23rd Jul 2020 14:59
(Alliance News) - Carnival PLC on Thursday said it will add a new ship to its fleet in December, as it said that four of its ships will either be sold or moved to a long-term lay-up status.
The FTSE 250-listed cruise ship operator said that as part of its 50th birthday in 2022, it will receive a second Excel-class ship has been confirmed from the Meyer Turku shipyard in November 2022. It said the new ship will sail out of PortMiami in Florida, adding that it will open the ship up for passenger bookings this coming autumn.
As part of plans to reduce overall capacity, cruise ships Carnival Fantasy and Carnival Inspiration have been sold. Carnival added that two other ships - Carnival Fascination and Carnival Imagination - will move to a long term lay-up status but did not provide a specific time frame for a return to operation.
Carnival Sensation will move from Miami to Mobile and take up itineraries previously assigned to Carnival Fantasy and Carnival Fascination, with guests on those two ships being re-accommodated on Carnival Sensation. Carnival Sunrise will move from Port Everglades to PortMiami and assume the itineraries previously operated by Carnival Sensation. Carnival Fascination itineraries from San Juan and Barbados have been cancelled for 2020-2021 and Itineraries for Carnival Imagination and Carnival Inspiration from Long Beach have been cancelled through April 19, 2021.
Separately, the Miami-based company said it has extended the pause of its operations in Australia and cancelled six cruises scheduled to operate between September 25 and October 29 this year, due the Covid-19 crisis.
Carnival said all Princess Cruises sailings in Asia, Caribbean, California Coast, Hawaii, Mexico, Panama Canal, South America & Antarctica, Japan, and Tahiti/South Pacific have been put on pause until December 15.
Carnival also said P&O Cruises is extending its rolling pause in operations across Australia and New Zealand to October 29 as a result of the virus pandemic.
"This is by far the most challenging time the travel sector has ever experienced. However, like so many of our loyal guests and partners, we look forward to better times ahead when we can cruise again. We thank everyone for their unswerving loyalty, patience and goodwill," said P&O Cruises President Sture Myrmell.
Shares in Carnival were trading 2.2% lower at 948.40 pence each on Thursday afternoon in London. The stock is down almost 75% since the year began.
By Ife Taiwo; [email protected]
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