Royal Caribbean Group (RCG) has reached an agreement with Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard for the construction of its new Discovery class 

The deal includes two firm ship orders with options for four additional ships, with the first vessel set to debut in 2029 and the second scheduled to be delivered in 2032.

“The Discovery class represents our continued commitment to shaping the future of vacations,” said Jason Liberty, chair and CEO of RCG. “These ships will be a showcase of what’s possible when design meets purpose, ultimately bringing the world closer to our guests.

“Through our partnership with Chantiers de l’Atlantique, we are leveraging France’s world class shipbuilding ecosystem and new technology to, once again, reimagine the industry for decades to come.”

The French shipyard has a long history of building vessels for the group. Over the past four decades, it has built a total of 21 ships for RCG, and the yard is currently building two more ships with Oasis 7 and Celebrity Xcite.

“The Discovery class introduces a bold new concept that puts our guests at the center of it all. It will deliver extraordinary, one-of-a-kind experiences – from cutting edge design to immersive moments – every detail crafted to surprise and delight guests in ways they’ve never imagined, all while visiting truly breathtaking destinations around the world,” added Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean.

With a pipeline of multiple ocean and river ships over the next three years, plus eight land based destinations by 2028, the announcement is the latest in a string of moves from RCG as it looks to “solidify its position as a vacation innovator”.