German shipbuilder Meyer Werft has received a contract from cruise operator Royal Caribbean Cruises to build a fourth Quantum-class cruise ship.
Delivery of the new vessel is scheduled for 2019.
Royal Caribbean International president and CEO Michael Bayley said: "The fourth Quantum-class vessel will be a trailblazer in smart-ship design and vacation innovation.
"Royal Caribbean International is synonymous with adventure, and the icons and amenities on this ship will continue to challenge and expand guests’ expectations of the cruise experience."
In September 2014, Meyer Werft shipyard started the construction of third Quantum-class cruise ship, Ovation of the Seas, at its facility in Papenburg, Germany.
This third vessel in the series will be 348m-long, 136m-wide with a depth of 8.5m and gross tonnage capacity of 167,800t, the company stated.
The first two vessels in this series are Quantum of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas. The first vessel was delivered in October 2014, while the second one delivered in April this year.
Meyer Werft managing partner Bernard Meyer said: "We are very thankful to continue our long lasting relationship with Royal Caribbean by building another ship of the Quantum-class.
"Guests and travel agents are obviously impressed with the innovative cruise ships we have developed together with Royal Caribbean’s new-build team."
Royal Caribbean’s Quantum-class vessels feature the North Star, a jewel-shaped glass capsule that carries guests more than 300ft above the ocean, and SeaPlex, the largest indoor sports and entertainment complex at sea.
Image: Royal Caribbean’s second Quantum-class vessel, Anthem of the Seas. Photo: courtesy of Gerhard Fülle.
