Next Generation of Ships for Royal Caribbean International begins construction

Papenburg, February 5, 2013 - The first steel-cutting taking place in MEYER WERFT's laser centre marks the start of construction of the new Project Sunshine ships for Royal Caribbean International. The first ship of this class will be completed in October 2014. It took the plasma torch in the yard's state-of-the-art laser centre merely a couple of minutes to cut a silhouette of the new ship from the steel plate.

The first steel-cutting marks the start of construction of the first ship of the new series. The first of these newbuildings will be named “Quantum of the Seas”. The second ship, the "Anthem of the Seas”, will be delivered in spring 2015.

"Our next class of ships will fascinate our guests," says Harri Kulovaara, Royal Caribbean's Excecutive Vice President, Maritime. “We are very happy about the progress we have made in the planning of this wonderful ship." According to Kulovaara, "now the teams from MEYER WERFT, their partners and the teams from Royal Caribbean International are faced with the task of making the ship come to life."

Having a tonnage of 167,000 grt, the Quantum class ships will offer capacities for approx. 4,100 passengers.

MEYER WERFT's managing partners, Bernard Meyer, Dr. Jan Meyer and Lambert Kruse, as well as the yard's project manager Uwe Wulff, and Jarmo Laakso from Royal Caribbean International attended the steel cutting ceremony in the laser centre. “We are very happy to build these innovative ships for Royal Caribbean International, and to continue our long-standing relationship," said Bernard Meyer. “We guarantee to deliver a cruise ship featuring an exceptional interior design, which meets the highest technical standards, is extremely energy efficient, and complies with the latest environmental technologies."