Carnival says it set single-month booking record

Posted on 4 February, 2014 by Spacejunkie2

By Tom Stieghorst

Carnival Cruise Lines said it booked 17% more reservations in January than in the same month in 2013, setting a new single-month record for bookings.

More than 565,000 people reserved space on a Carnival cruise in January, the line The Carnival.com website attracted 13 million visits, another all-time high.

Carnival said the increase was achieved without addition of a new ship over the 12-month period.

President Gerry Cahill attributed the upturn to the line’s “Moments that Matter” ad campaign which began in the fall, attractive promotions, product enhancements and recognition of Carnival’s value by consumers.

“We are seeing heavy sales growth in all channels, particularly via our travel agent partners, and we would like to express our tremendous appreciation for their support,” Cahill said.

Cahill said Carnival has continued to roll out its $500 million Fun Ship 2.0 product-enhancement program across the fleet, which includes dining, bar and entertainment upgrades.

In 2014, a total of 11 Carnival ships will feature major Fun Ship 2.0 enhancements.

Frank named Costa Cruises chairman

Posted on 31 January, 2014 by Spacejunkie2

By Tom Stieghorst

Longtime Carnival Corp. executive Howard Frank was named chairman of Costa Cruises, succeeding Pier Luigi Foschi in the role.

Both Frank and Foschi retired last year from Carnival Corp. positions. Frank had been vice chairman and chief operating officer. Foschi, in addition to chairing Costa was chairman of Carnival Asia.

Carnival said that in his new role, Frank will support Costa CEO Michael Thamm.

When he stepped down, Frank was named to serve as special adviser to the CEO and to the chairman of Carnival Corp.

Frank is also chair of the executive committee of CLIA.

South Carolina court throws out lawsuit against Carnival

Posted on 28 January, 2014 by Spacejunkie2

By Jerry Limone

The South Carolina Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit alleging that Carnival Cruise Lines’ operations in Charleston violated the city’s nuisance ordinances.

The court ruled that such a lawsuit must be brought by property owners, not neighborhood associations.

In 2011, the Southern Environmental Law Center filed the lawsuit on behalf of four Charleston community groups against Carnival, seeking to “enforce local laws that protect the city’s healthy environment and treasured historic assets.”

The four community groups were the Historic Ansonborough Neighborhood Association, the Charlestowne Neighborhood Association, the Preservation Society of Charleston and the South Carolina Coastal Conservation League.

The court stated, “Lacking from these allegations is any claim that the plaintiffs themselves or their members have suffered from a particularized harm. … These allegations are simply complaints about inconveniences suffered broadly by all persons residing in or passing through the City of Charleston and therefore, plaintiffs fail to establish the first element of standing.”

The South Carolina Ports Authority and the City of Charleston joined the lawsuit on Carnival’s behalf in 2011.

“This was an unprecedented lawsuit brought against a global brand and customer of our port,” said Jim Newsome, president and CEO of the South Carolina Ports Authority. “Given the public interest in this case, we are gratified that the State Supreme Court, in its original jurisdiction, affirms that Carnival has been operating responsibly and lawfully in Charleston at Union Pier Terminal.”

The Southern Environmental Law Center said the ruling “did not address whether Carnival’s home basing operation complies with local ordinances, or whether it is a nuisance that interferes with the property rights of neighboring home owners, as the plaintiffs alleged. “

“We’re disappointed that after two years the court refused to pass on the legality of Carnival’s operation and instead dismissed the case on a legal technicality that the claims should have been brought by individual property owners rather than neighborhood associations and other groups,” said Blan Holman, the Southern Environmental Law Center attorney who represented the plaintiff groups in the lawsuit.

The Carnival Fantasy has sailed Caribbean cruises year-round from Charleston since 2010. The 2,052-passenger ship is Carnival’s oldest, having entered service in 1990.