Carnival Corporation announced it has signed a shipbuilding contract for a third LNG-powered cruise ship for its AIDA Cruises brand. The ship will be built at Meyer Werft, with an estimated 2,700 staterooms at 180,000 tons.

It is the 98th ship on order for the global fleet between now and 2026, according to the cruise ship orderbook. 

With today’s announcement, AIDA Cruises now has a total of three LNG ships on order. AIDAnova is scheduled to join AIDA Cruises’ fleet in December as the first ship of its new generation of LNG vessels, and the first-ever cruise ship in the world to be fully powered by LNG. The second ship of this series will be christened in the spring of 2021.

“On board our ships, which travel the most beautiful destinations worldwide, we offer the greatest holiday variety on the German market with a complete package of culture, entertainment, sports, wellness and culinary delights,” said Felix Eichhorn, president of AIDA Cruises. “The interest in AIDAnova, the first ship of our new generation, is enormous, even before the commissioning later this year. With today’s new shipbuilding contract, we will ensure the further growth of the cruise market in the long term and will be able to provide excellent cruises for this steadily growing holiday segment in the future as well. Thanks to an even wider variety on board, we are opening up completely new possibilities for attracting new target groups across generations for this unique holiday experience.”

Tim Meyer, managing director of Meyer Werft, said: “This is the 10th AIDA Cruises ship we are building in Papenburg, emphasizing a long-term partnership between AIDA Cruises and Meyer Werft. AIDAnova and the following two sister ships feature the latest technology focused on sustainability and energy efficiency.”