Regents New Ship

Regent Seven Seas Cruises has signed a contract to build what is claimed to be the world’s most expensive luxury cruise ship.

The cruise line has signed a contract with the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy to build what Regent calls “the most luxurious cruise ship in the era of modern cruising” at a cost of US$450 million.

The new ship will be named Seven Seas Explorer and will accommodate 738 guests, the largest in Regent’s fleet.

It is due to join the fleet in summer 2016 and will be the line’s fourth ship.Seven Seas Explorer’s cabins will all be suites with balconies similarly to its other vessels. Facilities will include six dining options; Regent’s nine-deck atrium; a two-story Explorer Theater and a Canyon Ranch SpaClub with a “classic and timeless design”.

Further details of the ship will be announced in the coming months.Regent says Seven Seas Explorer will boast one of the highest ratios of space to passengers ever for a cruise ship, and one of the highest staff-to-passenger ratios. The ship’s 369 suites will range from 300 to 1,500 square feet, and the vessel will have six open-seating gourmet restaurants. The addition of Seven Seas Explorer will boost Regent’s fleetwide passenger capacity by about 40%, marking a major expansion at a line that hasn’t grown in years. The order comes in the wake of expansions in recent years at rival luxury lines Seabourn Cruise Line, Silversea Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises.