New Passenger Ship for P&O Cruises
A 400-tonne keel section was laid today in dry dock at the Monfalcone shipyard at a ceremony to mark the start of actual ship build of a new passenger ship for P&O Cruises, a brand of the Carnival Group, the world’s leading cruise operator.
The 3,611 passenger vessel, due to be launched in March 2015, will be the flagship of the P&O Cruises fleet, as well as the largest ever constructed for the British market. The ceremony was attended, among others, by David Dingle, Carnival UK CEO, Carol Marlow, P&O Cruises Managing Director, Enrico Buschi, Fincantieri Chief Operating Officer, and Carlo De Marco, Manager of Fincantieri’s Monfalcone shipyard.
Incorporating the ultimate in technological standards, the as-yet unnamed ship will stand out for its innovative but classic design that will complement the grandeur of its size. It will also offer an unprecedented range of entertainment activities.
The new ship’s exceptional level of passenger comfort reflects the excellence of the P&O style, whose cruises are enjoyed by a particularly high-end customer target in one of the world’s most active and lively cruise markets, namely the British one.
Fincantieri has built 64 cruise ships since 1990, 31 of which at the Monfalcone yard and 56 for the different brands of the Carnival Group.