GENOA, Italy — Regent Seven Seas Cruises is sailing on a favorable tide of strong demand as its first new ship in 12 years begins to take shape here at the Fincantieri shipyard.
Company president Jason Montague said that strong bookings for its new ship, the Seven Seas Explorer, haven't come at the expense of its trio of older ships designed in the late 1990s.
The Seven Seas Explorer is 75% booked for the period from its introduction in July through the end of 2016, he said.
The ship's top suite, a singular 3,800-square-foot apartment that goes for $10,000 a day, is booked for 14 of its first 15 voyages, with only a trans-Atlantic crossing available for 2016.
Regent last took delivery of a new ship more than a decade ago with the 700-passenger Seven Seas Voyager in 2003.
"There's so much pent-up demand," Montague said. "It's going incredibly well."
Regent will be ahead of most of its competitors in the luxury end of the market in the new ship derby. The 738-passenger Explorer is on track to debut July 20, most likely in Monte Carlo.
Crystal Cruises, Silversea Cruises and Seabourn are also building new ships, but only Seabourn's 604-passenger Encore is set for completion next year.
At the yard here, the Seven Seas Explorer still has a long way to go before it is delivered to Regent.
While much of the ship structure is assembled, there are still blocks scattered along the pier waiting to be hoisted and welded into place.
Regent previewed working models of the cabins it will begin building in preparation for interior finishing after the 54,000-gross-ton ship is floated out at the end of October.
The mock-ups were of the Penthouse category suite, of which there will be 55, and the Concierge/Superior level cabin, which will number 228.
Together, they represent about 75% of the accommodations on the ship.
About 30 top members of Regent's loyalty program toured the suite mock-ups on a Seven Seas Mariner port stop in Genoa, and a half dozen said afterward they were persuaded to book the Explorer by what they saw.
Both categories feature sizeable balconies. Penthouse balconies at up to 176 square feet will fit two large loungers plus a table and chairs. Concierge level balconies will be up to 132 square feet, more than a third of the size of the 322-square-foot interior spaces.
Penthouse suites, designed by Miami-based RTKL, will be outfitted in champagne and taupe with sapphire blue accents and dark wood, while the Concierge suites, designed by Tillberg Design of Sweden, will feature a marine blue and off-white scheme.
Based on a cost per berth of more than $600,000, about a third more than competing deluxe ships, the $450 million ship is being positioned by Regent as the most luxurious cruise ship ever.
Regent has distinguished its product in the luxury sector by including more of its overall expense in the fare than competitors, including all shore excursions, gratuities, alcoholic beverages and precruise hotel stays.
On the Explorer, the top-of-the-line Regent Suite will include its own mini-spa, an industry first, and a small advance on Regent's already highly inclusive proposition, Montague joked.
"I never figured out how to add the casino or the shops on an all-inclusive basis, but I found a way to include the spa," he said.
Montague said about 90% of the available days for the top-level-named suites on the ship, such as the Master, Grand and Explorer suites, are booked for next year.
But he said the strong presales haven't detracted from other sales this year, which are at or above 2014 booking levels, depending on the ship.