Building Starts on Regent Seven Seas Explorer

It's been reported that building has started today at the Fincantieri shipyard in Genoa of the new luxury Regent Seven Seas ship - Seven Seas Explorer - with a laser cutting the first piece of steel for the ship.

Announced whilst I was aboard her sister in the fleet Seven Seas Mariner last year, the ship is reported to be 54,000 gross registered tons and carries a maximum of 750 passengers, similar in capacity to the existing Seven Seas Voyager and Mariner but larger than the baby of the fleet Seven Seas Navigator.  

It is said to boast the highest space ratios and staff-to-guest ratios in the industry with a hull 732 feet long and a beam of 102 feet and draft of 23 feet with a cruising speed of 20 knots. The contract price for the vessel, according to a Regent press release is approximately USD$450 million, apparently making the Seven Seas Explorer one of the most expensive luxury liners ever built. 

The Seven Seas Explorer debuts in summer 2016.  Hopefully there'll be a few single supplement promos available so I can try her out!