Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. has unveiled the most comprehensive new build order in its history. The company has ordered a total of eight state-of-the-art vessels, representing nearly 25,000 additional berths, with new classes of ships for each of its three brands – Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. The company also announced the construction of a multi-ship pier at Great Stirrup Cay, its private island destination in the Bahamas and its top-rated Caribbean port of call. This unprecedented decade-long strategy enhances its product offering, guest experiences, and operational infrastructure, supporting the company’s sustained leadership in delivering innovative cruise vacations.
Bigger ships
The new ship orders across all three brands are scheduled for delivery over a ten-year period, between 2026 and 2036. Following the delivery of four Prima-Plus class ships from 2025 through 2028, Norwegian Cruise Line is expected to take delivery of four approximately 200,000-gross-ton ships, each with a capacity of nearly 5,000 guests, in 2030, 2032, 2034 and 2036, which are subject to financing. The largest ship in Norwegian’s current fleet is Norwegian Encore. The ‘Breakaway Plus’ subclass ship measures 169,000gt, with capacity for just under 4,000 guests.
Building on the success of its Allura Class ships, the last one being delivered in 2025, Oceania Cruises is scheduled to take delivery of two 86,000-gross-ton ships, each with a capacity of 1,450 guests in 2027 and 2029. In comparison, Vista and Allura are currently Oceania Cruises’ largest ships, measuring 67,000gt with capacity for 1,200 guests.
Lastly, following the award-winning Explorer Class ships, Regent Seven Seas Cruises is scheduled to take delivery of two 77,000-gross-ton ships, each with a capacity of 850 guests, in 2026 and 2029. This is larger than Seven Seas Explorer, Splendor and Grandeur which measure at 55,000gt, with capacity for 746 guests.
Details regarding the ships’ amenities, staterooms, dining, recreational, efficiency, sustainability and other features will be announced in the coming months.
“This strategic new-ship order across all three of our award-winning brands provides for the steady introduction of cutting-edge vessels into our fleet and solidifies our long-term growth. It also allows us to significantly leverage our operating scale, strengthen our commitment to innovation and enhance our ability to offer our guests new products and experiences, all while providing opportunities to enhance the efficiency of our fleet,” said Harry Sommer, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. “We are likewise excited with the addition of a new pier at Great Stirrup Cay to support our increased capacity in the Caribbean and multiple ships to call on the island, enhancing our guest experience and bringing seamless and reliable access to our private island year-round.”
Made in Italy
In partnership with the Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri, each brand will design their new ship class and focus on creating the largest, most efficient, and innovative vessels of their respective fleet. Aligning with the company’s sustainability efforts, the new ship designs are expected to advance the journey towards decarbonization.
“Over the years, our long-standing relationship with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings has been rooted in a shared vision for the future of maritime travel, consistently setting new standards for innovation, luxury, sustainability, and guest satisfaction in the cruise industry,” said Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and Managing Director at Fincantieri. “We are thrilled to work on these new build orders and deliver emblematic cruise ships that will embody our shared legacy of excellence for generations to come.”
The company has obtained export credit financing with favorable terms to fund 80 percent of the contract price of each of the two Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises ships, subject to certain conditions. The ship orders for Norwegian Cruise Line remain subject to financing, currently underway.
Mark A. Kempa, chief financial officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, commented, “we expect that these strategic investments will secure our growth trajectory, significantly boost our earnings profile, and enhance shareholder value well into the future. With a favorable payment structure that includes pre delivery financing and modest initial installment payments for these ship orders, we still anticipate strong Net Leverage reduction of 1.5 turns by the end of 2024, relative to 2023, and expect the company to continue reducing Net Leverage each year for the foreseeable future.”
New pier development at Great Stirrup Cay
The new pier development at the company’s private island in the Bahamas, Great Stirrup Cay, is slated to break ground in summer 2024 and be completed by late 2025 with an investment of approximately $150 million. The new pier will be constructed to simultaneously accommodate two large vessels of the company’s current and future ship classes. The pier development will enhance the guest experience on Great Stirrup Cay, and along with Harvest Caye, the Company’s private island in Belize, continue to provide guests with world-class destinations in the Eastern and Western Caribbean.
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