Carnival Cruise Line (CCL), the world’s largest cruise line, has placed an order for the construction of a cruise ship at Meyer Werft. The ship, the fourth in a series of the Excel class, will enter service in 2027.
The cruise market appears to have fully recovered from the consequences of the pandemic. This year more people than ever are going on a cruise holiday. It is estimated that approximately 36 million people book a multi-day cruise.
The large shipping companies therefore dare to invest again and shipbuilder Meyer in Papenburg also benefits from this. It is the first time in five years that Carnival has placed an order for the construction of a cruise ship.
Fantastic signal
“This is a fantastic signal. And we are still in discussions about building another cruise ship for Carnival,” said spokesman Peter Hackmann.
Peace has returned to the workplace. More than two years ago, in the middle of corona times, the management announced major measures to keep the family business going. Approximately four hundred to 1,000 employees were threatened with dismissal. Temporary contracts were not extended. “Those plans are off the table,” says Hackmann.
Trade union IG Metall and the works council (OR) are happy that, after consultation with the management, they have managed to get the round of dismissals off the table. “And we have also negotiated a number of secondary employment conditions,” says union director Thomas Gelder.
Pay increase and bonus
Last year, the approximately 3,500 permanent employees received a pay increase of 5 percent and this year another 3.5 percent will be added. In addition, a net amount of 1,500 euros was paid out to employees at the beginning of last year. And now the same amount has been paid out.
“Three thousand euros net, that is a nice amount,” says Gelder. “All these agreements contribute to a positive mood on the shipyard. After years of gloomy stories, things are looking positive again. There is perspective for the employees again.”
The order package is well filled. In the coming years, five cruise ships will be built at the shipyard on the Eems, a ship used for expedition and research trips and four platforms must also be delivered for the offshore industry.
Yet there is still room for assignments. “We can still use orders before mid-2025 and 2026,” says Hackmann. “Fortunately, we no longer just concentrate on building cruise ships. That is why we are not solely dependent on that market.” The pandemic has taught management not to bet on a horse anymore.
At the end of last year, the cruise ship Carnival Jubilee was delivered by Meyer Werf, also for Carnival Cruise Line. The ship was moored in Eemshaven for some time, where it was completed. The cruise ship now to be built for CCL will resemble the Jubilee except for a few details.
There is room for 6,400 guests on board. This ship to be built is also powered by a technology platform for liquefied natural gas (LNG).