Cruise ship owner Crystal is planning to order up to three vessels with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri in a deal that could be worth up to €2bn ($2.1bn).
The two companies have signed a memorandum of agreement for two firm 690-passenger vessels of 61,800 gt, with one option.
Delivery of the first ships is due in early 2028. Handover details of the second have yet to be disclosed.
Fincantieri said: “The value of this agreement, subject to financing and other terms and conditions, is considered as important.” The yard clarified that “important” signals an agreement representing a value of between €1bn and €2bn.
The shipbuilder’s chief executive, Pierroberto Folgiero, said the order highlights the “robust recovery” of the cruise sector.
Last week, Fincantieri signed a contract with Viking Cruises for two 54,300-gt, 998-passenger vessels worth between €500m and €1bn in total, for delivery in 2028 and 2029.
Folgiero said Crystal’s owner, Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio, has always been close to the Fincantieri Group.
A&K Travel executive chairman Lefebvre d’Ovidio said: “This order is another milestone in the 40 years of productive collaboration between Fincantieri and my family that started with Sitmar Cruises, continued with Silversea and now is flourishing again with Crystal.
Crystal and A&K chief executive Cristina Levis said: “Our aim is to continue setting a new standard in cruising.”
