MIAMI, Jan. 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Carnival
Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), the world's
largest leisure travel company, today announced it has signed a
shipbuilding contract for a second next-generation cruise ship for
its P&O Cruises brand with leading German shipbuilder
Meyer Werft GmbH that is scheduled to be delivered in 2022.
Similar to a fellow P&O Cruises sister ship due for delivery
in 2020, this second new vessel will be the largest cruise ship to
be built specifically for the British market. It will be 180,000
gross tons and will accommodate approximately 5,200 guests (lower
berths). Both new ships will be registered in the UK.
The new ship is part of Carnival Corporation's ongoing fleet
enhancement strategy with 19 new ships scheduled for delivery
between 2018 and 2022 – creating excitement in the vacation market
and continuing to exceed guest expectations while accelerating
demand for cruising, the fastest growing segment in the vacation
industry.
The ship will be built by Meyer
Werft at its shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, and feature the corporation's
exclusive "green cruising" design as one of the first generation of
cruise ships to be powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) both
while in port and at sea, which will significantly reduce air
emissions with the shipping industry's most advanced fuel
technology.
Carnival UK president Josh
Weinstein said: "We are seeing the momentum in awareness of
cruising both across the media and in our national psyche as
ever-increasing numbers of people see first-hand the value for
money, unrivalled service and extraordinary onboard experience.
These two next-generation ships for delivery in the next four years
are real and tangible evidence of our absolute optimism for future
growth."
Added P&O Cruises senior vice president Paul Ludlow: "We have a bold and ambitious
vision for P&O Cruises to become Britain's number one holiday choice and we can
only do that by increasing our fleet. The build for our 2020 ship
begins this spring and it will offer all generations of British
guests the holiday of a lifetime on the next generation of P&O
Cruises ships.
"In four years' time when her sister ship is launched, adding an
additional 22 percent capacity, we will see an even greater rise in
the popularity of cruising across all demographics and all age
ranges including both Millennials and Generation Xers. Many of them
have already learned to appreciate cruising by going on cruises
with their families while growing up. Additionally, there are
millions more we will attract in the future by retaining the
amazing onboard and on-shore experiences and itinerary choices
P&O Cruises is known for, while reflecting forward-thinking
trends and tastes of British holidaymakers.
"This evolution of the guest experience will be evident over the
next few years but will be underpinned throughout with in-depth
market insight and feedback we receive from the best source: our
current, past and prospective guests.
"The first of our new ships will go on sale in September and we
will be announcing key elements of the design and build this year.
Our P&O Cruises signature features in dining and entertainment
will be across all our ships, but the space and build of the two
new ships allows us to have innovative new experiences to create
the most memorable holidays."
Thomas Weigend, managing director
of Meyer Werft, added: "We are very
happy to continue our excellent partnership with Carnival
Corporation and P&O Cruises."
In total, Carnival Corporation has agreements in place with
leading German and Finnish shipbuilders Meyer Werft and Meyer
Turku to build eight LNG-powered cruise ships across four of
its 10 global cruise brands with delivery dates between 2018 and
2022 – two for AIDA Cruises with expected delivery dates in 2018
and 2021, two for Costa Cruises with expected delivery dates in
2019 and 2021, two for P&O Cruises UK with expected delivery
dates in 2020 and 2022 and two for Carnival Cruise Line with
expected delivery dates in 2020 and 2022.
About Carnival Corporation
Carnival Corporation &
plc is the world's largest leisure travel company and among the
most profitable and financially strong in the cruise and vacation
industries, with a portfolio of 10 dynamic brands that include nine
of the world's leading cruise lines. With operations in North
America, Europe, Australia and Asia, its portfolio
features Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess
Cruises, Seabourn, AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard, P&O
Cruises (Australia) and P&O
Cruises (UK), as well as Fathom, the corporation's immersion and
enrichment experience brand.
Together, these brands operate 103 ships with 231,000 lower
berths visiting over 700 ports around the world, with 19 new ships
scheduled to be delivered between 2018 and 2022. Carnival
Corporation & plc also operates Holland America Princess Alaska
Tours, the leading tour company in Alaska and the
Canadian Yukon. Traded on both the New York and London
Stock Exchanges, Carnival Corporation & plc is the only dual
listed company in the world to be included in both the S&P 500
and the FTSE 100 indices.
In 2017, Fast Company recognized Carnival
Corporation as being among the "Top 10 Most Innovative
Companies" in both the design and travel categories. Fast Company
specifically recognized Carnival Corporation for its work
in developing Ocean Medallion™, a high-tech wearable device that
enables the world's first interactive guest experience
platform capable of transforming vacation travel into a highly
personalized and elevated level of customized service.
Additional information can be found on www.carnival.com,
www.fathom.org, www.hollandamerica.com, www.princess.com,
www.seabourn.com, www.aida.de, www.costacruise.com, www.cunard.com,
www.pocruises.com.au and www.pocruises.com.
About P&O Cruises
P&O Cruises has a fleet of
eight ships offering holidays tailored to British tastes combining
genuine service, a sense of occasion and attention to detail,
ensuring passengers have the holiday of a lifetime, every time.
Britannia, a design-led 141,000 ton ship, was named by HM The Queen
on March 10, 2015. A new 180,000 ton
LNG-powered ship is on order for delivery in 2020 and a second
similar ship has been confirmed for delivery in 2022.
For images visit: http://www.pocruisespresspictures.com/
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SOURCE Carnival Corporation & plc