Tag Archives: carnival

Weinstein: More Carnival Cruise Line Capacity Generating Outsized Returns

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Moving two former Costa Cruises ships originally built for sailing Asia to the Carnival Cruise Line brand in North America has been an instant success, said John Weinstein, CEO of Carnival Corporation, speaking on the company’s second-quarter earnings call.

Weinstein said that Carnival Cruise Line will amount to about a third of Carnival Corporation capacity in 2023 and 2024, compared to approximately 25 per cent pre-pandemic.

The Venezia debuted in New York earlier in June and is the first of two ships that will operate under the ‘Fun Italian Style’ branding, with the Firenze set to join the fleet next year, sailing from Long Beach.

“These transfers are part of our portfolio management strategy, which is contributing to Carnival Cruise Lines’s capacity, growing 22 per cent more than pre-pause expectations. And Costa’s capacity is reduced by 36 per cent, compared to pre-pause expectations,” Weinstein explained.

“The added capacity to Carnival Cruise Line will not only generate outsized returns for the company but rightsizing the Costa brand is also having these desired effects of supporting its revenue profile confirmed by recent booking and pricing trends,” he said.

“We remain committed to our strategy of owning a portfolio of world-class brands, many of which are truly dedicated to specific markets and it’s clear the strength of this portfolio is now shifting into high gear.”

Photo: Antonio Silva

Carnival Pride Kicks Off European Season

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The Carnival Pride sailed on Sunday on her first sailing of the Europe summer season, sporting the signature Carnival red, white and blue hull design for the first time, after undergoing extensive enhancements that include bow-to-stern upgrades to enhance accessibility on the ship for guests with disabilities.

Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy and Chief Culinary Officer Emeril Lagasse visited the ship in Barcelona before she set sail.

“I’m so proud of our team. They have done amazing work refreshing and enhancing Carnival Pride just in time for her Europe sailings,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “We welcome everyone on Carnival ships, so we are happy we’ve completed the work to make the ship accessible to those with disabilities. I’m also delighted to see the addition of the Heroes Tribute bar since it has been popular with our guests and has resonated well with military service members and their families.”

The 2,680-guest Carnival Pride has been undergoing enhancements since April 28 and returned to service with several additional Carnival offerings and other improvements, including a new Heroes Tribute Bar, Chef’s Table, Dreams Studio, and Carnival Adventures Shop. In addition, the ship’s steakhouse has been refreshed and re-named Fahrenheit 555, the casino expanded and the spa rebranded to the Cloud 9 Spa and Fitness Center.

The first guests sailing Carnival Pride from Barcelona are embarking on an incredible 12-day sailing, with ports of call including Lisbon, Portugal; Le Havre (Paris), France; and Zeebrugge (Brussels), Belgium.

MOL Plans Cruise Expansion, Newbuilds

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Seabourn Odyssey photo credit for Spacejunkie2 (Flickr)

With the purchase of the Seabourn Odyssey, MOL Group, which operates Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. in the domestic Japanese market, plans to operate two ships in 2024, it said in a press release. Sales terms were not disclosed.

The Seabourn Odyssey will be renamed and sail alongside the Nippon Maru, according to the company, which has hired a new Senior Executive Advisor in Anthony Kaufman, who has extensive knowledge and expertise in the cruise ship business, having held key positions with Carnival, Holland America Group and Princess Cruises, where he played a major role in the development of the inbound and outbound markets in Japan.

In a press statement, MOL Group said it “positions the cruise ship business as a new growth area,” and plans to build an additional two new 600-guest ships.

The Seabourn Odyssey will join the fleet in 2024 after a refurbishment, the company said. A new name for the ship will be announced this summer, along with other details.

“By increasing the number of cruise ships operated by MOPAS to two, they will be able to significantly increase the number of departures and arrivals in various parts of Japan and globally, and will be able to provide a wider variety of itineraries and experiences that meet our customer’s needs,” the company said in a statement.

In the near term, MOL will open a “Wellbeing & Lifestyle Business” brand as well as a new “Cruise Business Innovation Project Unit.”