American Cruise Lines (ACL) has announced that a contract has been signed and construction has already begun on another new riverboat due to high demand for its U.S. river cruises. The new vessel will be slightly larger but similar in many respects to the 150-passenger Queen of the Mississippi, which is nearing completion at Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Md.
ACL’s newest will feature a similar capacity to that of the Queen and promises to offer the “most spacious staterooms in the industry” with entirely private balconies, all with sliding glass doors, plus a center atrium with a grand staircase, various lounges and numerous amenities.
Carnival Corp. signs agreement for Mexican development
On March 14, Carnival Corp. and plc signed a compromise agreement to invest $150 million in port infrastructure on Mexico’s Pacific and Caribbean coasts. Mexican secretary of tourism Gloria Guevara Manzo and Carnival Cruise Lines president and CEO Gerard Cahill signed the compromise at Puerto Maya in Cozumel. Cahill noted that Mexico is an attractive destination for the development of tourist business and an important partner for Carnival.
Carnival Corp. and plc will also be making a major commitment to the Japanese market when it brings Sun Princess to Japan in 2013. Princess Cruises is launching an 87-day program featuring a total of nine cruises on seven different itineraries, operating April through July of next year from both Yokohama and Kobe.
Underscoring the importance of Japan in the growing worldwide cruise market, Carnival Japan Inc. has been formed to sell the Princess Cruises brand and certain other Carnival brands in Japan. Approximately 18,000 passengers are expected during the first season.
Finally, the corporation’s first quarter 2012 financial results reflect Costa Concordia incident expenses of $29 million, including a $10 million insurance deductible related to third-party personal injury liabilities. The company also recorded an insurance recoverable of $515 million to offset the write-off of the net carrying value of Costa Concordia, as the ship has been deemed to be a total constructive loss.
• Princess Expansion Efforts •
Princess will be featuring more Pacific Coast cruises than ever before in 2012-13. Fall and spring coastal voyages will range from overnight cruises to weeklong journeys, including a roundtrip California Coastal itinerary, a wine country cruise with themed onboard presentations, and four- and five-day samplers of Alaska and the Pacific Northwest.
Finally, a fleetwide three-year project to add the Sanctuary, the line’s adults-only “pocket of tranquility” has now been completed. This feature, which debuted in 2006 aboard Crown Princess, gives passengers a place to relax in a private getaway with plush seating, massage cabanas, signature beverages, light meals, service by “serenity stewards” and personal entertainment.
