Keel laid at Meyer Werft for first of two SAGA Cruises vessels
At the keel laying ceremony (from left): Lance Batchelor, chief executive officer of the Saga Group, Sir Sebastian Wood, British ambassador in Berlin, and Tim Meyer, managing director of Meyer Werft
The vessel is the first in a pair of 58,250gt ships, each with capacity for 999 passengers. With its delivery scheduled for summer next year, the Spirit of Discovery will be the first vessel of its kind to be built by Meyer Werft for a UK shipowner. The second vessel is due to follow in 2020.
The 236m-long cruise vessel Spirit of Discovery will be constructed in Building Dock 1 which will mean that three cruise ships will be delivered to shipyard customers during 2019 and 2020, rather than the two vessels that were originally planned.
The two Saga Cruises vessels have been tailored for the UK market, the shipyard said in a statement, with a completely new design to make them stand out in every port. Their interior design and technology will set new standards, Meyer Werft said.
