Four Mega Ships for CCL; Maybe one for Hal?

[voyageur9]

Here's announcement

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=140690&p=irol-newsArticle_print&ID=2059018

 

and a few extracts

 

Carnival Corporation Finalizes Contract with Meyer Werft to Build Four Next-Generation Cruise Ships

 

The four new cruise ships – part of a previously announced nine-ship strategic partnership for the world's largest cruise company – will be the largest ever built based on guest capacity

 

The ships will be the first in the cruise industry to be powered at sea by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)

 

... two of the ships will be manufactured for AIDA Cruises at Meyer Werft's shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. Additional information about the ships, including which new ships will be added to each brand, will be made available at a later date.

 

.... each of the four next-generation ships will have a total capacity of 6,600 guests, feature more than 5,000 lower berths, exceed 180,000 gross tons and incorporate an extensive number of guest-friendly features. A major part of the innovative design involves making much more efficient use of the ship's spaces, creating an enhanced onboard experience for guests.

 

Carnival Corporation CEO Arnold Donald said, .... "At a cost per berth in line with our existing order book, these new ships will enhance the return profile of our fleet. ..."

[CruiserBruce]

Seriously doubt it.

[Cruzaholic41]

.... each of the four next-generation ships will have a total capacity of 6,600 guests, feature more than 5,000 lower berths, exceed 180,000 gross tons and incorporate an extensive number of guest-friendly features.

 

That sounds terrible!!! That's a few hundred more people than RCI's Oasis Class, but on a ship that's 47,000 gt smaller! Either that's a bad misprint or those ships are going to take crowding to a whole new level. That certainly wouldn't surprise me with Carnival though. :rolleyes:

Edited June 15, 2015 by Cruzaholic41

[Padraic]

Let's hope not!

[POA1]

No. Holland America's already got another new build option. I don't know if you've ever seen the terminal building for the Oasis & Allure of the Seas. We have. Both my wife and I were like, "There's no way in h3ll I'd want to be involved with that!" Imagine boosting capacity by a third. Yeesh!

[cruisemom42]

 

 

.... each of the four next-generation ships will have a total capacity of 6,600 guests, feature more than 5,000 lower berths, exceed 180,000 gross tons and incorporate an extensive number of guest-friendly features. A major part of the innovative design involves making much more efficient use of the ship's spaces, creating an enhanced onboard experience for guests.

 

Carnival Corporation CEO Arnold Donald said, .... "At a cost per berth in line with our existing order book, these new ships will enhance the return profile of our fleet. ..."

 

Yeah, it's called "packing them in like sardines."

[sppunk]

The other two won't be HAL ships, I would imagine Costa gets them.

 

That sounds like a God-awful ship btw, wow at that space ratio.

[voyageur9]

The other two won't be HAL ships, I would imagine Costa gets them

 

I was unaware that any of the four have been assigned. Are you assuming two for Carnival or was there some prior announcement that I missed?

[POA1]

I was unaware that any of the four have been assigned. Are you assuming two for Carnival or was there some prior announcement that I missed?

The article says two are for AIDA.

[voyageur9]

The article says two are for AIDA.

 

My apologies, and thanks.

[muenchner]

The other two won't be HAL ships, I would imagine Costa gets them.

 

That sounds like a God-awful ship btw, wow at that space ratio.

 

 

Space ratio on AIDA ships is always bad, there customers are used to it.

[sppunk]

Space ratio on AIDA ships is always bad, there customers are used to it.

 

Indeed! And Costa's are getting there quickly. :)

[muenchner]

Indeed! And Costa's are getting there quickly. :)

 

AIDA only offers buffets (no cover), most German's love it

(I am German and hate it)

It' saves a lot of space.

[summer slope]

Let's hope not. The MAIN reason I love HAL is for their small ships. If I want to be crowed like Time Square on New Years Eve I'll sail on one of the condo's of the seas.

[Aquahound]

I had to read the article myself to see it was reporting 6600 people and 180,000 gross tons. Wow! That sounds like hell on the high seas. I don't see HAL doing anything like that. I wouldn't put it past Carnival or Costa though.

[scamper]

Leave the floating theme parks to the other guys, I don't want anything much bigger than Eurodam.

[POA1]

I had to read the article myself to see it was reporting 6600 people and 180,000 gross tons. Wow! That sounds like hell on the high seas. I don't see HAL doing anything like that. I wouldn't put it past Carnival or Costa though.

They're not planned for Carnival. They already have a new build schedule for their Vista Class. I can't imagine that a ship like that would be competitive in the market that targets North America. They had to build a whole new terminal at Port Everglades to accommodate the RCCL Oasis class ships. These would have much bigger passenger loads.

[bonvoyagebites]

I would have to say something that large definitely wouldn't fit in with my (VERY LIMITED) experience of Holland America so far. One of the things I enjoyed most about my short little jaunt up the coast was that there were never any crowds... We never even waited to be seated at dinner... I liked that.

[NMJack]

Here's announcement

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=140690&p=irol-newsArticle_print&ID=2059018

 

 

The ships will be the first in the cruise industry to be powered at sea by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)

 

 

wow, i've been waiting for that to happen.... i wonder if Trinidad will be on their itineraries... (Trinidad exports LNG)... or maybe a US port in the Gulf

[RuthC]

I'm glad that my cruising life started when it did, and almost glad that it's now winding down. I don't at all like the direction the entire industry is headed.

At some point HAL will have to continue in this direction, too, albeit they do seem (at least) to be bringing up the rear.

 

All the little niceties seem to have gone the way of the dodo. Sad. Very sad.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Glad we started cruising when we did -- smaller ships -- fewer passengers.

Mega ships -- just not for us.

[Cruzaholic41]

No. Holland America's already got another new build option. I don't know if you've ever seen the terminal building for the Oasis & Allure of the Seas. We have. Both my wife and I were like, "There's no way in h3ll I'd want to be involved with that!" Imagine boosting capacity by a third. Yeesh!

 

I'm one who loves all types of cruises, from 500 pax ships, to the large mega ships. That Oasis terminal is the most efficient and painless embarkation/debarkation terminal I've ever been through. I've been on Oasis with 6300 pax and it still seemed empty at times. But that's on a 227,000 gt ship.

 

300 more people on a 180,000 gt ship sounds more like a mega-ferry than a cruise ship. I said I love all types of cruises, but that one - no way! Crowding is my peeve.

[casamariposa]

I'm with you, Ruth! I am booking myself on the Prinsendam and Maasdam, my favorite ships, as often as I can. They won't be around much longer, I fear. If people like the behemoths, fine. But I like bumping into the same people on a daily basis on the smaller ships and making new friends. After a couple of days on the smaller ships, there are no more strangers.

[freestyling]

My bet is Costa will be getting the other two mega's. don't see HAL going this BIG

[Time For Dreaming]

Even the Koningsdam is pushing it size-wise for us. We're hoping HAL comes out with ships in the 1500 passenger range. Don't want to see any Godzilladam new builds from them. We like cruising for the simple pleasures of cruising. We don't need or want all this "who can ring the bell louder" with the excesses of these giants, no offense to those who love them but, to us, they aren't ships--just amusement parks that distract from those simple pleasures.