Fincantieri Floats New Luxury Cruise Ship for Regent Seven Seas
Fincantieri’s shipyard in Marghera, Italy, recently completed the float-out of a new luxury cruise ship for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings’ Regent Seven Seas Cruises. The ship, which is the first of a new class of ultra-luxury cruise ships for the brand, is part of the continuing growth of the segment and expands on the long-standing relationship with the shipyard.
Named Seven Seas Prestige, the ship will be 76,550 gross tons when completed with an overall length of 257 meters (843 feet). Regent Seven Seas highlights that while the ship is 40 percent larger than its previous ships, it will only accommodate 10 percent more passengers. Total capacity will be 822 passengers and 630 crew, giving the ship one of the highest crew-to-passenger ratios in the industry.
The ship will boast the largest suite yet placed aboard a cruise ship, the Skyview Regent Suite, which will be nearly 9,000 square feet and include a spa bath, private gym, an in-suite elevator, and more. The ship will have a total of 411 suites, including introducing four new categories of suites. It will also introduce new dining options, including a Mediterranean concept, and will have a total of 11 dining options, including seven specialty restaurants.
“This newbuild order continues our measured, strategic expansion within the luxury space,” said Jason Montague, Chief Luxury Officer at Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH). “It reflects our confidence in the growing demand for Regent’s best-in-class offering and reaffirms our long-standing partnership with Fincantieri, one rooted in craftsmanship and shared pursuit of perfection.”
Rendering of the first new class of cruise ship for the brand in a decade (Regent Seven Seas)
NCLH is working to keep up with the rapid growth in the ultra-luxury segment of the industry, which includes the entry of well-known luxury hotel brands, including Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons, into the business. The Seven Seas Prestige is the first new class of cruise ship for Regent Seven Seas in a decade, following on from the Explorer Class also built by Fincantieri. The Explorer class, which is 55,500 gross tons with accommodations for 746 passengers, began with Seven Seas Explorer in 2016, followed by Seven Seas Splendor in 2020, and Seven Seas Grandeur in 2023.
Work on Seven Seas Prestige began with the steel cutting in October 2024 and the keel laying in March 2025. The float out began on November 27, and the ship has now been repositioned to the outfitting dock to complete construction. Delivery is set for late 2026, with the ship’s maiden voyage in December 2026.
Confident of the opportunities in the ultra-luxury space, Regent initially ordered two ships, with the next one originally scheduled for 2029. It has been delayed to 2030, but last month, even before the float out of Seven Seas Prestige, the company announced an order for a third sister due in 2033.
These orders build on a long-standing relationship between NCLH and Fincantieri. The yard has already built a total of 10 cruise ships for the company’s three brands, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent. NCLH placed a large order in 2024 for two ships each of Oceania and Regent and four ultra-large, 200,000-plus gross ton cruise ships for Norwegian Cruise Line. In total, Fincantieri is set to build 13 additional cruise ships for NCLH for delivery between 2026 and 2036.