Roughly 15 percent larger than Voyager, the Ultra Voyager will be 126 feet by 1,112 feet (38.6 metres by 339 metres), and will stand 18 stories high while cruising at approximately 22 knots. At 100 percent double-occupancy, it will carry 3,600 guests and 1,400 crew.
"The Voyager-class ships clearly changed the face of cruising," said Chairman and CEO Richard D. Fain. "The Ultra Voyager will extend that success and, with a lower per berth capital and operating costs, provides even better economies of scale."
"We are pleased that the partnership and tradition with Royal Caribbean continues," said Jorma Eloranta, President and CEO at Kvaerner Masa-Yards. "The Ultra Voyager will reflect this legacy of trust and support."
Kvaerner Masa-Yards and Royal Caribbean Cruises signed a preliminary agreement last June, outlining the design and specifications of the new ship. Today's contract formalizes that agreement and results in a capacity growth of about 3% in each of 2006 and 2007 for Royal Caribbean. Royal Caribbean estimates total-all-in costs to be just over $200,000 per guest berth. This amount includes owner's direct costs, such as the contract price with the shipyard, design and engineering fees, capitalized interest, construction oversight costs, and various owner-supplied items. Royal Caribbean and Kvaerner Masa-Yards also agreed on an option for a second Ultra Voyager cruise ship, with a 2007 delivery.
For more information, please contact:
Media
Geir A Drangeid, Senior Vice President Group Communications, Aker Kværner ASA
Tel: +47 913 10 458
Jorma Eloranta, President and CEO, Kvaerner Masa-Yards, Tel: +358 9 194 2201
Henrik Segercrantz, Corporate Communications Manager, Kvaerner Masa-Yards, Tel: +358 9 194 2409
Investor Relations
Tore Langballe, Vice President Investor Relations, Aker Kværner ASA Tel: +47 907 77 841
Aker Kvaerner
is a leading global provider of engineering and construction services, technology products and integrated solutions. Group activities span a number of industries, including Oil and Gas upstream and downstream, Process, Pharmaceuticals, Metals, Power, Chemical Pulping, Environmental and Shipbuilding. Aker Kvaerner is a multi-local group of businesses with nearly USD 6 billion of annual revenues and around 33 000 employees in more than 30 countries.
Kvaerner Masa-Yards
is a Finnish shipbuilding company specialised in designing and building advanced cruise ships, passenger-car ferries and other technically demanding vessels. The company has two highly modern yards in Helsinki and Turku respectively. The shipyards are structured to handle technically advanced ships requiring innovative design and production technologies and R&D input. Kvaerner Masa-Yards is owned by Aker Kvaerner and is part of the Aker Kvaerner Yards Group of shipyards.