Construction has officially begun on Regent Seven Seas Cruisesโ newest ultra-luxury vessel, Seven Seas Prestige.
To celebrate the first new ship for the cruise line in three years and its first new ship class in a decade โ industry leaders gathered at Fincantieriโs Marghera shipyard near Venice, Italy, for its steel-cutting ceremony.
As the first official phase of a shipโs construction, the momentous occasion marks the cutting of the steel that will be used to assemble Seven Seas Prestigeโs hull and structure. When delivered in 2026, the vessel will be introduced as the cruise lineโs first Prestige Class ship.
On hand for the steel cutting, which took place on October 21, 2024, were Andrea DeMarco, president of Regent Seven Seas Cruises; Luigi Matarazzo, general manager of Fincantieriโs Merchant Ships Division; Marco Lunardi, director of the Marghera yard; and Harry Sommer, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., Regentโs parent company.
During the ceremony, DeMarco said, โSeven Seas Prestige represents a new era for Regent Seven Seas Cruises as we once again elevate standards in ultra-luxury, all-inclusive vacations. We are delighted to continue our long-established relationship with Fincantieri, a storied name in shipbuilding.โ
โThis talented team will deliver a ship that transcends luxury, exuding elegance and refinement, while radiating sophistication, while radiating sophistication in every way, from bow to stern,โ he added.
Matarazzo echoed the sediments, expressing pride in partnering with the cruise line. โWith our long history of building first-class vessels and Regentโs heritage in delivering unrivaled luxury travel experiences, we are excited to begin work on Seven Seas Prestige.โ
New Prestige Class Promises Unrivaled Luxury
Details for the new ship and class have been minimal, although it has been revealed it will be 843 feet in length and 77,000 gross tons โ the largest vessel in the fleet.
What Regent Seven Seas has said about the new class is that it will introduce new accommodation categories, โreimagineโ the shipโs largest palatial Regent Suite, and showcase new dining options in its โUnrivaled Space at Seaโ offering.
โUnrivaled Space at Sea is a key pillar for Regent and a primary desire for luxury travelers,โย said DeMarco.
โSeven Seas Prestigeย was designed with this in mind, maintaining the intimate and luxurious service our guests love, while also providing even more space throughout the ship, allowing for new suite categories and new experiences,โ he continued.
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Designed to accommodate roughly 850 passengers across 434 spacious suites, Seven Seas Prestige is also being touted as having one of the highest guest-to-space ratios in cruising.
โThis incredible new ship will be the epitome of timeless elegance, exemplifying Regentโs commitment to excellence which is reflected in every aspect of her elevated design and exuding an ambiance of sophistication and refinement,โย DeMarco added.
The new Prestige Class vessel for Regent Seven Seas follows the cruise lineโs recent all-suite Explorer Class ships that debuted in 2016 as the Seven Seas Explorer, 2020 as Seven Seas Splendor, and 2023โs Seven Seas Grandeur.
Seven Seas Grandeur, which debuted in November 2023, is the epitome of luxury and even features a $6-million art collection that includes a custom Faberge egg.
Its Regent Suite spans 4,400 square feet across two bedrooms, a living room, and a dining room, and it houses original works of art by Pablo Picasso.
Seven Seas Prestige will be joined by a second Prestige-Class ship in 2029, taking the cruise line from its current fleet of six vessels to eight.