RCCL to report second quarter interims 2 August

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCCL) has scheduled a conference call for 10:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time, Tuesday, 2 August 2016, to discuss the company's second quarter 2016 financial results, the company said in a statement.

NCL Corporation and KfW Ibex-Bank agree loan facility increase to €730 million from €590 million

NCL Corporation Ltd., a subsidiary of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH), and KfW IPEX-Bank in Germany have agreed to increase increase the aggregate principal amount of commitments under a multi-draw term loan credit facility agreed in 2012 from €590,478,870 to €729,854,685.50, NCLH said in a statement.

Carnival Cruise Line names next ship Carnival Horizon

Carnival Cruise Line, the US focused contemporary market unit in the Carnival Corporation & plc group, has announced that Carnival Horizon will be the name of its new 133,500-ton ship scheduled to be delivered in March 2018.

Currently under construction at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Marghera, Italy, Carnival Horizon will be the line’s second Vista-class ship, with the namesake vessel in the series, Carnival Vista, having entered service in May 2016.

Carnival Horizon will offer many of the hugely popular indoor and outdoor dining, bar, entertainment and activity options available on Carnival Vista including SkyRide, the IMAX Theatre, WaterWorks aqua park, Seuss at Sea program in partnership with Dr. Seuss Enterprises and Alchemy Bar.

There will also be a number of new innovations unique to this vessel. In addition, Carnival Horizon will offer a wide range of accommodation categories, including the popular Havana staterooms and extra-roomy Family Harbor cabins. Homeport and itinerary details for Carnival Horizon will be announced at a later date.

With Carnival Horizon’s name and layout designed to inspire guests to discover extraordinary views, new perspectives and amazing experiences, Carnival is hosting a fun social media contest on Instagram that will award a stateroom for up to four people when the ship debuts in 2018. To enter, post your favorite photo of a horizon and tag @Carnival and use the hashtag #CarnivalHorizonSweepstakes to enter to win the cruise giveaway. The contest will begin July 29, and run through July 31, at 11:59 p.m.

Pullmantur chooses Cartagena de Indias as principle Caribbean homeport

Alan Lam reporting

Pullmantur Cruises has announced that the Colombian port city of Cartagena de Indias will be its principle point of embarkation for its two 2017 Caribbean itineraries.

This decision - which reinforces the company’s intention of developing its cruise business in Colombia - effectively means that Cartagena will be Pullmantur’s principle homeport in the Caribbean and it will increase the port’s cruise passenger throughput by 27% next year.

“The country is living through a vital moment in its history,” said José Blanco VP Commercial of Pullmantur Group, reflecting on its recent peace deal with FARC. “This is a logical response to the evolution that is taking place in the market where the demand for this form of vacation option is getting stronger from day to day.”

Pullmantur has been calling at this port since 2010. During the last six years it has brought in more than 180,000 passengers on 227 calls. “Cartagena is one of the most beautiful cities in the world,” continued Blanco, “and there is a huge demand not only from the Colombians but also from travellers from all over the world.”

With its 57 planned turnaround operations in 2017, it is estimated that the provisional economic impact may exceed $18 million for the colonial port city. “The impact of Pullmantur Cruises on Cartagena is very important,” said Felipe Jaramillo, President of ProColombia. “According to reports by the regional port authority, from 2010 to 2016 the company has made 227 calls, contributing about $28 million to the local economy. The cruise industry has a major implication to the country, especial to the post-conflict Colombia.”

From November Pullmantur will offer two all-inclusive Caribbean itineraries from Cartagena: the new “Caribe Legendario” (Legendary Caribbean) on Monarch and “Antillas & Caribe Sur” (Antilles & Southern Caribbean) on Zenith.

Norwegian Joy to feature Tan Ping artwork

Norwegian Cruise Line, the contemporary market unit in the Norwegian Cruise Line Holding, Ltd (NCLH) group, said it has commissioned renowned Chinese artist Tan Ping to design the artwork to be featured on the hull of its soon to-be-unveiled Breakaway-Plus class vessel Norwegian Joy.

“Scheduled for release in Summer 2017, with home porting in Shanghai and Beijing, Norwegian Joy will be Norwegian Cruise Line's first ship that is purpose-built for the Chinese market to deliver on the promise that guests will enjoy 'First Class at Sea’ experiences, starting with her VIP accommodations,” the company said in a statement.

Tan Ping's distinctive artwork will serve to underscore Norwegian Cruise Line’s commitment to providing an unparalleled cruise experience for Chinese consumers.

A painter, printmaker, and educator, Tan Ping straddles the worlds of both art and design. His abstract paintings and copper plate etchings are in the collections of such renowned museums as The National Art Museum of China; Portland Art Museum, USA; Ludwig Museum, Germany; and The Shanghai Art Museum.