Fincantieri has signed an agreement with Princess Cruises for the construction of three new Voyager-class cruise ships powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG). The order was formalized during Seatrade Cruise Global, currently taking place in Miami.
The ships will be built at Fincantieri’s Monfalcone shipyard, with deliveries scheduled for 2035, 2038, and 2039. The value of this agreement, subject to financing and other typical terms and conditions, is considered very important.
This class of cruise ship, known as the Voyager class, is an upgraded version of Fincantieri’s previously developed liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered Sphere class. The open-air decks, cabins, and other areas will feature a completely new design and layout to meet the needs of global passengers and accommodate diverse route deployments; Compared to the Sphere-class ships, the new vessels will be approximately 3% larger in hull size and have a passenger capacity increase of over 9%, making them the largest and most advanced ship class in Princess Cruises’ fleet.
Each ship will have a gross tonnage of 183,000 tons and the capacity to accommodate 4,700 guests on board. These units will be primarily powered by LNG, the best readily available advanced fuel technology that delivers immediate GHG reductions, significantly reducing air emissions vs. other widely available conventional marine fuels.
“The Voyager class will delight both our loyal guests and attract the next generation of Princess guests. We have been leveraging extensive customer and agent research to strike the right balance between evolving our proven winners and introducing new concepts and partnerships grounded in what matters to our current and future guests,” said Gus Antorcha, Princess Cruises President. “From exceptional dining and inviting pool environments to elevated entertainment and beautifully reimagined spaces throughout the ship, we are leaving no area untouched as we thoughtfully evolve the Princess experience.”
Fincantieri recently built two Sphere-class ships for Princess Cruises at Monfalcone: Sun Princess, delivered in 2024, and Star Princess in 2025. This new order further strengthens a partnership that has already resulted in 21 vessels built in the shipyard over the past 35 years.
As a leading global cruise operator, in addition to Princess Cruises’ shipbuilding projects, Carnival Corporation has seven other cruise ship orders scheduled for delivery between 2027 and 2033: two Excel-class LNG dual-fuel cruise ships being built by Meyer Werft in Germany, ordered in February and March 2024, respectively, with delivery scheduled for 2027 and 2028; Five ships are being built by Fincantieri: three 230,000 GT LNG dual-fuel ships ordered for Carnival Cruise Line in July 2024, and two multi-fuel ships ordered for AIDA Cruises in April 2025, with delivery scheduled between 2029 and 2033.
Regarding this “mega-order,” a Fincantieri spokesperson stated: “These three new cruise ships have secured a full order book for the shipyard through 2039 and will further support the profitable growth of the company’s cruise shipbuilding business, in line with the company’s 2026–2030 Industrial Plan.”