Tag Archives: Croisieres de France

Royal Caribbean sells stake in Spanish and French cruise brands

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Royal Caribbean Cruises is selling part of its interest in its Spanish and French cruise operations for an undisclosed sum.

Madrid-based private equity firm Springwater is taking a 51% stake in Pullmantur and Croisières de France, leaving the US cruise giant with a 49% holding through a new joint venture.

Royal Caribbean will retain full ownership of the ships and aircraft currently operated by the two brands, which will be leased into the joint venture.

Chairman and chief executive, Richard Fain, said: “Pullmantur and CDF have a long history of offering authentic, localised cruise vacations to their home markets.

“We look forward to the new focus that this joint venture with Springwater will bring to these companies as they seek to grow.”

He added: “Given the signs of recovery we have seen in the Spanish economy, as well as increased interest in cruising from tourists in France, we think this is the right time to bring together the extensive experience of our deeply valued employees at Pullmantur and CDF with the local travel and tourism expertise of the Springwater team.

“Springwater’s local management presence in Madrid, coupled with RCL’s long-standing history in cruise operations, will provide the foundation for improved returns in the future.”

Goldstein named RCCL president

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By Tom Stieghorst
_Adam GoldsteinAdam Goldstein has been named president of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCCL), the parent company of Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises.

Goldstein has been president of RCCL’s largest brand, Royal Caribbean International, for the past 12 years.

In addition to president of RCCL, he will hold the title of chief operating officer.

The company said it will begin a search to find a successor to Goldstein as president of Royal Caribbean International.

In his new role, Goldstein will lead the company’s cross-functional teams, RCCL Chairman and CEO Richard Fain said.

“Adam has played a key role in growing Royal Caribbean International, step by step, into a global leader. In the course of doing so, he has become an impressive leader in his own right,” Fain said.

Goldstein joined the company in 1988, and served in a number of positions before taking the helm of Royal Caribbean International, including senior vice president of total guest satisfaction, senior vice president of marketing and corporate secretary.

A graduate of Princeton University who also holds a law degree from Harvard University, Goldstein is an accomplished table tennis player and has competed in middle-distance running events in the National Senior Games Association track and field championships.

RCCL doesn’t currently have a president or a chief operating officer.

In addition to its three North American brands, RCCL owns Spain’s Pullmantur, French line Croisieres de France, and a 50% interest in TUI Cruises of Germany.

Questions remain over Celebrity Century’s future

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Questions remain over the future of the Celebrity Century, the oldest serving vessel in the cruise giant’s fleet.

French cruise line Croisieres de France has stated that it is to take possession of the vessel in 2015.

But according to Cruise Critic, a spokeswoman for Celebrity said that this is just a rumour. 

The situation is made even muddier by the fact that the line claiming to be purchasing the ship is a subsidiary of Pullmantur Cruises, which is a division of Royal Caribbean Cruises – the company that also owns and operates Celebrity Cruises.

As a result, it seems there is still some internal confusion as to whose livery the ship will be sailing with in little over a year’s time. 

The spokeswoman, Celebrity public relations director Elizabeth Jakeway, told the news provider: “You asked if we had made an announcement about Celebrity Century, and no, we haven’t It appears a rumour surfaced via a post on a French website last week.”

Established in 2007, Croisieres de France offers Mediterranean voyages aboard the MV Horizon, which formerly served as the Pacific Dream for Celebrity Cruises and the Island Star for Island Cruises. 

Next year, the company is due to take on a second vessel, MV Zenith, which also previously served Celebrity Cruises as the Celebrity Zenith.