MIAMI, Sept. 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Royal Caribbean
Cruises Ltd. (NYSE, OSE: RCL) announced today that it has entered
into an agreement to sell its cruise ship Celebrity Century
to Exquisite Marine Ltd., a holding company led by Ctrip.com
International Ltd. (NASDAQ: CTRP). The sale will result in a
non-cash loss of approximately $20 million
dollars. This loss will be excluded from our adjusted
net income in our third quarter results. Royal Caribbean Cruises
Ltd. will continue to operate Celebrity Century until April 2015.
"Since its inaugural sailing, Celebrity Century has
created many wonderful memories for hundreds of thousands of
guests, and we expect this successful history to continue as she
transitions to the Chinese cruise market," said Richard D. Fain, chairman and chief executive
officer of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. "The vessel's sale is
an excellent business opportunity for both Royal Caribbean and
Ctrip, and will generate strong value for both companies'
shareholders."
Celebrity Century will complete its scheduled sailings
through the March 22, 2015,
itinerary. The 15-night, Dubai to
Rome sailing on April 5, 2015 is being redeployed to a 14-night
sailing from Dubai to Singapore. Guests with affected individual
bookings and named group bookings on Celebrity Century's
April 5, 2015 sailing from
Dubai to Rome have the option to either cancel their
booking and receive a full refund or move to an alternative sailing
and receive a re-accommodation onboard credit as well as
compensation to cover air change fees. Guests with reservations
affected by the transition will be proactively contacted by
Celebrity Cruises. Guests and Travel Agents with specific questions
are welcome to call 1-888-283-7275.
Celebrity Century joined the Celebrity Cruises fleet in
December 1995, and was built by
Meyer Werft in Papenburg,
Germany. The 71,545-ton ship
carries 1,814 guests (double occupancy) and 860 crew.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE, OSE: RCL) is a global cruise
vacation company that owns Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity
Cruises, Pullmantur, Azamara Club Cruises and CDF Croisieres de
France, as well as TUI Cruises
through a 50 percent joint venture. Together, these six
brands operate a combined total of 41 ships with an additional 8
under construction contracts. They operate diverse
itineraries around the world that call on approximately 490
destinations on all seven continents. Additional information can be
found on www.royalcaribbean.com, www.celebritycruises.com,
www.pullmantur.es,
www.azamaraclubcruises.com, www.cdfcroisieresdefrance.com or
www.rclinvestor.com.
Ctrip.com International, Ltd. is a leading travel service
provider of accommodation reservation, transportation ticketing,
packaged tours, and corporate travel management in China. Ctrip aggregates accommodation and
transportation information to enable business and leisure travelers
to make informed and cost-effective bookings. Ctrip also helps
customers book vacation packages and guided tours. In addition,
Ctrip corporate travel management services help corporate clients
effectively manage their travel requirements. Since its inception
in 1999, Ctrip has experienced substantial growth and become one of
the best-known travel brands in China.
SOURCE Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.