Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the Japanese shipbuilder that singed contract to build two 125,000 gross ton ships for AIDA Cruises in Germany, has agreed to build the ships at about €10,000 to €15,000 per berth cheaper than recent newbuilding orders placed with European builders, indicating a discount of up to 10%, figures show.

AIDA’s 3,250 passenger vessels contracted in Japan will cost about €140,000 per lower berth. By comparison, the company agreed to pay €150,000 per lower berth on a 71,300 gross ton ship ordered at Meyer Werft in Germany last year. The ship will have 2,192 lower beds.

The most expensive contract in per berth terms of recent time has been an order Royal Caribbean International placed with Meyer Werft for a 158,000 gross ton Project Sunshine vessel with 4,100 lower berths: it will cost €170,000 per lower berth to build. The brand is part of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd group.

Princess Cruises and P&O Cruises, both parts of the Carnival Corp & plc group and sister companies of AIDA Cruises, agreed to pay €155,000 per lower berth for two and one 141,000 gross ton newbuilding at Fincantieri, respectively. All three ships will have 3,600 lower berths.

Norwegian Cruise Line that ordered two 143,500 gross ton newbuildings at Meyer Werft last year got their 4,000 passenger vessels at €150,000 per lower berth.

Mitsubishi built two ships for Princess Cruises – Diamond Princess and Sapphire Princess – early in the previous decade, but has not won cruise liner orders since then.