Carnival Corp. on Monday announced it had exercised an option to build an 86,000-ton 2,100-passenger Holland America Line ship for delivery in fall 2010. At an all-in cost of 425 million euros, the ship will be built by long-time Carnival Corp. building partner, Fincantieri. "Holland America Line is performing very well and its growth is consistent with our business strategy for the premium segment of our business, which seeks to capitalize on the increasing affluence of the baby boomer generation," said Micky Arison, chairman and CEO of Carnival Corp. The ship will be a sister to the Eurodam, presently being built by Fincantieri and slated to come into service next summer. The ships will represent a 23 percent bump in Holland America's capacity over the 2008 through 2010 time period, said Stein Kruse, Holland America's president and CEO. Eighty-five percent of the new ship's rooms will have ocean views and 67 percent will offer private verandahs. The ship will also encompass Holland America's Signature of Excellence initiative, which bolstered the line's offered amenities. With the announcement, Carnival Corp. currently has 17 new ships on order, 12 of which are being built by Fincantieri. Visit [www.hollandamerica.com].
