Carnival building two Vista-class ships in China

Posted on 23 September, 2016 by Spacejunkie2

Buhdy Bok (left), president of Costa Group Asia, and Carnival Corp. CEO Arnold Donald at the China Cruise and Yacht Industry Association conference, after Donald announced an agreement to build ships in China. Photo Credit: Arnie Weissmann

Carnival Corp. has signed a memorandum of understanding to build two Vista-class cruise ships in China intended for use by a Chinese cruise brand.

The ships have been discussed in general terms as part of an earlier disclosure of a shipbuilding joint venture between Carnival, China State Shipbuilding Corp. and Italian firm Fincantieri.

The agreement was announced at the 11th annual China Cruise Shipping and International Cruise Expo in Tianjin, China.

The memorandum specifies that the first of the two ships would be delivered in 2022. There is also an option to build two more Vista-class ships. The first Vista-class ship, the Carnival Vista, entered service last May.

Carnival said that the agreement is “non-binding.” If the ships are built, it would be a groundbreaking development, marking the first time that sophisticated cruise ships are built in China for the Chinese domestic market.

A Carnival joint venture in China would operate the new ships as part of plans to launch the first multi-ship domestic cruise brand in China.

If the joint venture is finalized, in all likelihood older ships from Carnival Corp. brands would sail for the new brand in advance of the 2022 newbuild, said Roger Frizzell, chief communications officer for Carnival Corp.

Other partners in the operating joint venture include China State Shipbuilding Corp. and the China Investment Capital Corp.

“Being able to offer cruises on China-built cruise ships represents a new opportunity for us to generate excitement and demand for cruising amongst a broader segment of the Chinese vacation market,” said Alan Buckelew, Carnival Corp.’s global chief operations officer.

Separately, Carnival and its Chinese partners announced that the Chinese central government has granted approval for the cruise joint venture to incorporate in Hong Kong.

P&O Cruises announces order for biggest ever ship

Posted on 6 September, 2016 by Spacejunkie2

P&O MV Britannia

The first next generation mega ship for a British cruise line has been ordered today for P&O Cruises.

US parent company Carnival Corporation signed an agreement for the 5,200-passenger vessel.

The new ship for P&O Cruises will be built by Meyer Werft at its shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, with an expected delivery date in 2020.

The vessel will be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), an energy source claimed to be more environmentally friendly than traditional diesel fuel through reduced exhaust emissions.

Carnival Cruise Line will also take delivery of two similar 180,000 ton ships in 2020 and 2022.

The unnamed new P&O Cruises ship will carry significantly more passengers than current 3,637-capacity flagship Britannia, launched last year by the Queen.

At 180,000 tons, the new P&O Cruises ship will not be as big as the 227,000 ton Harmony of the Seas, currently the world’s largest cruise ship operated by Royal Caribbean International and capable of carrying 6,780 passengers.

P&O Cruises senior vice president Paul Ludlow said: “These are very exciting times.

“The number of British passengers taking a cruise in the past five years has significantly increased, boosted most recently by our very successful launch of Britannia last year.

“We know there is still huge potential as more and more people realise the value for money, choice and range of dining and entertainment options available on ships of all sizes.

“With an amazing range of itineraries, from two days to three months, there is a cruise to suit every budget.

“P&O Cruises is uniquely experienced in designing ships to meet the specific needs and aspirations of British passengers and the agreement by Carnival Corporation & plc to build a new ship of this size reflects all that our guests and prospective cruisers have been telling us and shows our confidence in the growth of the UK market.

“This ship will be the largest in the P&O Cruises fleet, will have a striking new exterior and interior design and will comprehensively embrace the company’s classic and iconic features. Innovative new guest experiences will be announced soon.”

In conjunction with the order, the delivery dates for new builds for AIDA Cruises and Costa Cruises for 2020 will shift to 2021 to allow the company :to more effectively allocate measured capacity growth across its 10 global cruise brands in more markets throughout the world,” the global cruise company said.

Chief executive Arnold Donald said: “We are proud to be at the forefront of introducing LNG-powered ships to the cruise industry, working with our partners to achieve shipbuilding breakthroughs like this that will help us produce the most efficient and sustainable ships we have ever built.

“This is also an important step in our fleet enhancement plan that enables us to execute on our long-term strategy of measured capacity growth over time, while delivering innovative new ships that further elevate our already great guest experience.

“Every time we launch a new ship, we have a new opportunity to create excitement and show consumers why cruising is a great vacation at an exceptional value, especially for those who typically consider land-based vacations.”

Bernard Meyer, managing partner of Meyer Werft, said: “We are excited to welcome P&O Cruises back to Meyer Werft in Germany and Carnival Cruise Line back to Meyer Turku in Finland.

“These new ships will be built in our most modern and environmentally friendly facilities, and we are very proud to design, build and deliver these ships that provide breakthroughs in innovation and for the environment.”

Will Carnival Meet 2020 Sustainability Goals?

Posted on 8 August, 2016 by Spacejunkie2

Carnival Corporation released its 2015 sustainability report Thursday, revealing the progress it made over the course of last year as it works toward reaching its 10 sustainability performance goals for the end of the decade.

Highlights from the report include a reduction in the company’s carbon intensity rate by 2.8 percent.

What’s more, Carnival equipped more than 40 percent of its fleet with exhaust gas cleaning technology designed to reduce the sulfur compounds and particulate matter that comes from engine exhaust.

Carnival also improved its carbon footprint by ordering the world’s first cruise ships powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and the first powered by an LNG hybrid barge.

Finally, the corporation is on pace to meet the 10 percentage point increase in fleet-wide capacity of advanced wastewater purification systems.

Carnival, which added a 10th brand in Fathom last year, also finalized agreements for 15 new ships for delivery by 2020, four of which are next-generation ships that will utilize cleaner fuels.

“We know it is increasingly important to have sustainable and transparent operations, so we work hard every day to run our company in a sustainable way, and to share those practices broadly, so that our guests can feel confident that they are making a responsible decision when they book a vacation with us,” said Carnival’s chief maritime officer Bill Burke in a statement accompanying Thursday’s announcement.

Check out the infographic below for a more complete update on where Carnival stands in its journey to reaching its 2020 sustainability goals.