How Much Does It Cost to Build a Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship?

By Robert Palmer

Building a cruise ship is an incredibly complex and expensive undertaking. A Royal Caribbean cruise ship is no exception. It takes hundreds of millions of dollars to construct a single vessel, and the process can span several years.

Design Stage

The first step in building a Royal Caribbean cruise ship is the design phase. The company works with naval architects, engineers, and interior designers to create a blueprint for the vessel.

This blueprint will include everything from the layout of individual cabins to the placement of amenities on board. This design process can take up to 18 months to complete, with costs ranging from $20 million to $50 million.

Construction

After the design process is completed, construction can begin. The construction phase typically begins with building the hull of the ship at one of several large shipyards around the world.

This includes laying down steel plates and welding them together into a massive structure that will eventually become the cruise ship’s hull. Building just the hull can take up to 18 months and cost between $400 million and $500 million.

Outfitting

Once the hull is finished, it’s time for outfitting. This is where all of the interior components such as cabins, restaurants, bars, theaters, pools, spas, etc., are installed on board. Outfitting usually takes between 12 and 18 months and costs between $200 million and $300 million.

Testing Period

Before it can be put into service, each Royal Caribbean ship has to go through an extensive testing period which includes sea trials and other tests to make sure that it meets all safety standards set by international maritime law. This testing period lasts up to six months and can cost up to another $50 million in additional expenses.

Conclusion:

In total, it costs between $670 million and $900 million to build a single Royal Caribbean cruise ship – an incredible feat of engineering that requires hundreds of people working together for several years!