First Steel Cut for Celebrity Apex

Steel was cut today for Celebrity Apex, the second of the Edge-class. It was also a coming out of sorts for the yard. With the new ownership (the French government partnered with Fincantieri) nearly in place, the name of the yard has reverted from STX France to its former name of Chantiers de l'Atlantique.

Details appeared in the July 23 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Triple-Header at Saint-Nazaire & an Announcement!

MSC was busy at the STX France yard in Saint-Nazaire today with three major events and an announcement of yet another ship order.

Normally, any one of the events would have been newsworthy by itself, but today, MSC grouped them for a super event.

The complete story appeared in the June 14 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

STX France Delivers Symphony of the Seas

The world officially has a new “largest cruise ship in the world” today with Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas being registered at 228,081 gross registered tons, puts it ahead of the previous record holder, Harmony of the Seas, which is “only” 226,963 tons. The record-holder 5,518 passengers in double occupancy, but will actually carry up to a total of 6,680 passengers and a crew of 2,200.

STX France officially handed the Oasis-class ship over to Royal Caribbean today at their Saint-Nazaire yard.

Details appeared in the March 23 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

The first video shows the handover and the celebration which followed. Included are comments from executives from both the cruise line and the yard. The second video, is a mashup of scenes from construction to delivery.

NOTE: The second video includes lots of quick edits and flashing lights. If you are sensitive please STOP the video during the 5-second transition.

Photo and videos courtesy of Royal Caribbean International. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission. 

Looking over Symphony of the Seas

STX France will deliver Symphony of the Seas to Royal Caribbean next month. The yard provided a unique look around (and under and over) the new ship through the eyes of a drone in the video below.

Fincantieri Finalizing Purchase of STX France Stake

After one false start, Fincantieri and the French government seem to have again settled on a plan for Fincantieri to purchase half of STX France. The previous agreement was nixed by the Macron government using the government's veto when it came to power fearing too much control of a major French asset and employer by the Italian shipbuilder.

The new agreement provides for Fincantieri to purchase exactly 50% of STX France from the French government for 59.7 million euros.

The complete story appeared in the February 2 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Watch Celebrity Edge Make Her Debut

Celebrity Edge made her debut Monday afternoon at the STX France yard in Saint-Nazaire when the yard floated the ship out of the dry dock to the finishing dock. The event was preceded by one of equal importance, when the dry dock was flooded and the ship made its first contact with water.

Details appeared in the January 23 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Video courtesy of Celebrity Cruises. All rights reserved.

MSC Celebrates Two Building Milestones at STX France

There was lots happening in France today, as two major events were coming down for MSC Cruises at the STX France yard in Saint-Nazaire. Then MSC threw in another piece of news just for good measure.

The complete story appeared in the November 15 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Can You Catch an Early Symphony?

Royal Caribbean had some surprising news about Symphony of the Seas today. The fourth Oasis-class ship was to have been delivered next spring and started her service in the Mediterranean in April. Royal Caribbean now says they will put the ship into service three weeks earlier than originally scheduled.

The complete story appeared in the October 18 edition of Cruise News Daily.

As you can see from the photos below, which were taken last Friday, the ship is nearing completion and looks like will easily be ready in five months.

Photos courtesy of Royal Caribbean International. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission. 

French Government Getting into the Shipbuilding Business

The French government is apparently uneasy about Fincantieri moving jobs out of Saint-Nazaire if they would have control of the STX France yard, because the Macron government today moved to nationalize the yard.

Details appeared in the July 27 edition of Cruise News Daily.

The Unfinished Symphony

Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas is really starting to take on some of the Royal Caribbean "look" in its interior now. A few weeks ago it looked very much like a house under construction where you could really only see the studs. The owner was excited about it, but it was hard to catch the vision. Now on Symphony you can begin to see the "rooms." In these photos taken last week in the STX France yard in Saint Nazaire, you can now see the AquaTheater taking shape, and then looking forward into the 230,000-ton ship, it begins to look something like you expect a ship to. Delivery is still set for early next year. 

Photos courtesy of Royal Caribbean. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission.

Work Continues on Symphony of the Seas

A couple weeks ago, Symphony of the Seas was floated out of the dry dock at STX France in Saint-Nazaire, which means the construction phase is completed. They are now in the finishing phase, and Royal Caribbean has released a new video where some of their executives talk about the continuing work that will go on at the yard.

This story appeared in the June 23 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Other Things You'll Want to Know - June 14, 2017

CND subscribers also read about:

• STX France laying the keel for Celebrity Edge
• Adventure of the Seas rescuing two men who had been adrift in the Caribbean for 23 days. 

Details appeared in the June 14 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

The first block of Celebrity Edge is placed in the dry dock.

Photo courtesy of Celebrity Cruises. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission. 

Symphony of the Seas Floats!

STX France floated out Symphony of the Seas today at their Saint-Nazaire yard.

Details appeared in the June 9 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Not So Fast

At MSC Meraviglia's handover on Wednesday at the STX France yard, newly-elected French president Emmanuel Macron, said he wants to review (and possibly renegotiate) the agreement to sell a 48% stake of the yard to Fincantieri before the sale is finalized.

Macron is concerned that French jobs could be lost or that business that would have been won by the French yard will be diverted to Fincantieri's multiple Italian yards.

The complete story appeared in the June 2 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

MSC Grows Again with Another Ship Order

When MSC officials were at the STX France yard in Saint-Nazaire on Wednesday, they didn't just pick up their new ship. They ordered two more with options for two additional ones. These won't be Meraviglia clones; they will be the latest in cruise ships: the 2022 World-class model - with the high-tech engine - and whitewalls.

As you may have noted by the model year, MSC (and passengers) will be waiting awhile to ride these beauties. The two under firm order will be delivered in 2022 and 2024, with the options being for 2025 and 2026.

The complete story appeared in the June 1 edition of Cruise News Daily.

MSC World-class

Rendering courtesy of MSC Cruises. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without permission. 

This Is the Big One, Elizabeth

STX France officially delivered MSC Meraviglia to MSC Cruises today at the STX yard in Saint-Nazaire (France), and the handover is marked by the changing of the flags on the ship. The flags of the yard are lowered and replaced by those of the cruise line and the country where the ship is registered.

The importance of this handover was elevated because, at 171,598 gross registered tons and a capacity of 4,488 double occupancy (5,714 total), MSC Meraviglia is the largest cruise ship ever built by a European ship owner. (Translation: Royal Caribbean's Oasis- and Harmony-class ships are still larger.)

The complete story appeared in the May 31 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Race You to the Lifeboat

Most cruise ship passengers give very little thought to the ship's lifeboats. It's actually a major piece of equipment, and it has to meet some very tough standards.

The lifeboats for Royal Caribbean's Oasis-class ships, are very special because of the ship's size, since it's the largest cruise ship in the world. Austria's Palfinger Marine won the contract to supply the lifeboats for Symphony of the Seas, now under construction for delivery next year.

The contract was actually awarded two years ago in 2015 for 24 tenders, 12 lifeboats (larger than the tenders, which are also used as lifeboats), 36 davits (the cranes used to hoist the lifesaving boats) and six rescue boats for the series of ships being built at STX France. These “boats” have to be delivered well in advance of the ships since they have to be put aboard for sea trials and testing, so the ones for Symphony are now being completed and need to pass tests before delivery, including one rather unusual one because they are a completely new design. 

The complete story appeared in the May 3 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Fincantieri/STX Deal Moves Forward

Fincantieri moved another step closer to being the largest shareholder in STX France yesterday when they signed the “Head of Terms” agreement with the French government.

Details appeared in the April 13 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Fincantieri Closer to Acquiring STX France

After a series of negotiations, the French government said today they will approve Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri buying up to a 48% stake in STX France which has been for sale (subject to French approval) since the Korean-based STX entered bankruptcy.

After early interest from a number of potential buyers, Fincantieri was the only actual bidder.

The complete story appeared in the April 6 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Fincantieri Is Preferred

Fincantieri said today that they have been notified by Samil PricewaterhouseCoopers, the advisor appointed by STX Europe, that Fincantieri has been selected as the preferred bidder in the sale of the 66.66% stake in STX France.

The complete story appeared in the January 3 edition of Cruise News Daily.