--Regal Princess and Costa Diadema christened this week
in two naming ceremonies over the span of three days
--In 2015, P&O Cruises UK and AIDA brands will each add a
new ship, giving Carnival Corporation a total of four new ships
added across four global cruise brands in less than 18
months
MIAMI, Nov. 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Carnival Corporation
& plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), the world's largest cruise
company, announced today it will increase fleet capacity by nearly
10 percent from 2014 through 2016, fueled largely by the addition
of four new ships across four brands in less than 18 months.
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141105/156925
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141105/156926
This week, Carnival Corporation is christening two new ships in
the span of three days as its Princess and Costa brands host
official naming ceremonies for Regal Princess and Costa Diadema,
the latest new vessels to join the company's industry-leading fleet
of more than 100 ships across nine cruise brands. Additionally, in
2015, the company's P&O Cruises UK and AIDA brands will each
debut a new ship, giving Carnival Corporation a total of four new
ship additions by October of next year.
All told, the company has refreshed its global fleet – the
largest in the world – with more than 30 new ship additions since
2007, including Regal Princess and Costa Diadema, with another
seven ships scheduled to be delivered between 2015 and early
2017.
In addition, Carnival Corporation continues to expand its fleet
leadership with upgrades and refurbishments to existing ships. In
2015 alone, the company plans upgrades or refurbishments on 17
ships across six of its brands.
The 2015 refurbishment plans include two former Holland America
Line ships transferred to P&O Cruises Australia that will
undergo complete refurbishment before sailing as Pacific Aria and
Pacific Eden starting in November
2015. The renovated ships will offer a new level of comfort
and style with onboard features tailored for Australian and
New Zealand passengers, as
Carnival Corporation boosts its industry-leading presence in the
world's fastest-growing cruise market.
Yesterday, Princess Cruises officially christened the new Regal
Princess in a naming ceremony featuring the original cast members
of "The Love Boat" television series who are serving as godparents
for the new ship. After entering service in May 2014, the newly christened Regal Princess
will now begin her maiden season of Caribbean cruise vacations sailing out of Port
Everglades in Fort Lauderdale,
Fla.
Tomorrow, Nov. 7, Costa Cruises
will host a naming ceremony for Costa Diadema in Genoa, Italy, where the brand's new flagship
will be christened by the ship's Godmother, Carolina Miceli, an Italian travel agent
selected from over 700 candidates in 50 countries for best
representing the cruise line's values. Following the christening,
Diadema will begin sailing in the Mediterranean through the summer
of 2015.
In addition to Costa Diadema and Regal Princess, two other
Carnival Corporation brands will debut new ships in 2015. In March,
P&O Cruises UK will introduce Britannia, which is the largest
ship ever built for the British cruise market. In the fall of 2015,
German cruise operator AIDA will christen its new flagship,
AIDAprima, which is expected to be one of the most technologically
advanced ships in the world.
"We're very proud to christen Regal Princess and Costa Diadema
this week, and these beautiful ships signify our commitment to
providing the best possible guest experience across our
industry-leading brands," said Arnold
Donald, CEO of Carnival Corporation. "As we invest in
continually refreshing our fleet, we're able to provide our
passengers the best of what new ships have to offer."
"And as always, our focus is on consistently exceeding our
guests' expectations and doing everything we can to make sure that
our passengers have joyful vacations," Donald added. "Compared to
other options, cruising is hard to beat as a great way to truly
relax and enjoy a vacation and unique destinations, and a great
value that is also hard to beat. Introducing new ships into our
fleet is just one more way we are working to provide wonderful
vacations and lifetime memories for millions of people around the
world. That focus will help us grow the market for cruising, and in
turn increase demand for our product. So it's a win-win for
consumers, and for our company."
Carnival Corporation's four new fleet additions in 18 months are
part of the company's plan to introduce nine new ships across seven
of its brands between 2014 and 2017. AIDA, Carnival Cruise Lines,
Costa Cruises, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises UK, Princess
Cruises and Seabourn are all expected to debut new state-of-the-art
cruise ships between now and the early part of 2017.
In 2016, Carnival Cruise Lines will debut Carnival Vista, a
stunning 133,500-ton ship that will be the largest ever in its
fleet -- with the ship being unveiled in a sneak preview in
New York in January 2015. Holland America Line will launch its newest ship, the
99,500-ton ms Koningsdam, a new Pinnacle Class ship that can carry
2,650 passengers. Also in 2016, AIDA will introduce a new sister
ship to the 2015 AIDAprima with capacity for 3,250 passengers,
while Seabourn will unveil its newest luxury ship, expected to be
the biggest ever built by the brand with the ability to serve 604
passengers.
Looking forward to 2017, Princess Cruises is working with
Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri to build a 143,000-ton vessel
featuring the highly popular design elements introduced by the
brand's two newest ships, and sisters, the Royal Princess and Regal
Princess.
Carnival Corporation Adding Four State-of-the-Art Ships to
its Fleet in 2014 and 2015
The four new Carnival Corporation ships joining the fleet over
the next year and a half represent the latest in ship design,
energy efficiency, technology, amenities and activities brought
together to provide guests a safe, enjoyable and memorable cruise
vacation. Key features and offerings on each ship include:
Regal Princess – Official naming ceremony in November 2014:
The 3,600-passenger,
141,000-ton Regal Princess, which began service in May 2014, arrived in Fort Lauderdale earlier this week to start her
maiden season of Caribbean cruise
vacations. The ship has many new features for passengers including:
an over-water SeaWalk – a top-deck glass-bottomed walkway extending
28 feet beyond the edge of the ship – a dramatic multi-story atrium
serving as the social hub of the ship with a host of dining and
entertainment options, the largest pastry shop at sea and a special
Chef's Table Lumiere, a private dining experience surrounding
diners in a curtain of light.
Costa Diadema – Official naming ceremony in November 2014:
Costa's newest ship, the
132,500-ton Costa Diadema, will be able to accommodate 4,947
passengers. The ship will feature 7,671 pieces of specially
commissioned modern art that complement the ship's innovative
interior design. The ship will also feature new shows, new venues
and high-tech games designed specifically for the line's new
flagship and meant to engage guests of all ages. The promenade on
the Diadema will be the longest of any on the Italian cruise ship
line's fleet and will feature bars and restaurants throughout the
1,500 feet of open air.
Britannia – Official delivery date expected in March 2015:
At 141,000 tons and carrying
over 3,600 passengers, P&O Cruises' Britannia will be the
largest cruise ship ever built for the British market. The
Britannia will feature a multitude of dining options and bring
together some of the world's most famous chefs as part of its "Food
Heroes" team to create the ultimate dining experience at sea. The
onboard culinary experience will include renowned British chef
James Martin helping passengers
create their own culinary masterpieces at the Cookery Club, Master
Patissier Eric Lanlard bringing his baking experience and a new
champagne afternoon tea experience to the Market Cafe, and twice
Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochhar
creating his signature Indian dishes for the Sindhu restaurant. The
youngest chef ever to win three Michelin stars, and godfather of
British cooking, Marco Pierre White,
will be designing menus for gala nights, and award-winning wine
expert Olly Smith will also join the
all-star members of the Food Heroes team who will be traveling
regularly on Britannia.
AIDAprima – Official delivery date expected in October 2015:
AIDAprima will be the newest
flagship for AIDA Cruises, accommodating 3,250 passengers at
124,500 gross tons. Launching in fall of 2015, the ship will be one
of the most technologically advanced vessels in the world. A new
air lubrication system will pump bubbles below the waterline,
reducing friction and lowering fuel consumption by allowing the
ship to ride on a cushion of air. Ship features include "The Beach
Club" – a transparent dome providing a place for passengers to hang
out by the pool – a water slide, rock climbing walls and the new
AIDA Mini Club providing childcare for kids six months and up.
About Carnival Corporation
Carnival Corporation &
plc is the largest cruise company in the world, with a portfolio of
cruise brands in North America,
Europe, Australia and Asia, comprised of Carnival Cruise Lines,
Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn, AIDA Cruises,
Costa Cruises, Cunard, Ibero Cruises, P&O Cruises (Australia) and P&O Cruises (UK).
Together, these brands operate 101 ships totaling 212,000 lower
berths with eight new ships scheduled to be delivered between now
and 2017. Carnival Corporation & plc also operates Holland
America Princess Alaska Tours, the leading tour companies 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. Additional information can be found on
www.carnival.com, www.hollandamerica.com, www.princess.com,
www.seabourn.com, www.aida.de, www.costacruise.com, www.cunard.com,
www.iberocruceros.com, www.pocruises.com.au and
www.pocruises.com.