Fincantieri laid the first piece of steel for Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ newbuild at its yard in Genoa, Italy, on 21st January. The ceremony marked a significant milestone in the Seven Seas Explorer’s construction, bringing the ship closer to her July 2016 debut.

During the ceremony, a black Rolls-Royce Phantom transported three symbolic coins to the keel laying event, before they were placed on a pillow by a butler and carried to the ship. The coins included a rare 1921 US silver coin known as the Peace Dollar, which symbolises the safe passage of Seven Seas Explorer, a 1959 silver Italian Lire representing the year the Fincantieri shipyard was established, and a commemorative coin specially minted for the occasion. All three coins were welded into the newbuild’s keel by Jason Montague, president and COO of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Robin Lindsay, executive vice president of vessel operations, and Franco Semeraro, senior vice president of hotel operations.

The building block was then lowered into the dry dock. The 56,000gt ship will accommodate 750 guests and design of the ship is courtesy of world-renowned architectural interior design firms Tillberg Design AB, RTKL Associates and ICRAVE.