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Royal Caribbean said the vessels were due to be delivered in
2022 and 2024. The price of the deal was not disclosed, but
Finnish media estimated it would likely total about 1.6 billion
euros ($1.8 billion).
The deal follows a similar order last month from Carnival
Corporation <CCL.N>.
Shipbuilding is a rare bright spot in the Finnish economy, which
has suffered a decade-long stagnation caused by a string of
problems such as the decline of Nokia's <NOKIA.HE> former phone
business and recession in neighboring Russia.
"These cruise ship orders have a major impact on employment
directly at the shipyard and through subcontractors around the
country," economy minister Olli Rehn said in a statement.
The Finnish economy is expected to grow about 1 percent annually
in the coming years. The unemployment rate stands at about 9
percent.
The Turku shipyard was close to collapse before Germany's
family-owned Meyer Werft acquired it in 2014. The yard competes
in cruise vessels with STX Corp's shipyard in France, another
Meyer yard in Germany and Fincantieri's <FCT.MI> in Italy.
($1 = 0.8928 euros)
(Reporting by Jussi Rosendahl; Editing by Mark Potter)
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