AIDA Cruises introduce flat fee social media, data volume based other Internet pricing
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- Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen
- Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines
- Published: 22 June 2015 22 June 2015
AIDA Cruises, the German unit in Carnival Corporation & plc group, says it is introducing an Internet flat fee for social media networks on board its ships and data rather that minute based pricing for other Internet use.
“For €4 per day, or €19 per week, passengers will be able to share their experiences on board with friends in popular social networks, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or WhatsApp,” the company said in a statement.
"The use of mobile devices is continuously growing. We want to accommodate this trend and are offering our guests an additional service with the flat rate," says Thomas Pfitzer, CTO at AIDA Cruises.
In addition to the new, exclusive social media flat rate, AIDA is also dramatically increasing the bandwidth and thereby the speed of Internet. AIDA Cruises will also be introducing new Internet packages on all AIDA ships in upcoming weeks.
For the first time, the packages are not based on minutes but allow unlimited access. In the future, AIDA guests will be able to choose between three Internet packages.
The M package(250 MB) for €25, the L package (500 MB) for €39, and the XL package (3 GB) for €99 can be used on an unlimited basis for the complete duration of the voyage. If desired, guests can upgrade to a higher data volume by additionally paying just the price difference to the higher rate.
"With these package offers, we help keep the costs of satellite-based Internet connections at sea reasonable and calculable for our guests," Pfitzer emphasizes. On board, the MyAIDA portal provides convenient Internet access.
On AIDAmar and AIDAvita, the new Internet offerings have already been very well received by guests. By July of this year, four more ships in the AIDA fleet will be equipped with the enhanced communication service. By November, the rollout will be complete. WLAN is offered in the public areas and staterooms on all ships.
This can be used with smartphones, tablets, and notebooks with WLAN connections, regardless of the operating system. At the reception desk, Internet terminals are offered for guests without own mobile devices. The new Internet packages and fees will be part of the standard offering on the new flagship AIDAprima.
Viking Ocean unveils four new European itineraries and opens 2017 sailing season
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- Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä
- Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines
- Published: 19 June 2015 19 June 2015
Fresh off the christening of its first ship, the 930-passenger Viking Star, Viking Ocean Cruises yesterday announced that four new itineraries and 2017 departures for Viking Star – and sister ships Viking Sea and Viking Sky – are now open for booking. The 2017 program includes sailings on Viking’s most popular itineraries in the Mediterranean, Western Europe, Scandinavia and the Baltic. Viking’s guests now have even more opportunities for destination-focused cruises in 2016 and 2017 that span from ancient empires to the towering fjords of Norway and beyond.
“We are encouraged by the overwhelmingly positive response Viking Star has generated among our guests and travel industry partners,” said Torstein Hagen, chairman of Viking Cruises. “We made a commitment to reinvent ocean cruising, and we are well on our way. By 2017 we will have two more ships designed to enable our guests to better experience their destination. We will also have four new itineraries that offer our guests more time in port and enriching, cultural experiences at a better value than our competitors.”
New Mediterranean & Holy Land itineraries
Not only is Viking adding sailing dates to existing itineraries, but the company has also created four new enrichment-filled programs that will take guests from the sun-soaked region of the Mediterranean to the cultural capital of St. Petersburg.
– NEW FOR 2016: Ancient Empires & Holy Lands (15 days; Rome to Istanbul) – This 15-day itinerary offers the opportunity to explore historic destinations in the Eastern Mediterranean and experience some of the sacred sights of the Middle East while traveling through the heart of the Holy Land. Guests will have the chance to spend three days in Israel, making stops in Jerusalem and Haifa, gateways to Bethlehem and Nazareth, and will also be able to explore the ancient cities of Rome, Athens and Istanbul. Introductory 2-for-1 pricing starts at $4,199 per person with discounted airfares from $695 per person.
– NEW FOR 2016: Bergen to the Bosphorus (15 days; Bergen to Istanbul) – This epic journey begins in beautiful Bergen before cruising south to the Mediterranean, stopping in Paris and Lisbon along the way. Once in the Mediterranean, travelers visit Tunis, Valletta and Athens before concluding the trip in the ancient cosmopolitan city of Istanbul. Introductory 2-for-1 pricing starts at $3,699 per person with discounted airfares from $895 per person.
– NEW FOR 2017: Secrets of the Southern Mediterranean (8 days; Rome to Barcelona) – Guests will set sail through the southern Mediterranean, departing from glorious Rome and continuing on to some of North Africa’s most historically significant destinations, including Tunis, a dazzling city that mixes North African tradition and French colonialism, and Algiers, home of the Notre Dame d’Afrique. The itinerary also stops in Valletta, Sardinia and Valencia before concluding the trip in beautiful Barcelona. Introductory 2-for-1 pricing starts at $1,999 per person with discounted airfares from $595 per person.
– NEW FOR 2017: Barcelona, the Baltic & Beyond (22 days; Barcelona to Stockholm) – This voyage travels through the waterways of Western Europe and the Baltic, giving guests the opportunity to explore iconic world-class cities such as Barcelona, Lisbon, Paris, Amsterdam and St. Petersburg. Introductory 2-for-1 pricing starts at $5,999 per person with discounted airfares from $695 per person.
Carnival Corporation & plc expected to report strong rise in second quarter earnings on 23 June
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- Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen
- Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines
- Published: 18 June 2015 18 June 2015
Carnival Corporation & plc, the world’s largest cruise shipping company, is expected to report a fourfold increase in second quarter earnings per share (EPS) next week compared to the same period last year.
The company has scheduled a conference call with analysts for 10:00 a.m. (EDT); 3:00 p.m. (BST), Tuesday, 23 June, to discuss the company's second quarter financial results which are expected to be released that morning, the company said in a statement.
Industry analysts in London and New York forecast the group to report EPS of $0.43 on average, with the highest forecast $0.59 and the lowest $0.37.
In the second quarter of the company’s previous financial year, the EPS came to $0.10
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