Silversea order additional three cruise ships with Royal Caribbean cash injection

Just weeks after Royal Caribbean’s ’s US $1-billion acquisition of a 66.6 percent stake in Silversea Cruises, the world’s second-largest cruise company has announced that it will be footing the bill for a further three cruise ships to join the luxury line.

Two of the three new cruise ships will be built at Meyer Werft, a new shipyard for Silversea Cruises, which has used Fincantieri for its two newest cruise ships (Silver Spirit and Silver Muse), as well as the two additional ships Silver Moon and Silver Dawn (due in 2020 and 2021 respectively).

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No details have been announced about the two ships to be built at Meyer-Werft, except that one of the vessels will be built by Dutch shipbuilder Shipyard De Hoop and named Silver Origin. It will join the cruise line’s expedition fleet cruising in the Galapagos Islands.

The new order bring the total new ships on order for Silversea Cruises to five, and combined with a major refurbishment project announced by Royal Caribbean for the entire fleet, reveal the extent to which the group plans to make Silversea even more competitive in the luxury cruising space.

“There is tremendous potential in the ultra-luxury and expedition markets of the cruise industry, and we believe discerning travellers will embrace the exciting designs Silversea is imagining for them,” said Richard D. Fain, Chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

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The two new cruise ships being built by Meyer-Werft will be the first of a new Evolution-class for the line, according to a press statement.

“We are delighted to have entered into an agreement with Meyer Werft on the Silver Evolution series and De Hoop for Silver Origin,” said Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio, Silversea’s Executive Chairman. “With our guests in mind, we are pushing the boundaries of ultra-luxury cruising, as well as expedition cruising in the Galapagos Islands and beyond, redefining the concept of immersive travel.”

The agreements are subject to certain contingencies which are expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2019, Royal Caribbean’s press statement added.

A date for the delivery of the two Evolution-class cruise ships was not revealed, but is likely to be after 2021, when the last of Silversea’s Fincantieri-built ships is due to be handed over.