Carnival Cruise Line Orders Another Newbuild for 2028 Delivery

Posted on 28 March, 2024 by Spacejunkie2

Carnival Corporation announced it has signed an agreement with Meyer Werft shipyard for a fifth Excel Class cruise ship for its Carnival Cruise Line brand, set to be delivered in 2028.

This announcement confirms the addition of the 11th Excel Class ship to the corporation’s fleet across four brands, with Carnival Cruise Line operating the fifth vessel. This follows a February announcement for a newbuild for Carnival with a 2027 delivery date.

“Carnival’s Excel-class fleet will soon be a quintet of these very popular ships that provide outstanding guest amenities and tremendous operating efficiencies,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.

“Since the introduction of Mardi Gras in 2021 and the subsequent expansion with Carnival Celebration in 2022 and Carnival Jubilee in 2023, these Excel-class ships are driving excitement, demand, and strong guest satisfaction ratings. With the arrival of Carnival Firenze in April, we are completing the addition of five ships to our fleet in less than 20 months, and then we will pivot to another phase of growth with these two Excel ships.”

Like its sister ships, the new vessel will be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and designed to carry over 6,400 guests and 1,800 crew.

“This new order continues to balance our commitment to growth with our responsible capital approach to utilize strong free cash flow over the next several years to strategically improve our balance sheet, significantly reduce our leverage levels and continue to transfer value from debt holders to shareholders,” said Josh Weinstein, CEO of Carnival Corporation.

“Carnival Cruise Line continues to perform at an outstanding level, and we are focused on adding capacity across the company where it aligns with demand and our position in the marketplace,” added Weinstein.

This measured capacity growth strategy will result in our adding one to two ships per year beginning in 2027, and we will be identifying additional fleet plans over the coming months for our cruise lines to meet capacity demand and improve execution across all aspects of our operation, with the benefit of yielding higher return on invested capital.”

“We are proud of the role the Excel Class from Meyer Werft and Meyer Turku has played in contributing to the success of Carnival Corporation for many years now. We look forward to continuing this success story together,” said Bernd Eikens, CEO of Meyer Group.

Royal Caribbean’s Utopia Sailing from Port Canaveral in 2024

Posted on 27 June, 2023 by Spacejunkie2

Royal Caribbean International will put the new Oasis-class Utopia of the Seas in the short cruise market from Port Canaveral when she debuts next year.

“Vacationers are looking to make every moment count by celebrating and recharging with their friends and family, and Utopia of the Seas makes all that possible in more ways than one,” said Michael Bayley, president and CEO, of Royal Caribbean International. “With the variety of dining, bars, pools, entertainment and thrills that make Oasis Class ships revolutionary and the experiences to match on our private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay, we’ve combined the best of the best to create the world’s biggest weekend for everyone.”

The signature adventures of the newest LNG-powered Oasis ship will make their short getaway debut alongside firsts and reimagined experiences, like a new Caribbean tiki bar, a first-of-its-kind immersive dining experience, the latest, greatest – and longest – dry slide at sea; newly designed resort-style pools; and more, the company said.

The Utopia opens for bookings on Royal Caribbean’s website as soon as Friday, June 23. Crown & Anchor Society loyalty members can book on Thursday, June 22.

MSC Cruises and Gasum Partner for LNG Solutions

Posted on 25 June, 2023 by Spacejunkie2

The Cruise Division of MSC Group and Gasum have signed a long-term agreement for the supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the new flagship of its MSC Cruises brand, MSC Euribia, as well as a Letter of Intent (LOI) with the goal of cooperating on the supply of synthetic e-LNG made with renewable energy, according to a joint company statement.

This is part of the cruise company’s strategy to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions from its marine operations by 2050.

The LOI between MSC Cruises and Nordic energy company Gasum is a landmark cooperation that aims at securing MSC access to liquefied synthetic gas, or e-LNG, which is produced using hydrogen, created by hydrolysis with renewable energy and captured CO2, the companies said.

Gasum and MSC Cruises are together creating an actionable roadmap for cutting emissions in MSC’s cruise operations with sizeable volumes of several thousand tons of e-LNG starting in 2026.

The companies also signed a long-term agreement on the delivery of LNG for MSC Euribia.

With this agreement, Gasum supports MSC Cruises in cutting emissions with the immediate use of LNG.

Linden Coppell, Vice President of Sustainability & ESG, MSC Cruises, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Gasum on our journey to net zero greenhouse gas emissions. Securing a reliable supply of LNG and e-LNG is of critical importance to our decarbonisation efforts, and the LOI and long-term agreement that we have announced today are significant steps on that journey. Partnering with Gasum will enable us to access new and cleaner fuels needed to make net zero cruising a reality. We need more suppliers like Gasum to step up and support our industry with its environmental targets. We are ready and waiting to buy more of these new fuels.”

Mika Wiljanen, CEO, Gasum added: “As an alternative fuel supplier dedicated to the energy transition, Gasum is proud to offer support to MSC Cruises, a major maritime player, in their quest to improve the environmental footprint of their operations. At the same time, MSC Cruises is supporting the development of the most promising alternative fuel by proving demand for it. This LOI on e-LNG is a landmark agreement for the shipping industry as it demonstrates that e-LNG will be available to the maritime transport sector within a short timeframe. We are also very happy about the long-term LNG supply agreement which we believe is the start of long-lasting cooperation.”