Carnival plc Finalizes Contracts for 2 New Crui...
Carnival Corporation & plc Finalizes Contracts for Two New
Cruise Ships for its Princess Cruises Brand; Vessels to Enter Service in 2013
and 2014
MIAMI, May 4 -- Princess Cruises, a unit of Carnival Corporation & plc
(NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), today announced that contracts to build two
3,600-passenger ships have been finalized with Italy's Fincantieri shipyard.
The new ships - which each will have an all-in cost of approximately euro
155,000 per lower berth - are scheduled to enter service in spring 2013 and
spring 2014. At an estimated 141,000 tons, the as-yet-unnamed ships will be
the largest in the Princess Cruises fleet.
The ships' design will be evolutionary, in keeping with the themes of the
line's newest vessels, but with some new features and innovations. For
example, all outside cabins will feature balconies, bringing the percentage
of balconies on the ships to 80 percent of all staterooms.
The company's signature Piazza - the ship's central atrium featuring
dining, entertainment and retail - will be expanded, as will the popular
Sanctuary, spa, and restaurants.
"We're pleased that in this challenging economic environment, the order
for these new ships is a testament to the confidence in the growth potential
of the Princess brand," said Alan Buckelew, president and CEO of Princess
Cruises. "These new ships will include the features from our newest ships
that have been so well received, and take them to the next level," he added.
Giuseppe Bono, chief executive officer of Fincantieri, said, "We are
grateful to the Carnival Group for this further vote of confidence in
Fincantieri. We are proud to have met the requirements of Princess Cruises,
one of Carnival's most prestigious brands, with an innovative design both
from a technical and architectural point of view."
Bono continued, "This is a highly important order for us, especially as
it comes in a period of economic crisis. We succeeded in securing these
orders with assistance and support of the Italian export credit companies, in
particular SACE S.p.A."
Specific amenities and design elements for the new ships will be revealed
over the coming months.
One of the best-known names in cruising, Princess Cruises is a global
cruise and tour company operating a fleet of 17 modern ships renowned for
their innovative design and wide array of choices in dining, entertainment
and amenities, all provided in an environment of exceptional customer
service. A recognized leader in worldwide cruising, Princess offers its
passengers the opportunity to escape completely to the top destinations
around the globe, with sailings to all seven continents.
Carnival Corporation & plc is the largest cruise vacation group in the
world, with a portfolio of cruise brands in North America, Europe and
Australia, comprised of Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, Princess
Cruises, The Yachts of Seabourn, AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard Line,
Ibero Cruises, Ocean Village, P&O Cruises and P&O Cruises Australia.
Together, these brands operate 95 ships totaling more than 186,000 lower
berths with 12 new ships scheduled to be delivered between May 2010 and
spring 2014. Carnival Corporation & plc also operates Holland America
Princess Alaska Tours, the leading tour company in Alaska and the Canadian
Yukon. Traded on both the New York and London Stock Exchanges, Carnival
Corporation & plc is the only group in the world to be included in both the
S&P 500 and the FTSE 100 indices.
SOURCE Carnival Corporation & plc
CONTACT: Media: Julie Benson of Princess Cruises, +1-661-753-1530; Tim
Gallagher, Carnival Corporation & plc +1-305-599-2600, ext. 16000; Investors:
Beth Roberts, Carnival Corporation & plc, +1-305-406-4832