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
