Fincantieri to Construct Two New Cruise Ships for TUI Worth Over £2 Billion

Trieste: Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has entered into a significant contract with TUI Cruises, a joint venture between TUI AG and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, for the design and construction of two new cruise ships.

According to Ansa News Agency, the order replaces a previous Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signed in March 2025 with TUI AG for building two ships for the Marella Cruises brand. This new contract exceeds the £2 billion mark and outlines the delivery of the vessels in 2031 and 2032. These ships will be larger than those initially planned for Marella Cruises and will adhere to the latest environmental standards.

The two ships will be sister ships to “Mein Schiff Relax” and “Mein Schiff Flow,” part of the InTUItion class. They will be equipped with dual-fuel engines, utilizing both LNG and MGO, and will have a gross tonnage of approximately 160,000 tons. This design surpasses the original configuration envisioned in the Memorandum.

The initial agreement for the Marella Cruises brand valued the order at just over two billion euros, but the contract has now revised this figure to well over two billion. Fincantieri’s CEO and General Manager, Pierroberto Folgiero, stated that this contract highlights Fincantieri’s capability to support the fleet growth of leading cruise operators, combining innovation, sustainability, and the excellence of Italian shipbuilding.

Folgiero expressed satisfaction in expanding the partnership with the TUI Cruises brand, emphasizing the strengthened relationship with both TUI and Royal Caribbean. He noted that this contract reflects the trust built over time and the successful collaboration already established with the first two InTUItion-class ships.