Top Headlines

Carnival, Port of Baltimore announce resumption of year-round service from Baltimore in March 2015

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 30 January 2014 30 January 2014

Carnival Cruise Lines and the Port of Baltimore today announced that the cruise line will resume year-round departures from Baltimore when the 2,124-passenger Carnival Pride begins seven-day cruises in spring 2015.

Carnival Pride is currently based in Baltimore where it will remain through October 2014 then reposition to Tampa for a winter cruise schedule before returning to Baltimore for year-round service in March 2015, hosting nearly 120,000 guests annually.

In anticipation of Carnival Pride’s return to Baltimore, the ship will undergo an extensive multi-million-dollar makeover in fall 2014 that will add a host of dining, bar and entertainment innovations that are part of the line’s $500 million Fun Ship 2.0 product enhancement program.

In addition to the new on-board features, Carnival Pride is one of several Carnival Cruise Lines ships that will be outfitted with exhaust gas cleaning technology – known as scrubbers –designed to reduce air emissions from cruise ships and large marine vessels. Scrubber technology will be installed on Carnival Pride prior to its Baltimore deployment in spring 2015. This new technology will enable the Carnival Pride to exceed the stricter air emission standards established for operation within the North American Emission Control Area (ECA).

“Baltimore is a convenient mid-Atlantic embarkation point for ‘Fun Ship’ cruising and we’re pleased to resume these attractive year-round departures which offer our guests an opportunity to visit a variety of beautiful, tropical destinations,” said Gerry Cahill, Carnival’s president and CEO. “We would like to extend our thanks to officials from the port and the state of Maryland for their outstanding support in our efforts to resume year-round cruising from Baltimore,” he added.

“We are pleased to welcome Carnival Cruise Lines back to Maryland and the Carnival Pride cruise ship back to the Port of Baltimore,” said Governor Martin O’Malley. “Our Administration has a proven track record of advocating for a strong, healthy environment and fighting for high-quality jobs for Maryland families. I’m pleased Carnival and the Environmental Protection Agency and Coast Guard have agreed on a plan that will keep family-supporting jobs in Maryland and allow a cleaner and even greener Carnival Pride to return to this thriving cruise market.”

Year-Round 7-night Cruises From Baltimore

On its year-round deployment from Baltimore, Carnival Pride will offer two distinctly different itineraries with voyages departing every Sunday beginning March 29, 2015. Week-long exotic eastern Caribbean cruises will visit Grand Turk, the private Bahamian island of Half Moon Cay and Freeport, The Bahamas, while a Florida/Bahamas schedule will feature Port Canaveral, Fla. (Orlando), and Nassau and Freeport, The Bahamas.

During these cruises, guests can relax on beautiful white-sand beaches, participate in fun watersports activities and visit popular landmarks and attractions throughout the Caribbean, Bahamas and Central Florida.

Howard Frank named Chairman of Costa Crociere

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 28 January 2014 28 January 2014

Carnival Corporation & plc today announced Howard Frank has been named Chairman of Costa Crociere S.p.A, the largest Italian travel group and a major force in cruising throughout Europe, Asia and South America.

In this role, Frank will support Michael Thamm, CEO of Costa Crociere S.p.A.

Last November, after 25 years with Carnival Corporation which included serving as Chief Operating Officer and Vice Chairman since 1998, Frank stepped down to serve as special advisor to the CEO and to the Chairman of Carnival Corporation.

Frank currently serves as Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the world’s largest cruise industry trade organization.

Costa Crociere (www.costacruises.com), which operates Costa Cruises, AIDA and Iberocruceros brands, is Europe’s number one cruise company and the only Italian-flagged cruise line. For 65 years, the ships of Costa Cruises have plied the seas of the world, offering the best in Italian style, hospitality and cuisine and providing dream holidays with the utmost in terms of fun and relaxation. Its fleet, the largest in Europe, has a total of 14 ships in service, flying the Italian flag, and one new ship to be delivered in October 2014. All the ships in the Costa fleet have been assigned RINA’s Green Star notation certifying that they are operated in compliance with the highest environmental protection standards.

Cruise & Maritime Voyages takes over Transocean Kreuzfahrten

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 27 January 2014 27 January 2014

Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV), the UK based operator of three cruise ships, has agreed to acquire Transocean Kreuzfahrten, the German operator one deep sea cruise ship and four river cruise vessels from Premicon AG, the German private equity company.

This marks entry to the German market of CMV that is currently operating for its first season in Australia and which opened an office in Ft Lauderdale in the US a short while before that.

CMV has chartered from Transocean the 20,606 gross ton Astor for a series of cruises from Perth in Australia for three consecutive Austral summer seasons, plus for line voyages there and back to Britain. Transocean continues to operate the ship in Germany under its own brand name.

The deal also includes four river cruise vessels that will remain marketed in Germany by Transocean. CMV has chartered one river cruise vessel for the British market that promotes under the CMV Signature brand.

RCCL’s Fain leaves door open to further TUI Cruises’ orders

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 27 January 2014 27 January 2014

Richard Fain, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (RCCL, the world’s second largest cruise shipping company, has left the door open to further orders for TUI Cruises, the German premium market company of which RCCL owns 50%.

"We think that the ships we have on order for our wholly-owned brands will serve us well and we do not anticipate an additional newbuild for delivery in 2017,” he said in a statement. TUI Cruises has two 99,3000 gross ton newbuildings on order at STX Finland in Turku and the Hamburg based company is widely believed to contemplate the construction of two more ships of the same type.

Based upon current ship orders, RCCL’s projected capital expenditures for 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 are $1.3 billion, $1.3 billion, $2.1 billion and $0.3 billion, respectively. "We remain committed to improving our shareholder returns, returning to an investment grade credit and maintaining moderate growth," said Fain.

RCCL says booking volumes, per diems ahead of last year

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 27 January 2014 27 January 2014

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (RCCL), the world’s second largest cruise shipping company, says its bookings during the fourth quarter were on par with historical levels, and the company is experiencing a typical Wave season. “Booked load factors are up year-over-year for the second, third and fourth quarter, and flat for the first quarter. Average per diems are ahead of same time last year in all four quarters,” it said in a statement.

The company expects a Net Yield increase of 2% to 3% on a Constant-Currency basis and approximately 2% on an As Reported basis for the full year.

“While the Caribbean continues to feel pricing pressure, strong demand for our other itineraries has more than compensated. In particular, load factors and pricing are up significantly for sailings in Europe and Asia. The overall result is increasing yields despite the remaining overhang from last year’s industry events,” said Jason T. Liberty, chief financial officer.

Net cruise costs (NCC) excluding fuel are expected to be flat to slightly down on a Constant-Currency basis and approximately flat on an As Reported basis – in spite of inflationary pressures, rising insurance costs and continued investment in the product and marketing.

Taking into account current fuel pricing, interest rates, currency exchange rates and the factors detailed above, the company currently estimates 2014 Adjusted EPS will be in the range of $3.20 to $3.40 per share.

First quarter yields are expected to be approximately flat on a Constant-Currency basis and down approximately 2% as reported. The first quarter of 2014 is the most difficult comparable due to the timing of last year’s negative media storm and its effect on Caribbean sailings. Yields in the second, third and fourth quarters are expected to be higher due to easier comparables and strong performance on Europe and Asia itineraries.