Carnival Corporation & plc announced it had signed a shipbuilding contract for a 3rd next-generation cruise ship for its AIDA Cruises brand, Germany's leading cruise line.
Due to be delivered in 2023, the new 180,000 GT ship, being built by Meyer Werft GmbH in Papenburg, will include a total of 2,700 staterooms along with extensive selection of well known onboard features. Boasting Carnival's "green cruising" design and the most advanced fuel technology in marine industry, the new ship will be fully powered both at sea and in port by LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas), the cleanest burning fossil fuel in the world, which will reduce air emissions.
With the announcement, AIDA Cruises has a total of 3 LNG cruise ships on order. AIDAnova is joining the fleet of AIDA Cruises in December as the first of its new generation of LNG liners, and the world's first-ever cruise ship to be fully powered by LNG. The 2nd ship of the series will be officially christened in 2021 spring.
The 3 next-generation LNG ships for AIDA are part of the ongoing fleet enhancement strategy of Carnival Corporation with 20 newbuilds scheduled for delivery between 2018-2023.