British shipbuilder Harland & Wolff (H&W) announced that it has signed a contract with cruise ship owner Margaritaville at Sea to carry out a refit of the latter’s cruise ship, the “Beachcomber.” The contract is valued at approximately 40 million pounds (approximately $53,096,000), and H&W considers it a “major” project.
Under the terms of the contract, the “Beachcomber” will undergo a comprehensive refurbishment at one of H&W’s shipyards. The project is expected to take approximately 12 weeks and is scheduled for completion and delivery in January 2027, at which time the ship will resume operations as the new flagship of Margaritaville at Sea.
According to records, the “Beachcomber” was built by a shipyard owned by Italy’s Fincantieri and delivered in 2003. The ship has a total length of 272.19 meters, a beam of 38 meters, and a gross tonnage of 102,669. It is equipped with 1,358 cabins and can accommodate up to 3,250 passengers and 1,068 crew members.
The “Beachcomber” was originally ordered by Costa Cruises, a subsidiary of the Carnival Corporation, and was originally named the “Costa Fortuna.” It was acquired by Margaritaville at Sea in May 2025 and will be handed over to its new owner after completing its final voyage for Costa in September 2026.
H&W noted that this refit contract marks the shipyard’s second collaboration with Margaritaville at Sea in two years; the two parties previously worked together to complete the refit of the “Islander” cruise ship in 2024.
Records indicate that the “Islander” was built at the Helsinki Shipyard in Finland and delivered in 2000. The ship has a gross tonnage of 85,861, a length of 293 meters, and a beam of 32 meters. It is equipped with 1,105 cabins and can accommodate up to 2,680 passengers and 920 crew members.
The “Islander” was also originally commissioned by Costa Cruises under the name “Costa Atlantica” before being transferred to Aida Cruises in 2019. In late 2023, Margaritaville at Sea announced the acquisition of the “Costa Atlantica,” subsequently renaming it the “Islander,” with H&W overseeing the refit.
The “Islander” was also originally commissioned by Costa Cruises under the name “Costa Atlantica” before being transferred to Aida Cruises in 2019. In late 2023, Margaritaville at Sea announced the acquisition of the “Costa Atlantica,” subsequently renaming it the “Islander,” with H&W overseeing the refit.
With a history spanning over 150 years, H&W is one of the oldest shipyards in the shipbuilding industry, best known for constructing the “Titanic”. Like most shipyards in Europe, H&W has struggled; it has not delivered a newly built vessel in nearly 17 years.
Since 2019, H&W has faced insolvency twice. In 2025, Navantia UK acquired the company—which was then in administration—for approximately £69.9 million. As part of the deal, Navantia UK agreed to waive £23 million in debt incurred between October 2024 and the completion of the acquisition. This move ensured the continued operation of H&W’s four shipyards and saved over 1,000 jobs. The acquisition agreement was finalized in late December 2024.
As the new owner, Navantia UK is investing approximately £100 million to upgrade H&W’s four shipyards. The modernization process was completed in June 2026, and the facilities are currently engaged in building vessels for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.
In addition to the new ship projects that have already been finalized, COSCO Shipping Specialized Carriers, SAIC Group’s Anji Logistics, and the Norwegian shipowner Wallenius Wilhelmsen are all planning large PCTC newbuilding projects. If these are converted into formal shipbuilding contracts, the total global PCTC newbuilding orders this year are expected to reach 130 vessels, potentially setting a record high, with the vast majority of orders to be undertaken by Chinese shipyards.