P&O CRUISES signed to build the largest cruise ship ever till today for the British market

P&O CRUISES has contracted to build the largest cruise ship ever for its British source market.
by Earl of Cruise

This ship will be a 5,200 passenger (double occupancy) cruise ship. The vessel will be capable for a max capacity of 8,500 people onboard. This would be the largest cruise vessel ever built specifically for the British market. The delivery from MEYER WERFT GRUPPE will be in 2020.

Rendering of the P&O CRUISES LNG fuels newbuild - courtesy of MEYER WERFT GRUPPE

This is causing a shifting in delivery for the previously signed vessels for AIDA CRUISES and COSTA CRUISES. The LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) powered ship will top 180,000 GT. It is planed to base the new vessel in Southampton. It will also be family-friendly. The conceptual design of this new class of vessels for the CRANIVAL GROUP subsidiaries is family-friendly.

Rendering of the COSTA CRUISES LNG newbuild - courtesy of MEYER WERFT GRUPPE

The yet biggest cruise vessel from ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISE LINES, of 250,000 GT, has a max passenger capacity of 6,700.

The as-yet-unnamed ship will dwarf P&O CRUISES´ current flagship, the 3,647 passenger, 141,000 GT BRITANNIA, launched in 2015.

P&O CRUISES´ senior vice president Paul Ludlow stated that the ship will be "evolution not revolution" in terms of what features to expect onboard.

"I can confirm that there will be some stand-out features in terms of design. And given the scale of the ship it does give us the chance to come up with features which will be brand new for the brand."

However, Ludlow ruled out any features such as dodgems, climbing walls, simulated skydiving or simulated surfing, as can be found on Royal Caribbean ships. We are P&O CRUISES and we know the tastes of our guests, so we will evolve rather than change."

A statement from P&O Cruises read:

"Through an innovative use of space, the ship will offer an extensive range of dining, entertainment and relaxing features."

It was confirmed by Paul Ludlow, that more details would be released on October 26, at a press event.

According to a spokeswoman of P&O CRUISES - "We are open to suggestions!"

... this will hopefully not ending in another 'Boaty Mcboatface' ...

Paul Ludlow said the decision to order a huge new build for the British market was down to P&O CRUISES having "a really strong last two years", as well as a greater proportion of people in the United Kingdom wanting to cruise. He added:

"We believe the U.K. market can grow even further and as well as our current guests there is a large proportion of people yet to cruise."

The new livery of P&O CRUISES is showing clearly the target market - the United Kingdom.

The ship will be built at the German MEYER WERFT GRUPPE in Turku. It will feature the shipbuilders´ "green cruising" design as one of the first generation of cruise ships to be fully powered by LNG, which will significantly reduce air emissions and will become the most environmentally efficient ship in P&O CRUISES´ history.

This is not the first time for British people, potential cruise guests and those "used to cruise", that there is a German built vessel taking them on a cruise or a crossing - MAJESTIC, HOMERIC, BERANGARIA, etc.

The most interesting part in that construction is the fuel which will be used - LNG. The use of LNG as fuel had to break some barriers. Those in the heads of future cruise passengers, as well in those of the industry captains. The shipping industry is one of the most conservative industries one can imagine. And sticking to the used, sometimes old, is quite common. Despite looking for new markets, freight and cruise guests.

Carnival was back in the 70s the first who did search the new guests in the lower end of the food chain, and revolutionaized the cruise industry with. Now we have a mass market industry.

And this mass market requires the bigger and more efficient vessels for the offers the cruise companies can sell in this highly volatile market.

The average per passenger per day is US $222.00, with US $168.43 ticket price and $53.57 on board spending (average cruise duration 8.0 days, median duration 7.0 days) - source: Cruise Market Watch.

And now Carnival Corp. is ordering for it subsidiaries vessels with the highst passenger density ever till today. In history this "crown" was held by IMPERATOR and CANBERRA as the second.

It was once about effeciency, and it is now all about efficiency ... but the paying cruise vacationer is not an imigrant, or a refugee, who is seeking a new fortune over the seas, or as some in the industry babble: screaming cargo - he is paying customer.

I will not imagine a vessel "packed" with 8,500 passengers entering a port, like St. Thomas ... 8,500 noisy, (over)demanding, sometimes arrogant (I am not bashing or hitting on British passengers! in general!) and / or ignorant people flodding that town.

And for the 8,500 passengers on board is "only" the same amount of crew members to cater, clean and run the vessel. And these are latest now at a point to be overworked and definitely underpayed.

Besides I will not imagine a new COSTA DESATRIA ... or a ruthless Capitano Schettino ... one, two, three and you climb my "tree" ... Where is this blond Moldavian "lady" by the way?

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