"We are resuming the delivery cycle, which suffered during the pandemic", rejoiced Laurent Castaing, director of Chantiers de l'Atlantique, after the delivery ceremony.
The health crisis had postponed the initial delivery date of the liner, built in two years, by six months.
The "Celebrity Beyond", billed "more than a billion euros" according to the Chantiers de l'Atlantique, can accommodate nearly 4,000 passengers and 1,400 crew members.
"It's a great day for us. We can be proud of the work accomplished here," said Lisa Luttof-Perlo, president of Celebrity Cruises, a Royal Caribbean brand, to the crew.
The Beyond celebrity bar built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, delivered on April 6, 2022 Loic VENANCE AFP
Its CEO, Jason Liberty, hailed an "exceptional" ship and said he was "proud" to deliver his first liner since taking office in January.
A veritable floating city with restaurants, swimming pools, shops and a theatre, the "Celebrity Beyond" is the third Celebrity Cruises liner built in Saint-Nazaire, and the most imposing of its fleet.
A fourth is "already under construction" and a fifth "optional", said Laurent Castaing.
"The market has restarted, customers are confident. Our order book is full for the next three years. Now, it is a question of continuing to fill it for the future", he assured.
Workers from the Atlantic shipyards in front of the Celebrity Beyond liner, in Saint-Nazaire, April 6, 2022 Loic VENANCE AFP
Asked about the future of oil-powered liners, the director of operations of Chantiers de l'Atlantique, Jean-Yves Jaouen, replied that the future would be "on the side of multi-fuel solutions".
The first liner powered by LNG (liquefied natural gas) built in France should be delivered at the end of the year in Saint-Nazaire to the Swiss shipowner MSC Croisières.
The departure of "Celebrity Beyond" is scheduled for April 15.
Her inaugural cruise will connect the UK to Spain, from Southampton to Barcelona.
© 2022 AFP