Carnival Cruise Line Marks Start Of Construction Of Its Newest And Largest Ship As First Steel Is Cut
Line Also Unveils Ship's Dramatic New Hull Design And Livery That Pays Homage to Company's Legacy as America's Cruise Line
MIAMI, Nov. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Carnival Cruise Line reaffirmed its place as the leader of innovation in the U.S. cruise industry today as the first steel was cut for the line's newest class of ship and the new livery was revealed for the 180,000-ton XL vessel that will be the first-ever ship operating in North America to use liquefied natural gas (LNG).
The traditional steel-cutting ceremony held at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland, signified the official start of construction of the largest Carnival cruise ship ever constructed, to be delivered in 2020. A second XL ship will start construction in 2020 and be delivered in 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Carnival Cruise Line's founding.
At the ceremony, the company also revealed a dramatic new red, white and blue hull design that celebrates its legacy as America's Cruise Line and pays homage to maritime tradition. Developed by New York-based Bluarch Architecture, the design builds upon the company's iconic color scheme that has made Carnival one of the most recognizable brands in travel and is highlighted by a stately navy blue hull inspired by officers' uniforms along with vibrant red and white accents running the entire length of the 1,130-foot-long ship.
"This new ship promises to be truly special, from its groundbreaking technology and one-of-a-kind features to its distinctive livery and hull design that is both timeless and forward-thinking while paying tribute to our nearly 50-year history of making wonderful vacation memories for our guests," said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.
Following the steel-cutting ceremony, construction began on the 5,200-plus lower berth ship which will offer a variety of never-before-seen innovations and will be the first North American-based cruise ship to be powered by LNG, part of Carnival Corporation's "green cruising" design platform.
"The start of construction of this amazing ship is a historic day for our company as we are laying the foundation for an unparalleled seagoing vacation experience that will be like no other and take our cruise offerings to the next level," Duffy said.
"We are extremely pleased to work together with Carnival on this large and highly innovative ship. With the first steel cutting, our efforts in designing the hull, features and interior of the ship start to take shape. We are also very proud to build the first-ever LNG powered cruise ship for North American market, making this state-of-the-art green technology a reality," commented Jan Meyer, CEO of Meyer Turku.
As previously announced, the as-yet-unnamed ship will operate from Port Canaveral, Fla., beginning in 2020. The ship's name is scheduled to be revealed in early December. Details on the ship's inaugural season are planned to be announced in January, with information on the vessel's vast array of exciting culinary, beverage and entertainment options to be revealed later in 2019.
To learn more about Carnival Cruise Line, visit Carnival.com. For reservations, contact any travel agent or call 1-800-CARNIVAL. Carnival can also be found on: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
Journalists also can visit Carnival's media site, carnival-news.com or follow the line's PR department on Twitter at twitter.com/CarnivalPR.
About Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Cruise Line, part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), is "The World's Most Popular Cruise Line®" with 26 ships operating three- to 24-day voyages to The Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, New England, Bermuda, Cuba, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and Southeast Asia. The line currently has three new ships scheduled for delivery – the 133,500-ton Carnival Panorama set to debut in 2019 and two as-yet-unnamed 180,000-ton ships in 2020 and 2022.
About Meyer Turku
Meyer Turku Oy employs 2,000 people and specializes in building highly complex, innovative and environmentally friendly cruise ships, car-passenger ferries and special vessels. Together with two sister shipyards in Germany, Meyer Werft in Papenburg and Neptun Werft in Rostock, Meyer Turku is one of the world's leading cruise ship builders. The successful shipbuilding tradition in Turku has been continuing since 1737. The design and construction of the ships are supported by the subsidiaries of Meyer Turku: Piikkio Works Oy, which is a Cabin Factory in Piikkiö, Shipbuilding Completion Oy, which provides turnkey solutions to public spaces in ships, and ENG´nD Oy, which is an engineering company offering services for shipbuilding and offshore.
SOURCE Carnival Cruise Line
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