200,000 GT. In July 2024, an order was placed for three additional ships for Carnival Cruise Line, each of which can accommodate up to 8,000 passengers. The planned new ships with a capacity of 150,000 GT for AIDA Cruises and other shipping companies are expected to be able to accommodate around 5,000 guests at full occupancy.