13 Cruise Ships Were Ordered During the Pandemic

13 Cruise Ships Were Ordered During the Pandemic

While secondhand sales dominated the cruise industry headlines over the past few months, the shipbuilding business has also been busy during the pandemic.

In addition to the vessels that were already set to be built in 2020, a total of 13 extra ships were also ordered in March 2020.

Here’s the complete list:

SH Diana
Cruise Line: Swen Hellenic
Order Date: October 2020
Shipyard: Helsinki Shipyard (Finland)
Capacity: 192 guests
Tonnage: 12,500
Expected Delivery: Q1 2023

Swan Hellenic was among the first cruise lines to order a cruise ship after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In October 2020, the new cruise line signed a contract with the Helsinki Shipyard for the construction of a new 192-guest expedition vessel. Slightly larger than its sister ships SH Minerva and SH Vega, the SH Diana is set to enter service in 2023.

Asuka Newbuild
Cruise Line: Asuka Cruises
Order Date: March 2021
Shipyard: Meyer Werft (Germany)
Capacity: 744 guests
Tonnage: 51,950
Expected Delivery: 2025

After being partially sold to an investment company before the pandemic, Asuka Cruises revealed plans to add a new build to its fleet.

Set to debut in 2025, the new LNG-powered ship was announced in March 2021 and will have the capacity for 744 guests in double occupancy.

MV Narrative
Cruise Line: Storylines
Order Date: March 2021
Shipyard: Brodosplit (Croatia)
Capacity: 1,250 guests
Tonnage: 62,000
Expected Delivery: Q4 2024 

In March 2021, Storylines confirmed an order for a 62,000-ton residential ship. To be built in Croatia by the Brodosplit shipyard, the MV Narrative is set to enter service in late 2024.

According to its operator, the LNG-powered ship will feature private residences, in addition to features that include a microbrewery, a hydroponic garden and an art studio.

Njord
Cruise Line: Ocean Residences
Order Date: July 2021
Shipyard: Meyer Werft (Germany)
Capacity: 600 guests
Tonnage: 84,800
Expected Delivery: 2025

As part of its plans to operate a private residential vessel, Ocean Residences signed a ship construction contract with Meyer Werft in July 2021.

With a 2025 target delivery, the Njord is set to be built at the German shipyard and will feature a total of 117 individual residences.

Emerald Sakara
Cruise Line: Emerald (Scenic Group)
Order Date: September 2021
Shipyard: Halong (Vietnam)
Capacity: 100 guests
Tonnage: 10,000
Expected Delivery: Q1 2023

Emerald Cruises ordered a second cruise ship for its fleet in September 2021. The new Emerald Sakara is set to be delivered in 2023 and will have the capacity of 100 guests.

A sister to the 2021-built Emerald Azzurra, the super yacht is being built by the Halong shipyard in Vietnam.

Unnamed Expedition Ship 
Cruise Line: TBD
Order Date: January 2022
Shipyard: Brodosplit (Croatia)
Capacity: 152 guests
Tonnage: TBD
Expected Delivery: 2025

The Brodosplit shipyard announced an order for the construction of a new polar expedition ship in January 2022. Brodosplit and DIV Group have since filed for reorganization in Croatia.

The 152-guest vessel is set to enter service in 2025 and did not have its buyer revealed at the time of the order.

American Eagle and American Glory 
Cruise Line: American Cruise Lines
Order Date: January 2022
Shipyard: Chesapeake (United States)
Capacity: 109 guests each
Tonnage: 3,000 each
Expected Delivery: 2023

In January 2022, American Cruise Lines revealed plans to build a new series of U.S.-flagged coastal cruise ships.

Named Project Blue, the class will include a total of 12 vessels - of which the first two are already in construction at the Chesapeake shipyard.

Ilma and Luminara
Cruise Line: Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
Order Date: March 2022
Shipyard: Chantiers de l’Atlantique (France)
Capacity: 456 guests each
Tonnage: 37,000 each
Expected Delivery: 2024 and 2025

Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection ordered two additional cruise ships in March 2022, the Ilma and the Luminara. Following the Evrima, which is set to enter service soon, the vessels will be built at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France.

Designed as mega yachts, the 37,000-ton ships are set to be delivered in 2024 and 2025, respectively.

Explora V and Explora IV
Cruise Line: Explora Journeys
Order Date: July 2022
Shipyard: Fincantieri (Italy)
Capacity: 922 guests each
Tonnage: 70,000 each
Expected Delivery: 2027 and 2028 

Explora Journeys added two ships to its orderbook in July 2022. The new vessels will be built at the Fincantieri shipyard, using the same platform as the 2023-built Explora I.

Increasing the fleet of the MSC Cruises’ luxury brand to six ships, the 922-guest vessels will be powered by LNG and hydrogen.

Unnamed Ultra-Luxury Ship
Cruise Line: "International Customer" 
Order Date: July 2022
Shipyard: Fincantieri (Italy)
Capacity: TBD
Tonnage: TBD
Expected Delivery: “End of 2025”

In July 2022, Fincantieri announced it was awarded with a construction contract for a new ultra-luxury vessel.

According to the Italian shipyard, the new build will be delivered to an “international customer” by the end of 2025.

Zito: Swan Hellenic Ready for Strong Start-Up

The CEO of Swan Hellenic, Andrea Zito, said that the company is in a good position ahead of its launch in 2021.

“We are receiving only positive comments from the former customers of Swan Hellenic. The sector is reacting very well to the fact that Swan Hellenic is being resurrected in a way,” Zito told Cruise Industry News.

The first of two new expedition ships, the m/v SH Minerva, debuts into service for the brand in 2021.

The revived Swan Hellenic launched earlier this year. However, the brand is actually 70 years old and was acquired in December 2020.

“One and a half [years ago], the group started the negotiation and placed the order for two ships with Helsinki shipyard for delivery at the end of 2021 and mid-2022. And then the pandemic came. This was not really planned,” Zito said.

The coronavirus pandemic caused Swan Hellenic to postpone any announcements from spring to July. However, otherwise, Zito’s company had adjusted to the challenging conditions.

“It’s a little bit slower, but we are doing things very efficiently. It is amazing to realize how many things you can accomplish without travelling continuously,” he said, describing the challenges of having offices in different European countries.

Zito said that Swan Hellenic offers what seasoned travellers look for.

The company will sail to destinations in New Zealand, Pacific Islands, Russia, and, Zito said proudly, the semi-circumnavigation of Antarctica.

“Our ships are some of the very few ships that have Polar Class 5 ... So we can stay longer, we can go deeper in the environment and, most importantly, we can go safer because the characteristics of the ships are of higher safety standards to ensure that passengers are well protected,” he said.

According to Zito, Swan Hellenic’s ultimate goal is to cover the whole world.

“It's not just a box-ticking exercise, it caters to people who are thirsty for knowledge: they are curious and they want to discover various parts of the world. And the world is still very big.”