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French President Emmanuel Macron reacted on X (formerly Twitter) to the announcement of firm orders placed by the Royal Caribbean Group for the construction of at least two new cruise ships in Saint-Nazaire. He hailed the decision of the company to entrust the Chantiers de l’Atlantique (CdA) shipyard in Saint Nazaire, France with the construction of the ships.

The agreements include two firm ship orders with options for four additional ships. The first ship in the class is set to debut in 2029, while the second ship is scheduled to be delivered in 2032.

The group sealed a series of agreements with the Chantiers de l’Atlantique (CdA) shipyard for the construction of its highly anticipated Discovery Class ships.

“The Discovery Class represents our continued commitment to shaping the future of vacations. These ships will be a showcase of what’s possible when design meets purpose, ultimately bringing the world closer to our guests,” said Jason Liberty, chairman and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group. “Through our partnership with Chantiers de l’Atlantique, we are leveraging France’s world class shipbuilding ecosystem and new technology to, once again, reimagine the industry for decades to come.”

The partnership between Royal Caribbean Group and Chantiers de l’Atlantique spans nearly four decades. The yard constructed the group’s original Sovereign Class ships – Sovereign of the Seas, Monarch of the Seas and Majesty of the Seas, and continues today with many of the group’s most significant ship classes, including the Oasis Class, Harmony of the Seas, Celebrity Cruises’ Edge Series, and now, the Royal Caribbean’s new Discovery Class.

“The Discovery Class introduces a bold new concept that puts our guests at the center of it all,” pointed out Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean.

Over the past four decades, the shipyard has built a total of 21 ships for Royal Caribbean Group and continues to work on additional newbuilds currently in the orderbook.

The ship orders are contingent upon customary conditions.