After a dry spell of new ship orders industrywide, Carnival Corp.
has contracted to build a fourth 110,000-ton Conquest-class vessel
at Italy’s Fincantieri shipyard.
Giuseppe Bono, CEO of the shipyard, said the order is
significant because “it is a clear signal that the market has
recovered from the impact of the tragic events of Sept. 11.”
The order was placed even though the first such ship, the
Carnival Conquest, isn’t scheduled to begin sailing until November,
from New Orleans. Carnival Chairman Micky Arison toured the vessel
at the shipyard and was pleased enough that he ordered another
one.
“We’re so confident in the success of these ships that we have
committed a $2 billion investment in the Conquest class alone,” he
said, adding that the vessels combine features on the 85,000-ton
Spirit- and 101,000-ton Destiny-class ships.
The as-yet-unnamed fourth ship will cost about $450 million and
is scheduled for delivery in late fall 2005. It will accommodate
2,974 at double occupancy. The two other Conquest-class ships under
construction are the Carnival Glory, due out next July, and the
Carnival Valor, set to debut in 2004.
