Top Headlines

Carnival Corporation names Vice Admiral William Burke as its first-ever Chief Maritime Officer

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 04 December 2013 04 December 2013

Carnival Corporation & plc, the world’s largest cruise company, announced today that Vice Admiral William Burke has been appointed to the newly created position of Chief Maritime Officer, effective December 9, 2013.

Burke will report directly to Chief Operations Officer Alan Buckelew and will have oversight of the company’s maritime operations around the world. He will be responsible for maritime quality assurance and policy, shipbuilding, ship refits, and research and development.

“Bill had a distinguished career with the U.S. Navy, and we are excited about him joining our leadership team, especially in a key position new to Carnival,” said Buckelew. “In addition, Bill has deep experience in overseeing large maritime operations, both at sea and in shipyards, and his knowledge and expertise will be a major asset. But just as importantly, he is highly respected as a dynamic leader with a strong record of building high-performing teams.”

Burke had a career in the Navy spanning 35 years with extensive experience in safety, engineering, strategic planning and operational readiness. After graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1978 with a degree in systems engineering, he served various active duty positions around the world for the Navy.

Carnival Corporation & plc CEO Arnold Donald added, “We are excited that Vice Admiral Burke is joining the Carnival family. His leadership and deep experience will serve us well in managing our fleet of over 100 ships carrying more than 10 million guests a year."

In recent positions, Burke served as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Warfare Systems directing the team that planned, programmed, budgeted and executed a large annual budget for Navy personnel, training, readiness, maintenance, platforms, and ordinance for all ships, submarines, aircraft and aircraft carriers, and as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Fleet Readiness and Logistics for Navy readiness and maintenance of all ships, submarines, aircraft and aircraft carriers, along with shore readiness and maintenance, logistics, and environmental and energy programs.

Carnival Corporation & plc is the largest cruise company in the world, with a portfolio of cruise brands in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia, comprised of Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn, AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard, Ibero Cruises, P&O Cruises (Australia) and P&O Cruises (UK).

Together, these brands operate 101 ships totaling 208,000 lower berths with eight new ships scheduled to be delivered between spring 2014 and fall 2016. Carnival Corporation & plc also operates Holland America Princess Alaska Tours, the leading tour company in Alaska and the Canadian Yukon. Traded on both the New York and London Stock Exchanges, Carnival Corporation & plc is the only group in the world to be included in both the S&P 500 and the FTSE 100 indices.

Thomson Cruises launches app to showcase ships as 18% of customers book with tablet or smart phone

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 04 December 2013 04 December 2013

Thomson Cruises, the TUI Travel plc unit that operates five cruise ships on the British market, says it has launched an app to allow customers to view footage of life on their ships as 18% of bookings come in via smart phones or tablets.

"With 18% of customers booking a holiday using a tablet or smart phone, and many more browsing using the devices, Thomson Cruises has found the perfect way to bring its ships alive by embedding some innovative technology amongst its traditional brochure pages in a bid to modernise the research experience for customers," the company said in a statement.

For customers using Android, iPads, iPhones and other smart phones, Thomson Cruises' ships will come alive and showcase life on board. "Thanks to augmented reality, some of the photographs seen on the pages of the latest Thomson Cruises' brochure will be brought to life with six films," Thomson said.

"These films showcase some of the first class entertainment and gourmet dining options on board. Also highlighted is the Platinum offering on board Thomson Dream and Thomson Celebration, and an introduction to the programme from Fraser Ellacott, Customer Operations Director for Thomson, with a rare insight into his personal favourites from the new itineraries."

To access the hidden footage, all customers need to do is download the free Aurasma App. It’s available from the App Store and Google Play. Then they just need to search for, select and follow Thomson Cruises. By holding the smart phone or tablet over selected images, recognisable by an icon in the brochure, the ships will come alive - giving customers a real feel for the holiday they are looking to book.

"The new technology that is being applied to our brochures this year really supports our strategy of modernising the holiday experience for our customers. Showcasing the true experience of life on a cruise ship will also go a long way in helping customers considering a cruise make their decision. The video footage will also give first time cruisers a real flavour of what to expect and I am confident they will like what they see," said Fraser Ellacott, Customer Operations Director for Thomson.

"For Winter 2014/15 short and mid haul programme launch, we have yet again listened to feedback from our customers and designed itineraries that will suit new to cruise customers, families, couples and groups alike. We are really excited about the itineraries, port calls and shore excursions on offer."

Norwegian prices 22 million share secondary offer at $33.25 per share

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 04 December 2013 04 December 2013

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., the listed parent company of Norwegian Cruise Line, has announced the pricing of a secondary public offering of 22 million of its ordinary shares by Star NCLC Holdings Ltd. and certain funds affiliated with Apollo Global Management, LLC and TPG Global, LLC said yesterday they would sell.

The shares are offered at a price of $33.25 per ordinary share. "The Selling Shareholders have granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase an aggregate of up to 3.3 million additional ordinary shares. Norwegian is not selling any ordinary shares in the offering and will not receive any of the proceeds from the offering," Norwegian said.

UBS Investment Bank and Barclays are acting as bookrunners and the representatives of the underwriters for the offering. Citigroup, Deutsche Bank Securities, Goldman, Sachs & Co. and J.P. Morgan are also acting as bookrunners for the offering. Credit Agricole CIB, DNB Markets, HSBC, Nomura and SunTrust Robinson Humphrey are acting as co-managers for the offering.

Norwegian Cruise Holdings went public on Nasdaq in New York a year ago and its IPO was priced at $19.00 per share.

Norwegian’s principal shareholders in 22 million share secondary offering

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 03 December 2013 03 December 2013

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd, the Bermuda domiciled parent of Norwegian Cruise Line, has unveiled launch of a secondary public offering of 22 million of its ordinary shares by Star NCLC Holdings Ltd. and certain funds affiliated with Apollo Global Management, LLC and TPG Global, LLC

“The selling shareholders will grant the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase an aggregate of up to 3.3 million additional ordinary shares. Norwegian will not sell any ordinary shares in the offering and will not receive any of the proceeds from the offering,” Norwegian said in a statement.

Shares in Norwegian Cruise Line Holding are listed on Nasdaq in New York.

Concerns mount over future of STX Finland

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 28 November 2013 28 November 2013

Vasemmistoliitto, a left wing member in prime minister Jyrki Katainen's coalition, urges the Finnish government to quickly acquire a share of at least 34% in STX Finland, the troubled shipbuilder that is owned by STX Offshore & Shipbuilding, to secure the future of the Finnish shipbuilding industry.

"The passivity of the owner of STX (Finland) has led to future orders being put in danger as even letters of intent cannot be worked on to firm orders due to financing problems. The incapability and unwillingness of the Korean owner (to recapitalise STX Finland) threatens to drive out the entire shipbuilding sector away from Finland," the party said in a statement.

"The time has come to severe the umbilical cord to the troubled STX group and take the shipbuilding industry into Finnish ownership. Finland must rid herself of the Korean owner that is not committed to continue shipbuilding in Finland," Vasemmistoliitto said.

STX Offshore & Shipbuilding owns 100% of STX Finland and 64% of ATX France via STX Europe, a company based in Oslo that the Korean company owns in full

The situation in Finland took an acute turn for the worse on Wednesday, when the shipbuilder said that talks with Scandlines, the Danish-German ferry, to finalise an order agreed in principle in July for two large short haul ferries had been terminated as financial details could not be put in place on time.

Media reports in Finland have suggested that tumbling block was a weak balance sheet of STX Finland, which had prevented Finnvera, the Finnish state guarantee institution, from issuing guarantees of construction time loans to STX Finland. Reports say that Scandlines, which is controlled by the London based private equity investor 3i, has opened talks with other shipyards.

STX Finland has two 99,300 gross ton cruise ships on order from TUI Cruises in Hamburg, the second of which will be delivered in 2015.

Earlier today, Frontline 2012, the rapidly expanding commodity shipping company in the business empire of London based billionaire shipowner John Frederiksen, said it has deep concerns over the fate of bulk carrier orders at other shipyards of STX Offshore & Shipbuilding

Frontline 2012 has eight newbuilding contracts with STX Dalian and further six newbuildings with STX Offshore & Shipbuilding (Korea). "STX Korea has subsequently subcontracted the latter vessels to STX Dalian. STX Dalian has encountered financial difficulties, and the construction has stopped. The company is following the situation closely and will make every effort to ensure that STX deliver the newbuildings, which they are contractually committed to, the company said.

"There is however a substantial risk that these newbuildings will not be delivered according to the contracts and Frontline 2012 has therefore taken legal measures to be compensated for any loss caused by non delivery and is currently in an arbitration process with STX, mainly on the six ships, for which STX Korea are responsible," Fronline 2012 noted.