Fincantieri Bags 'Ultra-luxury' Cruise Ship Order

Italian shipbuilding group Fincantieri said it has secured a contract to build up to three "ultra-luxury" cruise ships for an unnamed international buyer.

The €1.2 billion deal is for one vessel to be delivered by the end of 2025, with options for two additional vessels, Fincantieri said.

Fincantieri did not share any specifics about the cruise ships' size and technical details.

The cruise ship order is one of only a handful placed since the cruise industry was derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic, but marks a sign of confidence for the badly hit sector.

Fincantieri, which last week signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with MSC Group's luxury travel brand Explora Journeys for the construction of two cruise ships, has been ramping up build activity after agreeing in 2020 to reschedule deliveries for many of its cruise customers.

Some of the business' biggest names, including Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line, are rumored to be contemplating new orders.