The Italian Shipbuilder Fincantieri and Carnival Corporation signed a Memorandum of Agreement for the construction of a next-generation passenger ship for the luxury brand Cunard Line. 

The vessel will be built in Monfalcone, Italy, and will join Cunard’s fleet in 2022. The as-yet-unnamed cruise liner will join Queen Victoria, Queen Mary 2, and Queen Elizabeth as the fourth member of the Cunard fleet, marking the first time since 1998 when the cruise company had four ships in service. With a gross tonnage of 113,000 and the capacity of 3,000 passengers, the new vessel will be the 249th ship to fly the Cunard flag.

Following this announcement Arnold Donald, CEO of Carnival Corporation said: "We are very pleased to announce a fourth ship for our immensely popular Cunard brand, which is also one of the most legendary brands in the entire vacation industry.”Cunard offers a fleet of unrivaled vessels and one of the most unique travel experiences in the world, which together create an enchanting and memorable vacation for our guests. While today's news helps drive Cunard's overall strategic growth plans, we also look forward to launching this next-generation cruise ship to help meet increasing global demand and entice even more travelers to explore the Cunard experience."

"With this agreement we once more link our company's name with Cunard's, a real icon of the cruise market, confirming us as shipbuilders able to combine tradition and innovation like no one else in the world," said Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri. "It is a lasting journey that, besides the construction of the two authentic queens like Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth, stresses the importance of our partnership with Carnival Corporation."

Cunard will announce more details about the new cruise liner starting next year

Source: Carnival Corporation & plc