A Third Ultra-Voyager Vessel for Royal Caribbean

11 March 2005 5:00am

Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCCL) is planning to buy a third Ultra-Voyager ship, a 160,000-ton, 3,000-passenger super-ship that would be identical to the Freedom of the Seas.

The company signed a letter of intent with Aker Finnyards to build a third “Freedom class” vessel, which would enter service in early 2008. The agreement is subject to certain conditions, including board approval, RCCL said.

The first of this series, the Freedom of the Seas, will be delivered in spring 2006. Reservations for that ship opened Feb. 28 for past guests only.

A second, as-yet unnamed sister ship will be delivered in second-quarter 2007.

RCCL estimated that the cost of the third ship, including contract price, capitalized interest, owner-delivered items and engineering and construction oversight, would be about $230,000 per berth, or $828 million.