Top Headlines

P&O Cruises Australia plans ‘more efficient assets”

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 29 September 2017 29 September 2017

P&O Cruisess Australia, the Sydney based contemporary market unit in the Carnival Corporation & plc group, plans to replace its existing fleet of five ships, all of which were built in the 1990s to other brands, with more modern tonnage over time.

“We also expect to replace existing ships over time with more efficient assets for this market. We will make announcements when relevant, Sandy Olsen, Vice President Corporate Affairs, Carnival Australia, told Cruise Business Online

She was referring to the news that the company will receive the 2001 built Golden Princess from sister company Princess Cruises in 2020, a year later than it had been envisaged to receive a 135,000 gross ton newbuilding from Fincantieri.

This would have been the line’s first newbuilding, but the Carnival group decided to allocate the ship to Carnival Cruise Line instead.

P&O Cruises to introduce Ocean Medallion-enabled Golden Princess in 2020

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 27 September 2017 27 September 2017

P&O Cruises’ guests will be at the leading edge of a global revolution in the cruise experience when the line welcomes its first Ocean Medallion-enabled ship, Golden Princess, to the brand in 2020.

Ocean Medallion is a new enhanced cruise holiday experience that uses a wearable device – powered by a first-of-its-kind interactive technology platform - to enable a level of service and personalisation never before considered possible.

P&O Cruises will offer its own unique Ocean Medallion enabled guest experiences in a way that makes it even easier to offer great value holidays to like-minded Aussies who want to celebrate good times with the home-grown brand.

The technology, which is expected to be a game-changer for the guest experience, will be launched first on Princess Cruises later this year on Regal Princess in the Caribbean, followed by five additional ships in 2018 including the 2600-guest Golden Princess in Australia. Additional Princess ships will be Ocean Medallion enabled in 2019 and 2020 including the larger 3000+ guest Ruby Princess which will replace Golden Princess in serving Princess guests in Australia.

Carnival Australia Executive Chairman Ann Sherry also announced that Carnival Cruise Line intends to increase its Australia operation to two ships sailing full-time in 2020.

Ms Sherry said the Corporation was strategically realigning the Australian business to ensure it was at the cutting edge of guest expectations and had solid foundations.

“Carnival’s commitment to this market and the decision to put P&O Cruises’ guests at the heart of industry innovation through Ocean Medallion is a mark of respect for the Australian consumer,” Ms Sherry said.

Key decisions are:

– Ocean Medallion-enabled Golden Princess will sail under the P&O Cruises brand from 2020.

– P&O Cruises’ fleet will be refreshed over time.

– Princess Cruises will replace Golden Princess with the larger 3000+ guest Ruby Princess which will be Ocean Medallion-enabled before her arrival, sailing alongside flagship Majestic Princess.

– Carnival Cruise Line intends to increase its Australia operation to two ships sailing full-time in 2020. The detailed deployment will be announced in May 2018. As part of the strategic realignment, Carnival Splendor will remain within Carnival Cruise Line’s global fleet.

“Seven of Carnival Corporation’s nine cruise brands sail in this market and we intend to further strengthen our leadership position,” Ms Sherry said.

“In fact, this is a year of milestones for our Australian business: P&O Cruises marks a staggering 85 years as the home-grown cruise line, Princess Cruises celebrates more than 40 years sailing in Australia while Carnival Cruise Line notches up its five year anniversary.

“Our brands have pioneered the growth of the industry and set the industry up for success, and today’s announcement is about taking deliberate and strategic steps for the future of the business. We are making sure our locally-based fleet is fit-for-purpose and is at the cutting edge of revolutionising the cruise experience for Australian guests.”

Carnival retains FY2017 guidance virtually unchanged

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 26 September 2017 26 September 2017

Carnival Corporation & plc, the world’s largest cruise shipping company, has retained its guidance for earnings per share 9EPS) for the full financial year to 30 November earnings per share virtually unchanged.

“FY 2017 adjusted EPS is expected to be in the range of $3.64 to $3.70, compared to FY 2016 adjusted EPS of $3.45,” the company said in its third quarter interm result statement today.

In June, company said it expects full year 2017 adjusted earnings per share to be in the range of $3.60 to $3.70 compared to March guidance of $3.50 to $3.70 and 2016 adjusted earnings per share of $3.45.

Donald expects hurricanes to reduce Carnival’s final quarter earnings by up to $0.12 per share

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 26 September 2017 26 September 2017

Arnold Donald, President and CEO of CarnivalCorporation & plc said that several temporary port closures associated with the storms in the Caribbean led to voyage disruptions which are expected to result in an estimated $0.10 to $0.12 per share reduction in earnings in the fourth quarter. “The company has resumed normal operations, with some itinerary modifications and is continuing to deliver exceptional Caribbean cruise vacations to its guests,” he said in a statement.

Carnival third quarter net profit falls to $1.33 billion

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 26 September 2017 26 September 2017

Carnival Corporation & plc, the world’s largest cruise shipping company, has reported a fall both in net and operating operating for the third quarter and nine months of its financial year.

Net profit fell to $1.33 billion in three months to 31 August from $1.42 billion in the same period last year, while operating profit narrowed to $1.39 billion from $1.56 billion. Revenues, however, increased to $5.51 billion from $5.09 billion.

In the first nine months of the company’s financial year, the net profit narrowed to $2.06 billion from $2.17 billion. Operating profit fell to $2.6 billion from $2.47 billion, but revenues again increased, to $13.25 billion from $12.45 billion.

President and Chief Executive Officer Arnold Donald said in a statement: “We delivered another consecutive quarter of strong operational improvement and another third quarter adjusted earnings record. Our ongoing efforts to create demand well in excess of measured supply growth helped to drive five percent higher cruise ticket pricing. We have many innovative efforts to accelerate demand in 2018 and beyond including our recently announced digital streaming channel, OceanView, and our mobile gaming portfolio, PlayOcean, both launching this week.”