MIAMI, Sept. 23, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Carnival
Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), the world's
largest cruise company, today announced that it expects to return
over 50% of its total fleet capacity to guest cruise operations by
the end of October, representing an important milestone for the
company's previously announced plans to resume service with nearly
65% of its fleet capacity to begin the New Year.
To date, eight of the company's nine cruise line brands –
Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line,
Seabourn, Costa Cruises, AIDA Cruises, P&O Cruises (UK) and
Cunard – have resumed guest sailings. By the end of October, those
eight brands have announced they will be operating 42 ships,
marking the return of over 50% of the company's global fleet
capacity, as part of overall restart efforts around the world.
Additional brand updates on the resumption of guest cruise
operations will be forthcoming in the coming weeks, including
details on ships and itineraries.
Collectively, the corporation's brands are resuming operations
using a gradual, phased-in approach, with sailings from major
global ports in multiple regions around the world, including the
U.S., Mexico, Caribbean, United
Kingdom, Western Europe and
the Mediterranean, among others. The cruises operate with enhanced
protocols developed in conjunction with government and health
authorities, and informed by guidance from the company's public
health, epidemiological and policy experts. This includes operating
vaccinated cruises with updated testing and masking policies that
follow the latest guidance, while creating extraordinary vacation
experiences that continue to generate high guest satisfaction
scores.
"Based on our initial restart of guest cruise operations across
eight brands, it is clear from our guests that there is tremendous
confidence in our brands, our health and safety protocols, and the
return of cruising as one of the world's most popular vacations,"
said Roger Frizzell, chief
communications officer for Carnival Corporation. "As the restart of
cruising continues to gain momentum and create positive economic
activity for people who depend on our industry to make a living, we
look forward to serving our guests with more than half our fleet
capacity returning in October, while delivering a great guest
experience and serving the best interests of public health. Our
highest responsibility and top priority remains compliance,
environmental protection, and the health, safety and well-being of
our guests, our shipboard and shoreside personnel, and the
communities we visit."
The following summarizes Carnival Corporation's brand restart
announcements to date, including those contributing to the 50%
milestone in October, along with plans for additional ship restarts
as part of the company's overall goal to return nearly 65% of
capacity by December 31, 2021.
North America Brands:
- Carnival Cruise Line plans to have 13 ships sailing in
October and a total of 17 ships by year-end.
- Princess Cruises plans to have six ships sailing in
October, with eight total ships in operation by the end of the
year.
- Holland America Line
plans to have four ships in operation in October, with a total of
six ships in operation by the end of the year. Additionally, the
brand has announced plans for all 11 ships in its fleet to be in
service by spring 2022.
- Seabourn plans to operate its full fleet by spring 2022,
including a new expedition ship with its first sailing in
April 2022, totaling six ships in
service next year.
Europe & Asia Brands:
- Costa Cruises plans to have five ships in operation in
October, with a total of six ships in operation by the end of the
year.
- AIDA Cruises plans to have eight ships in operation in
October, with a total of 10 ships in operation by the end of the
year.
- P&O Cruises (UK) plans to have three ships in
operation in October, with a total of four ships in operation by
the end of the year. Additionally, the brand has announced plans to
operate its full fleet by spring 2022.
- Cunard plans to have two of the three ships in its fleet
in operation by the end of the year. Additionally, the brand has
announced plans to resume operations with its remaining ship in
spring 2022.
In working with global and national health authorities and
medical experts, as well as authorities in global destinations, the
company's brands have developed a comprehensive set of health and
safety protocols for protection against and mitigation of COVID-19
across the entire cruise experience. This includes cross-industry
learnings and best practices based on the proven health and safety
record of industrywide sailings, and input from top science and
health experts and health authorities. Protocols have been and will
continue to be updated based on evolving scientific and medical
knowledge related to mitigation strategies. Additional information
on enhanced protocols, including the latest information and
policies for each Carnival Corporation cruise line brand, is
available on individual brand websites.
Cautionary Note Concerning Factors That May Affect Future
Results
Some of the statements, estimates or projections contained in
this document are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks,
uncertainties and assumptions with respect to us, including some
statements concerning our resuming of cruise operations in the US,
Caribbean and Europe. These statements are intended to
qualify for the safe harbors from liability provided by Section 27A
of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than
statements of historical facts are statements that could be deemed
forward-looking. These statements are based on current
expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about our
business and the industry in which we operate and the beliefs and
assumptions of our management. We have tried, whenever possible, to
identify these statements by using words like "will," "may,"
"could," "should," "would," "believe," "depends," "expect," "goal,"
"anticipate," "forecast," "project," "future," "intend," "plan,"
"estimate," "target," "indicate," "outlook," and similar
expressions of future intent or the negative of such terms.
Because forward-looking statements involve risks and
uncertainties, there are many factors that could cause our actual
results, performance or achievements to differ materially from
those expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements. This
note contains important cautionary statements of the known factors
that we consider could materially affect the accuracy of our
forward-looking statements and adversely affect our resuming of
risk operations. Such risks, uncertainties and factors include the
risk factors discussed in Item 1A of our most recent Annual Report
on Form 10-K and subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC").
Forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a
prediction of actual results. Subject to any continuing obligations
under applicable law or any relevant stock exchange rules, we
expressly disclaim any obligation to disseminate, after the date of
this document, any updates or revisions to any such forward-looking
statements to reflect any change in expectations or events,
conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are
based.
About Carnival Corporation & plc
Carnival Corporation & plc is one of the world's largest
leisure travel companies with a portfolio of nine of the world's
leading cruise lines sailing to all seven continents. With
operations in North America,
Australia, Europe and Asia, its portfolio features
Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line,
Seabourn, P&O Cruises (Australia), Costa Cruises, AIDA Cruises,
P&O Cruises (UK) and Cunard.
Additional information can be found on www.carnivalcorp.com,
www.carnival.com, www.princess.com, www.hollandamerica.com,
www.seabourn.com, www.pocruises.com.au, www.costacruise.com,
www.aida.de, www.pocruises.com and www.cunard.com.
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SOURCE Carnival Corporation & plc