Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCCL) has announced the order of a fourth Quantum-class ship from Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany, for delivery in 2019.
Chairman and CEO Richard D. Fain said the move underlines the success of the first two Quantum-class ships, adding that the line has received a remarkable response from travel agent partners and travelers. Management has also indicated that the most recent order will not be a clone of the earlier three.
“The fourth Quantum-class vessel will be a trailblazer in smart-ship design and vacation innovation,” said Michael Bayley, president and CEO for Royal Caribbean International. “The icons and amenities on this ship will continue to challenge and expand guests’ expectations of the cruise experience.”
RCCL’s capacity increases for 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 are expected to be 5.5 percent, 6.3 percent, 3.1 percent, 3.9 percent and 6.5 percent, respectively, without factoring in possible ship sales. The additional Quantum ship brings RCCL’s total orders to six vessels over the next five years.
Robin Farley, an investment banking analyst for UBS, observed that the move is not surprising, given that two of the three earlier Quantum ships have been designated for the China market.
This is the only newbuild the line has announced for 2019 so far, and it will be the second Quantum-class vessel for the North American market. There are hopes that this ship will be based in South Florida, since the region lost the anticipated Anthem of the Seas with the first China deployment announcement.
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