The as-yet-unnamed 2,974-passenger vessel, to be built at an approximate all-in cost of $450-460 million (U.S.), is scheduled for delivery in late fall 2005, approximately 14 months after the delivery of the third Conquest-class vessel, Carnival Valor.
The agreement with Fincantieri for a fourth Conquest-class vessel comes just days after Carnival Corporation Chairman and CEO Micky Arison toured the Carnival Conquest, currently in the final stages of construction at the Italian shipyard and slated to debut from New Orleans in November 2002. The attractive price offered by Fincantieri played a key role in the decision to add a fourth vessel to the series.
The Carnival Conquest is simply stunning. Joe Farcus has done an outstanding job designing the ship`s elegant Impressionist-inspired interiors and there is no question in my mind that we have successfully taken the very best of Carnival`s `Spirit-` and `Destiny-class` to create a new class of vessel that will set a new standard in cruise vacations, Arison said. We`re so confident in the success of these ships that we have committed a $2 billion investment in `Conquest-class` alone, he added.
Commented Fincantieri Executive Chairman Corrado Antonini, We are very proud that Carnival has chosen Fincantieri to construct its magnificent new `Conquest-class.` Fincantieri has built 13 cruise ships for Carnival Corporation and we are building 12 more which will usher in an exciting new era for our industry.
Added Fincantieri Chief Executive Officer Giuseppe Bono, This order is particularly significant for Fincantieri, not only because it further strengthens our relationship with Carnival but it is also a clear signal that the market has recovered from the impact of the tragic events of Sept. 11. Thanks to Fincantieri`s `cutting edge` expertise in shipbuilding technology, today the company has reaffirmed its position as a world leader in the cruise sector.
Representing a brand new series, Carnival`s Conquest-class ships will be the largest in the Fun Ship fleet. Each will feature Farcus` inventive, award-winning interior design and offer a number of expanded amenities and facilities, including the widest variety of entertainment and dining choices in keeping with Today`s Carnival theme.
Stretching more than three football fields in length (U.S.), the 952-foot-long vessels will house an unprecedented 22 lounges, nightspots and bars, everything from pulsating dance clubs and three-deck-high, 1,500-seat theaters showcasing lavish Las Vegas-style revues to piano bars, jazz clubs, sports bars, wine and caviar bars, cigar bars and a host of live music venues.
Additionally, 917 of the vessels` 1,487 spacious staterooms will offer an ocean view with 556 of those featuring private balconies. Outside cabins will measure a generous 220 square feet with 42 suites boasting 340 square feet of living space while 10 penthouse suites will offer 430 square feet of luxury.
Other amenities featured within the Conquest-class include four swimming pools – one with a 214-foot-long cascading water slide and another with a retractable dome in the event of inclement weather – an elaborate 15,000-square-foot health and fitness facility with the latest exercise equipment, workout facilities and private massage/treatment rooms, jogging track, Internet cafe and expansive meeting/conference facilities. A comprehensive on-board golf program featuring professional instruction aboard ship and during golf excursions, along with netted driving ranges and state-of-the-art teaching computers, will be available, as well.
The vessels will also house a 3,300-squre-foot children`s play area – part of the line`s top-rated Camp Carnival program – along with a teen coffee bar/dance club and an outdoor recreation area featuring basketball and volleyball courts.
As part of Carnival`s Total Choice Dining, cruising`s most comprehensive dining program offering the widest variety of culinary choices at sea, dining options on the Conquest-class will be unparalleled in the industry. A pair of two-level full-service restaurants with extensive menus and wine lists will provide traditional cruise ship dining for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
As an alternative, an expansive two-deck-high poolside eatery with full breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets, elaborate salad and dessert bars, pasta and meat-carving stations, and specialty venues, including Taste of the Nation with traditional cuisine from a different country each day, a New York-style deli, a rotisserie serving broiled chicken and steak, and stations featuring traditional English-style fish and chips and Asian and American favorites, will offer extended hours to accommodate anytime dining. A 24-hour pizzeria will offer seven kinds of pies, calzone, Caesar salad and garlic bread.
A patisserie featuring specialty coffees and sweets, a sushi bar, and a reservations-only steakhouse-style supper club serving hand-cut U.S.D.A. prime aged beef, along with crab claws from Miami Beach`s world famous Joe`s Stone Crab Restaurant, round out Conquest-class wide-ranging dining options.
The Carnival product is constantly evolving and with the new `Conquest-class` we`ve taken everything we`ve learned during our 30-plus years in business to create what we believe is the ultimate in `Fun Ship` cruising, said Carnival President Bob Dickinson.
In addition to the Carnival Conquest and the fourth Conquest-class ship announced, Carnival has two other 110,000-ton ships currently under construction, including Carnival Glory, scheduled to launch year-round seven-day service from Port Canaveral, Fla., July 19, 2003, and Carnival Valor, set to debut in 2004 (itinerary yet to be announced).
The introduction of the four new `Conquest-class` vessels, combined with the wide range of cruise options and itinerary choices within the `Fun Ship` fleet, will assure that Carnival continues to lead the industry in the development of innovative cruise ships and programs for our guests, Dickinson said.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
