The Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri and Germany’s TUI AG signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) for the design and construction of two new cruise ships for the Marella Cruises brand with delivery in the calendar year 2030 and 2032.
“This agreement represents a major step for Marella Cruises, which is venturing into newbuilding for the first time and has chosen Fincantieri as its strategic partner for this transformation. At the same time, it establishes a new customer relationship for Fincantieri, expanding its client base with a fresh brand in the cruise sector,” Fincantieri said in its statement.
The value of this agreement is subject to financing and other typical terms and conditions. The company didn’t disclose the amount but it said that for Fincantieri “a very important cruise agreement is an agreement representing a value exceeding euro 2 billion.”
Fincantieri said it has built a solid and successful relationship with the brand TUI Cruises, a joint venture between TUI AG and Royal Caribbean Cruises.
This year in February, the Group delivered the cruise ship “Mein Schiff Relax”, the first of two InTUItion class new concept cruise ships dual-fuel powered (Liquid Natural Gas – LNG and Marine Gas Oil – MGO), while the second unit, “Mein Schiff Flow”, is currently under construction at the Monfalcone shipyard, with delivery scheduled for 2026.
“We are proud to welcome Marella Cruises as a new customer and to support its vision as it enters the newbuild segment. This agreement is a testament to Fincantieri’s ability to forge strategic partnerships with an expanding client base, reinforcing our long-term visibility and ensuring a high level of capacity saturation for our shipyards. The project will bring together our expertise in ship design, innovation, and sustainability to deliver vessels that meet the evolving expectations of modern cruise passengers,” said Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and managing director of Fincantieri.
