New Princess ships on the way

It’s taken a while to agree, but a deal was sealed today which will see two new ships built for Princess Cruises, sister line to the UK’s P&O and Cunard.
Owners Carnival Corporation have announced it has signed a memorandum of agreement – that’s a deal to you and me – with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri for the construction of two 3,600-passenger ships which will be the biggest in the Princess fleet.
The financial details have not been directly announced, but Carnival say the ships will cost 155,000 euros per lower berth. My calculator tells me that adds up to 558 million euros each.
The ships, as yet unnamed, are expected to enter service in spring 2013 and spring 2014.
Carnival boss Micky Arison hinted that he was close to agreeing a deal to build new ships a couple of weeks ago, when Costa Cruises took over their newest ship, Costa Deliziosa, in Venice. But he was adamant that the price would have to be right before he put pen to paper.
Looks like he got his way, as he usually does.