Fincantieri Announces Expansion of Its Ancona Shipyard While Delivering a Newbuild Cruise Ship

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri announced the completion and delivery of its third addition to the Regent Seven Seas Cruises fleet, the “SEVEN SEAS GRANDEUR,” on November 13th. Simultaneously, the company announced expansion plans for its Ancona shipyard situated along the central Adriatic Coast in Italy.

The SEVEN SEAS GRANDEUR was ordered by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings in January 2019 for $515 million. The ship belongs to the cruise line Explorer Class of cruise ships, renowned for boasting the industry’s most impressive passenger-crew ratio and spacious accommodations.

Weighing in at 55,500 gross tons and stretching 735 feet in length, the SEVEN SEA GRANDEUR accommodates 746 passengers and hosts a crew of 548. Its interior is designed by Miami-based Studio Dado and offers fifteen distinct categories of suites. These suites range from 307 square feet to the luxurious Regent suite spanning 4443 square feet, which goes for $11,000 per night.

The new cruise ship is scheduled to embark on its maiden voyages in the Caribbean during winter and is set to return to the Mediterranean in the spring of 2024.

Concurrent with the ship’s delivery, Fincantieri reported plans for the expansion of the port of Ancona along with its shipyard. Fincantieri’s Ancona shipyard is known for building smaller luxury cruise ships.

In 2018, Fincantieri entered into an agreement with the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport and the Port Authority for the development of the Ancona Port with their shipyard. A total investment of $87 million has been earmarked for the development. Half of this sum is publicly funded, with the other half to be contributed by Fincantieri. In return, Fincantieri has been awarded a 40-year concession from the Italian government to operate the upgraded facility. The upgraded facility will allow Fincantieri to build larger cruise ships and various merchant vessels at this site.