Seabourn Signs Letter of Intent with Fincantieri to Build Ship for Delivery in 2016

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Oct 18, 2013, 01:26 ET

SEATTLE, Oct. 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Seabourn announced today that it has signed a Letter of Intent for the construction of a new ultra-luxury cruise ship with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri. The new ship will be modeled after the lines three newest vessels, Seabourn Odyssey, Seabourn Sojourn, and Seabourn Quest, and will encompass the features that have made these ships so successful. Delivery is planned for the second half of 2016.

The vessel will replace the capacity that is leaving the Seabourn brand with the sale of Seabourn Pride, Seabourn Spirit and Seabourn Legend. These ships will be transferred to their new owners in April 2014, April 2015 and May 2015, respectively.

"We are pleased to be moving forward with the plans we announced earlier this year to build a fourth ship similar to the highly regarded new design we introduced with Seabourn Odyssey, Seabourn Sojourn, and Seabourn Quest," said Seabourn President Richard Meadows. "The experience and the amenities offered by these award-winning ships have raised the bar in ultra-luxury cruising."

Gabriele Cocco, Fincantieri's Executive Senior Vice President Merchant Vessels, said: "We are very pleased to have acquired a new customer like Seabourn and at the same time to have strengthened our historic partnership with the Carnival Group. This agreement is particularly important: it strengthens our leadership in the luxury cruise niche and confirms our primacy in the cruise industry."

For more information on Seabourn's award-winning cruise vacations, contact a travel agent, call Seabourn at 1-800-929-9391 or visit www.seabourn.com.

Notes to Editors:

Seabourn is consistently ranked among the world's top travel choices by professional critics and the discerning readers of prestigious travel publications such as Departures, Travel + Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler. Its stylish, distinctive cruising vacations are renowned for:

Six intimate ships with no more than 229 suites
Unique itineraries visiting must-see cities and hidden gems where larger ships cannot follow
Intuitive, gracious service provided by a staff passionate about pleasing our guests
Spacious all-suite accommodations with sweeping ocean views – many with verandas
Gourmet dining experiences as fine as the best restaurants anywhere
Open bars throughout the ship and fine wines poured with lunch and dinner

Seabourn is a proud member of World's Leading Cruise Lines. The exclusive alliance also includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Cunard Line and Costa Cruises. Seabourn is a brand of Carnival Corporation and plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL andNYSE: CUK), and supports the Ocean Conservation & Tourism Alliance, dedicated to education and promotion of best practices for protecting the marine environment.

SOURCE Seabourn