In Saint-Nazaire, ships –yesterday transatlantic liners, now cruise liners– have been built for a century and a half. More than 120 liners were born here, and records are part of this history! Among these giants of the seas, many were the biggest vessels in the world at their time: Normandie in 1935, France in 1962, Queen Mary 2 in 2013. The ships that currently hold every record, Harmony of the Seas, and her sister-ship Symphony of the Seas, have also been built in Saint-Nazaire. They were delivered to their owner, the American company Royal Caribbean International, in 2016 and 2018 respectively.
The Italian shipowner MSC Cruises had almost all of its fleet built in Saint-Nazaire and has ordered several new ships. The latest one: MSC Grandiosa. This huge ship is 1,087-feet long and 141-feet wide, accommodating a total of 6,334 passengers along with 1,704 crew members. Delivered in late October 2019, she is the largest ship ever built for a European owner. In late 2020, a new vessel will be delivered to MSC Cruises: MSC Virtuosa.
After the four Millenium-class ships in the early 2000s, the American cruise line Celebrity Cruises tasked Chantiers de l’Atlantique with the construction of five of its luxurious and innovative Edge-class cruise ships. The first ship of the series, Celebrity Edge, was delivered in early November 2018. Her sister-ship, Celebrity Apex, will be delivered in early 2020.
