Carnival Corp. announced Thursday that the cruise company would install $180 million in equipment over the next three years to reduce air pollution from 32 diesel-powered ships.

The largest cruise company in the world reached an agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Coast Guard that approved the technology already in use in cars and at power plants.

The equipment will reduce sulfur dioxide from exhaust and have filters that also trap soot. In addition to installing the scrubbers, ships will plug into the electrical grid in port rather than idle with diesel-powered engines.

"This is a significant accomplishment as well as an important milestone for our company," Carnival CEO Arnold Donald said.

The company expects to beat international standards in so-called emission control areas along U.S., Canadian and Caribbean coasts once the equipment is installed.

The International Maritime Organization placed a cap on emissions with a goal of preventing tens of thousands of premature deaths and relieving respiratory symptoms for nearly 5 million people.

The vessels to receive the equipment are from Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and Cunard. Installation of the equipment is scheduled for nine ships next year, 16 ships in 2015 and seven ships in the first half of 2016.

Carnival has 102 ships and will consider adding equipment to them after the initial 32 are completed.

In a letter confirming the agreement, Coast Guard Capt. J.C. Burton and Christopher Grundler, EPA's director of transportation and air quality, said they must still address details of monitoring and recordkeeping for the improvements to the ships.

By Bart Jansen, USA TODAY

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It's been a rocky ride for Carnival Cruise Lines after several high-profile mishaps in recent years. Now the company is spending more than half-a-billion dollars for improvements to right the ship.

Arnold Donald, the new chief executive officer of Carnival -- on the job for less than nine weeks -- recently sat down with CBS News travel editor Peter Greenberg to discuss the company's recent issues and improvements in the works at the largest cruise line in the world.

Last year, Costa Concordia -- a Carnival-owned ship -- ran aground off the coast of Italy, killing 32 people on board. Speaking of that event, Donald said, "It was not any infrastructure or systemic problem that produced the Concordia. It was a one-off unbelievable error in judgment, and it was a tragedy."

Then, this past February, an engine room fire left the Carnival Triumph powerless and adrift for days in the Gulf of Mexico without air conditioning or working toilets. It was a public relations disaster for Carnival.

Greenberg asked Donald, "How do you get ahead of that story?"

"Obviously we didn't," Donald said. "In the future, the way to get ahead of it is to not have it happen."

Donald took over as chief executive officer of Carnival after bookings fell, shares plummeted, and some passengers sued.

Greenberg said, "The good news with the Triumph is you got the fire out and nobody died."

Donald replied, "Not only did no one die, no one was hurt, no one was sick, so there was no safety health issue involved with the Triumph at all."

But it forced Carnival to take a hard look at the design of its ships and safety systems. As a result, the company is spending upwards of $600 million to upgrade its fleet.

Donald said, "In the highly unlikely event we should ever lose power again we'd be able to have a system to back that up and we'd have a process to keep from losing power in the first place."

Carnival Cruise Lines' new vice president of technical operations Mark Jackson -- a former Coast Guard commander -- came on board in April to turn things around. Jackson said, "What happened on Triumph is horrible for our guests and we never want that to happen again, but unfortunately it's something that we learned the hard way."

The first order of business -- rerouting 63 miles of cable, so that a fire would be less likely to take out both engine rooms, as it did on the Triumph. Jackson said, "If one room is lost, we don't lose the other."

Then it was fire suppression -- increasing the number of water mist nozzles from roughly 30 to about 500, and adding a 24/7 manned patrol to look for oil or fuel leaks. And finally, installing a second backup generator, nowhere near the engine room -- just in case. That way, basic services would stay up and running, which, for a ship that size, is no small task.

Despite the bad PR, the statistics are still overwhelmingly in passengers' favor. Donald said, "Keep in mind, these incidents represent far less than one percent of the experience with all our guests."

Still, as consumer confidence tumbled the line began offering deep discounts to get people on board, in some cases slashing fares to just $149 per cruise.

But cruise ship economics are unforgiving, it's not what the passengers pay to book their cruise that counts, it's what they spend once they're on board that moves the bottom line.

The bottom line for Donald now is to reposition Carnival, rebuild its reputation, and fill his ships.

By CBS News

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A Beaumont eye care business and a group of cruise ship passengers have filed separate lawsuits against Carnival Cruise Lines in connection with the ill-fated Carnival Triumph voyage in February.

Dr. Peter Cass, who owns and operates Beaumont Family Eye Care, filed a lawsuit Aug. 8 to recoup losses to his business stemming from the cruise ship's problems.

Three days after leaving Galveston on Feb. 7 for Mexico, a fire ignited in the Triumph's engine room, disabling the vessel's propulsion system and knocking out power. The cruise ship drifted for days in the Gulf of Mexico before it was towed to Mobile, Ala., on Feb. 14.

Cass took his entire staff on a cruise aboard Carnival Triumph, and suffered economic losses due to the five-day delay in getting the employees back to reopen the business.

"This is purely an economic loss claim," said Beaumont attorney Matthew C. Matheny, who represents the eye center. "Dr. Cass actually took his entire office on a paid vacation, including some of their spouses. They were stranded out there and had to shut down the business for more than a week."

Cass also chartered a bus to get his staffers back to work, and sustained additional expenses with contract labor, Matheny said.

The lawsuit alleges that the cruise line was aware of the mechanical problems aboard the ship and failed to maintain the vessel "in a reasonable and safe manner to prevent a fire in the engine room." The cruise line also failed warn passengers of the danger, the lawsuit states.

In a separate lawsuit also filed Aug. 8, some passengers who were aboard the Triumph claim that they exposed to urine and feces and the odors of raw sewage that leaked through the ceilings, walls and floors.

The federal lawsuit also alleges that passengers were exposed to extreme heat and cold temperatures and had to wait in long lines to get water and food.

The lawsuit, filed by Beaumont attorney T. Roebuck, alleges that Carnival was negligent for failing to maintain the vessel in a reasonable and safe manner, for failing to hire and supervise competent management, and for failing to provide sanitary accommodations, adequate food and drinking water, and ventilation.

The lawsuit seeks an award of damages for discomfort, medical expenses, mental anguish and lost earnings, and out-of-pocket expenses.

Carnival spokesman Vance Gulliksen declined to comment about the lawsuits.

By Robert Stanton, Beaumont Enterprise

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Prior to its deployment to Australia in fall 2014, Carnival Legend will operate two unique and exciting cruises – a 13-day Panama Canal cruise and a 23-day trans-Pacific voyage – that will serve to position the vessel for its new seasonal schedule from Down Under.

The 13-day Panama Canal cruise will depart Tampa, Fla., Aug. 17 and arrive in Long Beach, Calif., Aug. 30, 2014. Carnival Legend will visit George Town, Grand Cayman; and Cartagena, Colombia; prior to the Panama Canal transit followed by day-long calls to Puntarenas, Costa Rica; and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

Carnival Legend will then operate a 23-day trans-Pacific voyage that departs from Long Beach Aug. 30, arrives in Sydney, Australia, Sept. 22, 2014. In addition to the unforgettable crossing of the equator that includes all the traditional maritime celebrations, the voyage will feature extended visits to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; Papeete (Tahiti), Bora Bora and Moorea, French Polynesia; Suva, Fiji Islands; and Noumea, New Caledonia.

The two voyages can be combined to create a one-of-a-kind 36-day cruise that features 10 scenic destinations across three continents.

Prior to these voyages, Carnival Legend will undergo a multi-million dollar renovation that will add an array of innovations that are part of the line’s Fun Ship 2.0 product enhancement program. These include a massive WaterWorks aqua park highlighted by Green Thunder, the steepest and fastest waterslide at sea, the tropics-inspired RedFrog Pub, a full-service sushi restaurant called Bonsai Sushi, and Cherry On Top, a “candy and more store” with various confections, apparel and novelty items. These new offerings complement such popular options as the Serenity adults-only retreat, an expansive health and wellness center, and fun activities and spacious, modern play areas for kids in three age groups.

The trans-Pacific crossing will position Carnival Legend for a seasonal program from Australia that kicks off Sept. 24, 2014, and encompasses eight- to 12-day cruises from Sydney calling at a variety of destinations within the Pacific, including New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Fiji.

Source: Carnival Cruise Lines

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Carnival Cruise Lines named Lin Arison, wife of the company’s late founder Ted Arison, godmother of Carnival Sunshine, the former 102,853-ton Carnival Destiny. The ship was renamed following a $155 million renovation this year, and will be officially re-named during a November 17 ceremony aboard the ship at its homeport of New Orleans.

Arison served as godmother of Carnival Cruise Lines’ first ship, Mardi Gras, in 1972. She has also served as godmother to Carnival Destiny, at that time the world’s largest cruise ship, upon its debut in 1996. Arison is the only person to serve as godmother for three Carnival ships, having also named Holiday in 1985.

Arison is s strong supporter of the arts and young and developing artists in Miami and around the world. She was awarded the 2012 National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama for her contributions as a philanthropist and arts education advocate, and is responsible for initiatives including the founding of the National YoungArts Foundation and the New World Symphony (NWS) in Miami Beach.

By Brian Major, Travel Pulse

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The row over the presence of giant cruise ships in Venice’s lagoon was reignited this weekend after claims that a huge vessel belonging to the same company as the wrecked Costa Concordia sailed dangerously close to St Mark’s Square.

The city’s environment councillor Gianfranco Bettin said the 100,000-tonne Carnival Sunshine passed within 20 metres of the water front at Riva Dei Sette Martiri, 800 yards past the famous piazza, on Saturday morning.

Mr Bettin said witnesses had reported the incident. “The impression is that there was an error in manoeuvring, which among other things resulted in a water taxi being caught between the 272-metre vessel and the shore.

“We would like to know the real reason for this sail-by, which appeared more like a scrape than a salute,” he said.

The writer Roberto Ferrucci, was one witness, He told the Venice edition of Corriere della Sera: “I was sitting at the bar reading and I saw the ship docking; rather than moving to the centre of the canal, it brushed the shore dangerously trapping a water taxi. It was incredible.

“And it’s not the first time it’s happened; it occurred with another ship 10 days ago. Afterwards that one straightened up, but it made quite an impression.”

This month the trial begun of Francesco Schettino, who was captaining the Costa Concordia vessel when it crashed onto rocks off the Tuscan coast in January 2012 with the loss of 32 lives. The vessel allegedly made a risky sail-by “salute” to the island of Giglio. Some people claimed such sail-bys were commonplace.

Carnival Cruises, the US parent company of Costa Cruises, made a statement denying that its vessel had performed any abnormal or risky manoeuvres in Venice on Saturday morning, however. “At that moment, the ship was under control of the captain and the distance from the shore was verified by both Carnival and the coast guard with the voyage data recorder,” it said.

But the claims have once again raised concerns over the presence of such huge vessels in Venice’s Giudecca Canal.

The environment minister, Andrea Orlando, said he was aware of the claimed incident on Saturday morning, and that the government was working to regulate the presence of such large ships in Venice’s lagoon.

The spokesman for Venice’s No Big Ships Committee, Silvio Testa, said that Saturday’s events showed the authorities’ claims that such huge vessels represented no safety risk were not be believed, and that the vast cruise liners were “incompatible with the city and the lagoon”.

In addition to aesthetic objections at seeing the giant liners blot out the sun in the evocative lagoon city, Mr Testa says the huge amounts of pollution produced by the vessel is a serious concern. His committee says the biggest vessels produce the same amount of pollution in an hour as 15,000 cars.

The acid nature of the fumes is thought to speed up the erosion of the city’s medieval buildings, which are already sinking into the lagoon -- a process exacerbated by the currents produced by the enormous vessels, that sweep down the Giudecca Canal close to St Mark’s Square.

Campaigners say the ships’ vast bulk displaces huge quantities of water that surges into the smaller canals of the fragile city.

By Michael Day, The Independent

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ABOARD THE CARNIVAL SUNSHINE -- Carnival's top executives today released the first tidbits about the line's next ship, including what it'll be called: Carnival Vista.

The 4,000-passenger vessel, scheduled to debut in 2016, will be "extremely connected to the ocean," with vistas from multiple spaces an important element, Carnival CMO Jim Berra told cruise writers at an event aboard the line's recently revamped Carnival Sunshine.

"We're starting to use the ship names as a touchstone for how we think about the design," Berra said, pointing to the more outward-facing, one-year-old Carnival Breeze as an example.

"A lot of what we are thinking about for the design and the inspiration (for Carnival Vista) is the views out to the ocean," Berra added. "At the end of the day, that is why people are cruising. They want the salt air. They want the ocean breeze. They want to look out and see the ocean."

Carnival CEO Gerry Cahill said the Carnival Vista will have both similarities and differences to the Carnival Breeze, though he and Berra were coy about specifics.

"It will look different than Breeze, and it'll have spaces that are different than Breeze," Cahill said. "But it will have a lot of the same spaces (as Breeze)."

Carnival has slowed orders for new ships in recent years, and the Carnival Vista is its only vessel on order for delivery over the next three years. The line currently operates 24 ships, making it the world's largest line.

By Gene Sloan, USA Today

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Carnival Cruise Lines has appointed four highly esteemed maritime and transportation industry experts – Rear Admiral Mark H. Buzby, Rear Admiral Joseph F. Campbell, Ray Valeika and Dr. John K. Lauber — to the company’s new Safety & Reliability Review Board.

Announced in April as part of Carnival’s comprehensive fleetwide technical enhancement program, the review board was created to provide independent third-party perspective and to drive continuous improvement across the line’s fleet. The core objectives of the board are to review Carnival Cruise Lines’ current policies, practices and performance and to guide the company in incorporating best practices from other relevant fields and industries. The four new board members are:

• Rear Admiral Mark H. Buzby Rear Admiral Mark H. Buzby will be retiring from the U.S. Navy on August 1 after a 34 year career as a Surface Warfare officer. For the past three and a half years, he commanded the Navy’s Military Sealift Command (MSC), responsible for the operation and maintenance of 112 civilian manned logistics, support, special mission, and prepositioning ships operating around the globe. A graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Buzby has served extensively at sea in destroyers, cruisers, and a hydrofoil. He commanded five times including destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64), Destroyer Squadron 31, Surface Warfare Officers School, Joint Task Force Guantanamo, and MSC. Ashore, Rear Admiral Buzby has served several tours on the Chief of Naval Operations staff and the Joint Staff. As a Flag officer, he served as Deputy for Surface Ships, Deputy for Expeditionary Warfare, and Deputy for Surface Warfare. He served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Global Force Management and Joint Operations at U.S. Fleet Forces Command in Norfolk, Virginia. Rear Admiral Buzby has been awarded a number of decorations including the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal and numerous other unit and campaign awards. He brings a wealth of fleet-level operational expertise to the Board.
  

• Rear Admiral Joseph F. Campbell was an engineering duty officer in the U.S. Navy for more than 32 years. He served in various waterfront maintenance tours and commanded Norfolk Naval Shipyard for two separate periods from 2003 to 2006 and from 2012 to 2013. Upon promotion to Rear Admiral, he served on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations as Fleet Maintenance Officer at U.S. Fleet Forces Command and at the Naval Sea Systems Command as Deputy for Industrial Operations and Maintenance. During his Navy career Campbell was awarded the prestigious Distinguished Service Medal along with other personal medals and numerous campaign and unit awards.
  

• Ray Valeika is an internationally recognized aviation operations expert with more than 40 years of experience in managing large airline maintenance operations. After retiring from Delta Air Lines as senior vice president – technical operations, Valeika works as an independent consultant for global maintenance and engineering firms. During his esteemed career, Valeika has directed staffs of more than 10,000 professionals, and advised major companies in aviation and technical matters. His leadership at Delta resulted in continuous improvement of the human factor processes in aviation maintenance, with Delta’s Technical Operations division consistently ranking at the top of the industry for performance benchmarks in the areas of safety, quality, productivity and reliability. Under Valeika’s leadership, Delta achieved STAR level, the highest safety rating awarded by the national Occupational Safety & Health Administration’s (OSHA’s) Voluntary Protection Program. Delta also received the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA’s) Diamond award, its highest award for maintenance technician training safety. Valeika was also a member of the FAA’s special Airworthiness Directives Compliance Review Team. In addition, Valeika was the recipient of the Air Transport Association’s Nuts & Bolts award for his leadership and achievement in furthering safety and quality standards in the commercial aviation industry.
  

• Dr. John K. Lauber previously served as senior vice president and chief product safety officer for Airbus SAS in Toulouse, France, and also was vice president – safety and technical affairs for Airbus North America in Washington, DC. Prior to joining Airbus, he was vice president of corporate safety and compliance at Delta Air Lines. Dr. Lauber has received numerous awards, including NASA’s Outstanding Leadership Award, the Flight Safety Foundation/Aviation Week Space Technology Distinguished Service Award and the Boeing/Flight Safety Foundation Aviation Safety Lifetime Achievement Award. Most recently, he received the Joseph T. Nall award from the International Aviation and Transportation Safety Bar Association. In 1985, Dr. Lauber was nominated by President Reagan and confirmed by the U.S. Senate for a term as a Member of the National Transportation Safety Board. In 1990 he was re-nominated by President Bush and confirmed for a second term at the NTSB, where he served until 1994. He has been a member of many other advisory committees and boards, including the Workshop on Assessing the Research and Development Plan for the Next Generation Air Transportation System, and the Committee on the Effects of Commuting on Pilot Fatigue. He is a member of the MITRE Aviation Advisory Committee and serves as vice chairman of the Puget Sound Harbor Safety Committee.
  

“In April, Carnival Cruise Lines announced a major initiative encompassing technical, safety and reliability enhancements,” said Gerry Cahill, president and CEO of Carnival Cruise Lines. “That initiative encompasses a $300 million investment to significantly enhance emergency power capabilities, introduce new fire safety technologies and improve the level of operating redundancies across our entire 24-ship fleet, as well as the formation of a Safety & Reliability Review Board. All of these measures serve to position us as an industry leader in operational best practices as we move towards the future,” Cahill added.

In addition to these external members, the Safety & Reliability Review Board will also include the following technical experts from within Carnival Cruise Lines:

• Martin Landtman, senior vice president marine operations, who oversees all aspects of marine operations for the line’s 24-vessel fleet and joined Carnival in February 2011. Prior to joining Carnival, Landtman was president of Aker Yards/STX Finland, Inc., one of the world’s largest shipbuilders. He also spent several years in senior management positions at Kvaernar Masa-Yards, a leading Helsinki-based shipbuilder, and 10 years at Wartsila Shipyards in a number of technical operations posts, including head of machinery design.
  

• Richard J. O’Hanlon, vice president – nautical and safety operations, who joined Carnival in May 2013 and is responsible for all aspects of nautical and safety functions across the Carnival fleet, including bridge procedures and nautical operations, as well as firefighting and lifesaving systems. O’Hanlon is a former rear admiral in the U.S. Navy with nearly two decades of government and private sector executive experience in maritime operations, maintenance and logistics. O’Hanlon was previously commander of the Naval Air Force Atlantic and deputy chief of staff for logistics and training for U.S. Fleet Forces, both based in Norfolk, Va.
  

• Mark Jackson, vice president – technical operations, who joined Carnival in April 2013 and oversees all technical marine functions across the Carnival fleet, including repair and maintenance, refurbishment projects, and related technical services. Jackson is a 24-year veteran of the United States Coast Guard with extensive experience in nautical engineering, maritime repair and refurbishments, and ship operations. Prior to joining Carnival, Jackson was commanding officer of the U.S. Coast Guard base in Miami Beach, FL. He was also commanding officer of the Naval Engineering Support unit in Miami overseeing a team of 100-plus engineers and served as lead instructor for shipboard stability and firefighting at the U.S. Navy Warfare Officers School.
  

Carnival’s Safety & Reliability Review Board is in addition to parent company Carnival Corp. & plc’s board-level Health, Environmental, Safety and Security Committee as well as multiple regulatory agencies which provide extensive cruise industry oversight.

By Carnival Cruise Lines

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Passengers aboard the Carnival Conquest cruise ship returning from a seven-day Caribbean vacation got an unexpected detour to Mobile Sunday, a diversion required by the closure of a 10-mile stretch of the Mississippi River near its mouth to shipping because of the sinking of a tug boat on Saturday.

At 2 p.m Sunday, the river closure following the capsizing and sinking of the 48-foot-long tugboat C-Pec near mile marker 8 above Head of Passes near Venice also had forced 22 arriving cargo ships to wait in Southwest Pass and has 28 cargo vessels waiting upriver for the 10-mile stretch to be declared safe for passage, said Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer 3rd Class Carlos Vega.

The delayed arrivals and departures could cost shippers millions of dollars, based on past estimates of the costs of a day's closure of the river, said Port of New Orleans President Gary LaGrange. In 2008, when the river was closed for several days to clean up an oil spill, the cost was estimated at $295 million a day, he said.

The Conquest was scheduled to arrive in Mobile at 2 p.m. Sunday, Carnival Cruise Lines officials said.

"Given the uncertainty as to when the river may re-open and the approximate nine-hour transit time required from the mouth of the river to New Orleans, it was decided last night to divert the Carnival Conquest to Mobile, Ala., to ensure we are able to get our guests home as quickly as possible," said a Sunday news release from Carnival's Miami headquarters.

"Upon arrival, guests will be transferred to New Orleans (where the voyage was originally scheduled to end this morning) via motor coach -- an approximate two-and-a-half-hour distance," the Carnival news release said. "Guests who wish to stay on board the ship tonight in Mobile as a result of missed flights will be allowed to do so and will be provided transportation via motor coach tomorrow morning."

The rerouting also will require the shortening of the Conquest's next cruise from seven to six days, with the departure now from Mobile on Monday, with port calls at Freeport and Nassau in the Bahamas. However, passengers arriving for the cruise in New Orleans will be bused to Mobile on Monday morning.

"Guests sailing on the shortened voyage will receive a one-day pro-rated refund of their cruise fare and have the option of canceling and receiving a full refund if they do not wish to proceed with the voyage," the news release said.

Carnival is asking guests scheduled for the Monday departure to take advantage of text alerts by texting CCL1 to CRUISE (278473) for updates.

Still unclear is whether the Carnival Elation, which was to arrive at the mouth of the river late Sunday, will also be rerouted to Mobile, said Joyce Oliva, a spokeswoman for Carnival. She said the company would issue a news release later Sunday when a decision is made on whether the ship must be diverted.

Vega said it remains unclear when the 10-mile stretch of the river will reopen.

"The river will be closed until further notice, until either the tug has been located or the waterway is determined safe for navigation," he said. He said Coast Guard officials are in contact with the Carnival Elation.

LaGrange said at least two vessels equipped with sonar had worked through Saturday night to locate the sunken tug. Another five sonar-equipped vessels were to arrive during the day Sunday or Monday.

LaGrange said the vessels were attempting to both locate the tug and to survey a 500-foot-wide center line in the river channel to determine if it could map out a passageway for shipping. He said at least one vessel had identified an anomaly on the bottom in an area to the side of the main channel that might be the tug, but more data was needed to insure it's the right vessel.

By Mark Schleifstein, NOLA.com

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Carnival Cruise Lines is saying bon voyage to Norfolk.

The company said Thursday it is moving the Carnival Glory to Miami beginning in November. It was the cruise line's only ship seasonally homeported in Norfolk.

Carnival will not to deploy the Carnival Glory or another Carnival ship from Norfolk in 2014, a spokesman told The Virginian-Pilot.

The company says it routinely evaluates the performance of all of its itineraries and makes adjustments as needed to reflect the preferences of its guests and overall financial performance.

Carnival cited 2015 environmental requirements related to the sulfur content in the fuel used by cruise ships as a key factor in its decision.

The requirements "would significantly impact our fuel costs for operating cruises from Norfolk and many other ports around North America," Vance Gulliksen, a Carnival spokesman, told the newspaper in an email.

Hank Lynch, executive director of Nauticus, said he expects Carnival to reconsider Norfolk once it develops more fuel-efficient technology or if the Environmental Protection Agency decides to soften its new regulation.

As it is, the EPA has "cost people their jobs and they've denied the East Coast of the United States, especially from the Mid-Atlantic all the up to New England, opportunities to go cruising," Lynch said.

Also on Thursday, Carnival announced that it would move the Pride, a 2,124-passenger ship, from Baltimore to Tampa in November 2014. Carnival had warned Maryland officials that it would relocate the Pride if the Environmental Protection Agency did not approve its plan for complying with pollution-control regulations, the Baltimore Sun reported.

Gulliksen said the company is keeping the door open on the possibility of returning to Norfolk at some point, calling its cruise program from Norfolk very successful.

"We will evaluate all viable options to return to Norfolk in the future," Gulliksen said.

Source: Associated Press

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Carnival Cruise Lines today announced new ship deployments taking effect in 2014 in several key markets resulting in exciting new product offerings from Port Canaveral, Fla., and New Orleans. Carnival will now feature the widest selection of seagoing vacation choices in these markets aboard some of the most innovative ships in cruising.

Carnival Sunshine, which recently completed a massive $155 million transformation, will be repositioned from New Orleans to Port Canaveral beginning in April 2014. This move will allow Carnival to continue to offer attractive new options from Port Canaveral and marks the first time the line will have a ship in Central Florida featuring all of the fantastic Fun Ship 2.0 bar, dining and entertainment innovations.

In turn, Carnival Dream will reposition from Port Canaveral to New Orleans to operate year-round seven-day Caribbean cruises beginning in April 2014, representing a 22 percent capacity increase on week-long sailings from the Big Easy. The 130,000-ton Carnival Dream is from the line’s newest and largest class of ships and offers an array of on-board facilities and features. Carnival is the only cruise line to operate two year-round ships from New Orleans and will carry more than 400,000 guests annually from this important Gulf Coast homeport.

Carnival will also increase capacity in Port Canaveral by 30 percent when Carnival Liberty launches year-round five- to eight-day Caribbean cruises in May 2014, adding a second Fun Ship 2.0-equipped vessel to the Space Coast. The ship’s many popular features include Guy’s Burger Joint, developed in tandem with Food Network star Guy Fieri, along with BlueIguana Cantina, RedFrog Rum Bar, EA Sports Bar, BlueIguana Tequila Bar and the award-winning Alchemy Bar.

Guests will now have the widest variety of cruise vacations available from Port Canaveral including five cruise durations — from three to eight days — offering seven different itinerary options and the chance to visit 14 exciting destinations throughout The Bahamas and Caribbean. Carnival will be the only cruise line to offer three year-round ships from Port Canaveral, providing fun and memorable cruise vacations to over 600,000 guests annually.

“These deployment changes will enable us to offer our guests even more exciting Carnival cruise vacation choices from Central Florida and the Gulf region and significantly enhance our leadership positions in the Port Canaveral and New Orleans markets,” said Gerry Cahill, Carnival president and CEO.

Carnival Sunshine to Port Canaveral

Carnival Sunshine, which debuted this May in Europe following an unprecedented transformation that added a host of exciting on-board features, will launch year-round seven-day Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral beginning April 19, 2014. A new special 11-day cruise from New Orleans to Port Canaveral, visiting Montego Bay, Aruba, Curacao and St. Thomas will depart April 6, 2014. On April, 17, 2014, a one-time two-day Bahamas cruise will also be offered.

Carnival Sunshine will operate a year-round schedule from Port Canaveral that includes port-intensive seven-day cruises to the eastern and western Caribbean, along with a number of eight-day Caribbean cruises and five-day departures featuring Florida, Caribbean and Bahamian ports. After completion of its 2013 Europe season, Carnival Sunshine will make its North American debut with a series of seven-day Caribbean cruises from New Orleans starting in November 2013 and running through April 2014.

Carnival Dream to New Orleans

Beginning April 20, 2014, Carnival Dream will launch year-round seven-day Caribbean cruises from New Orleans. The 3,646-passenger vessel will mark a significant increase in seven-day capacity for this popular cruise program from the Big Easy. There will also be a unique nine-day cruise departing April 5, 2014, from Port Canaveral to New Orleans with calls in Aruba, Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman and Cozumel, along with a special six-day cruise round-trip from New Orleans departing April 14, 2014, visiting Costa Maya, Roatan and Cozumel.

On its regular schedule from New Orleans, Carnival Dream will offer three distinctly different three-port, seven-day eastern and western Caribbean options.

Carnival Liberty to Port Canaveral

Carnival Liberty, which is currently based in Miami, will reposition to Port Canaveral and operate a year-round schedule of five- and eight-day Caribbean cruises starting May 4, 2014. Five-day cruises call at Key West, Nassau and Freeport, while two different eight-day options will be offered – a unique eastern Caribbean itinerary featuring Grand Turk, St. Thomas, Tortola, and St. Maarten; and a southern Caribbean program visiting Aruba, Curacao and Grand Turk. A number of seven-day eastern and western Caribbean cruises will also be offered on an occasional basis throughout the year.

Other Florida-Based Ship Deployments

Carnival Pride will reposition from Baltimore to Tampa to launch seven-day cruises from that port from December 2014 through April 2015, joining Carnival Paradise which offers value-packed four- and five-day cruises from Florida’s West Coast. On its new Tampa-based program, Carnival Pride will visit four magnificent western Caribbean destinations: Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Mahogany Bay (Roatan) and Belize. A special five-day cruise will be available on Carnival Pride departing Dec. 16, 2014, visiting Grand Cayman and Cozumel. There will also be unique eight-day one-way cruises available from Baltimore to San Juan on Nov. 30, 2014, and from San Juan to Tampa on Dec. 8, 2014. These voyages include visits to Grand Turk, St. Kitts, St. Thomas and St. Maarten.

Carnival Pride replaces Carnival Legend which will remain in Tampa through Aug. 17, 2014, and then reposition to Australia to operate a previously announced seasonal schedule of voyages from Sydney, joining Carnival Spirit which launched year-round departures from Down Under in October 2012.

Carnival also announced that Carnival Glory will remain in Miami year-round beginning in November 2013, operating seven-day voyages that alternate weekly to the eastern and western Caribbean with a convenient new Saturday departure. Eastern Caribbean cruises visit St. Thomas, San Juan, Grand Turk and Nassau or Half Moon Cay, while western Caribbean departures feature Cozumel, Mahogany Bay (Roatan), Belize and Grand Cayman.

Source: Carnival Cruise Lines

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Carnival Corp. & plc Chairman and CEO Micky Arison says he’s been talking with his board about splitting the two top corporate roles “for quite some time” and will remain active with the company despite relinquishing the CEO position to Arnold W. Donald, a board member for 12 years, effective July 3. “I am not going anywhere,” Arison, 63, told analysts during a conference call to discuss second-quarter earnings. “I will remain as chairman and plan to remain chairman for the foreseeable future.”

Arison said he has been sensitive to U.K. management practices, which usually split the chairman and CEO roles. “I have decided, and the board agreed, it is a good time to split the role,” he said. “Even in the U.S., it’s starting to move in this direction.”

In his new role, Arison said he “will do whatever Arnold needs me to do … anything I can do to make help Arnold become hugely successful in the company.” He said he anticipated continuing to work in areas in which he has experience, such as newbuilding. “I’m looking to Arnold to run the day-to-day corporate operation, and I may even take a couple of golf lessons,” he joked. Arison also owns the Miami Heat professional basketball team, which just celebrated its NBA championship.

Donald said his first plan is to spend in-depth time with the company leadership team, noting that Arison and COO Howard Frank have built the “largest, most successful leisure travel company in the world.” He also said he is familiar with the company and its executives from his role as a board member.

Arison said he recommended Donald for the CEO position. “We did not hire consultants to do a full external search,” he said. “I recommended Arnold as a choice, and the committee immediately supported that as did the independent directors. We felt we had the right candidate and there was no need to go beyond that. … We did not know if it was something he would entertain … but we’re very pleased he’s agreed to take on this role.”

Executives also elaborated on booking patterns and a new initiative to improve Carnival Cruise Lines’ relationship with travel agents. Frank also made a point to thank the travel agent community for their support following the Carnival Triumph incident, which generated negative publicity after it lost power in the Gulf of Mexico for a few days in February. “Travel agents know Carnival provides great vacations to a wide spectrum of consumers … at very affordable prices,” he said. “Many travel agents have been very supportive, and we are grateful.”

A day earlier, Carnival Cruise Lines announced a new initiative to improve its communications and relationship with travel agents. Frank said that effort will include co-op marketing, trade advertising, more social media and web-based marketing, and more TV advertising.

Frank said Carnival Cruise lines pricing and occupancy have been lower year-over-year, but that there has been “a gradual improvement” over the last six weeks. “We are hopeful this trend will continue,” especially since the Carnival Triumph was successfully reintroduced in Galveston on June 13. “We are confident that as time passes this brand will come back stronger than ever,” Frank said, although it will likely take two or three years until the line can show positive price comparisons again.

He also said Costa “continues to trend in a positive direction” since the January 2012 Concordia tragedy. “It appears the Costa recovery is well under way,” he added.

By Theresa Norton Masek, Travel Pulse

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Carnival Corp. said its decades-long chief executive who was at the helm as the firm became the world’s largest cruise company -- and faced recent crises as its ships faced highly publicized safety problems -- will step down.

The Miami firm said Tuesday that Micky Arison, 63, will leave his CEO post July 3 but stay on as chairman of the board in a move that splits the two positions. Arnold W. Donald, 58, a 12-year member of its board, will replace Arison as chief executive.

Arison became chief executive in 1979, before the company went public, and guided it through its arrival on Wall Street and several major acquisitions, including Princess Cruises, Holland America and Costa Cruises.

Carnival said that under Arison’s helm the company grew from three cruise ships and one brand to a fleet of more than 100 ships that ferry around 10 million travelers a year.

Last year the company came under worldwide scrutiny when its Costa Concordia ship crashed off the coast of Italy, killing 32 and leading to criminal charges against the captain.

Then in February, an engine fire on Carnival Triumph zapped most of the power on board, leading to overflowing toilets and angry passengers as the ship was towed from the Gulf of Mexico.

The company has since announced that it will make safety upgrades to its entire fleet.

But Carnival's problems took a toll on the cruise industry, recent surveys by Harris Interactive show.

In its quarterly report issued Tuesday, Carnival reported sales down 1.7% to $3.48 billion for the quarter ended May 31. That was below analysts' predictions that averaged about $3.56 billion.

Company profit for the quarter was $41 million, which was better than analyst forecasts and a considerable jump from $14 million during the same period last year. The profit result was helped by declining fuel costs.

Carnival said its cumulative advance bookings for the rest of 2013 are below last year levels.

Arison, who also owns the Miami Heat, will remain Carnival’s largest shareholder.

"I have been discussing this with the board for some time now and feel the timing is right to align our company with corporate governance best practices and turn over the reins after 34 years as CEO," Arison said in a statement.

Arison praised new chief executive Donald as “an exceptional professional with extensive experience in organizational leadership who will bring a fresh perspective to the company.”

By Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times

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Carnival Sunshine introduced a host of new and exciting venues when it debuted last month, including Shake Spot, the ideal place to chill where guests can enjoy a variety of hand-crafted milkshakes and floats, including “adult versions” of the frozen confections, available with fun and creative toppings.

Located along Deck 5 Promenade adjacent to Ocean Plaza, Shake Spot offers nine different kinds of milkshakes with delicious choices such as the Strawberry Creamsicle, Tropical Delight and Mocha Java Rev-Up served with a shot of espresso, along with seven kinds of floats, including the Brown Cow with chocolate ice cream, chocolate syrup and Coca-Cola, and the Purple Cow, a refreshing concoction of vanilla ice cream and grape soda. Adult versions of both the shakes and floats spiked with bourbon, rum and various liqueurs are also available. There’s even an all-inclusive “Shake Lover’s Package” for those who simply can’t get enough of these unique and nostalgic treats on vacation.

Carnival Sunshine entered service from Europe May 5 and will operate a series of nine- and 12-day Mediterranean cruises through October before repositioning to the U.S. for Caribbean departures in November.

Source: Carnival Cruise Lines

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Cruise giant Carnival is suing the Alabama shipyard that took in the Carnival Triumph earlier this year after it lost power at sea, Mobile's Press-Register reports.

The Press-Register says Carnival is blaming Mobile's BAE Systems shipyard and several related entities for what it says is more than $12 million worth of damage that occurred to the vessel during a storm that swept across the facility.

The Carnival Triumph broke free from its moorings at the shipyard during the April 3 storm, which was accompanied by wind gusts approaching 70 miles per hour. The ship drifted in the Mobile River before hitting another vessel, and damage to the Carnival Triumph included a noticeable 20-foot-long gash across its stern.

In its complaint, Carnival calls the moorings at the shipyard defective, the Press-Register says.

The suit also names Bernadette Johnson, the widow of a shipyard employee who died during the storm, according to the news outlet.

The BAE Systems shipyard took in the Carnival Triumph for repairs in the wake of the Feb. 10 engine room fire that knocked out the vessel's main power and left it dead in the water. During the incident, the ship's emergency backup power system kicked in but was inadequate to provide passengers with basic services including working toilets, elevators, air conditioning and lighting in many areas, and passengers reported miserable conditions on board for several days. The ship eventually was towed to Mobile.

The Press-Register says the widow who was named in Carnival's lawsuit had sued Carnival in May. The widow's late husband, John Johnson, was swept into the water during the storm and drowned.

In statements to the media at the time of the storm, Carnival referred to the damage to the Carnival Triumph as "limited."

By Gene Sloan, USA Today

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Following extensive enhancements and upgrades, Carnival Triumph arrived in Galveston yesterday and will return to service June 13, resuming its year-round schedule of four- and five-day cruises to Mexico.

Carnival Cruise Lines has completed all necessary repairs and invested thousands of man hours and $115 million to enhance and upgrade Carnival Triumph. This includes significant enhancements to the ship’s emergency power capabilities, introducing new fire safety technology and improving the level of operating redundancies.

After the Carnival Triumph fire in February 2013, the company launched a comprehensive operational review of its 24 ships. On April 17, Carnival announced a $300 million fleetwide program to expand the availability of hotel services for the comfort of its guests in the rare instance of a shipboard event that involves the loss of power and to reinforce key shipboard operating systems to prevent a potential loss of primary power. The initiative includes:

In addition to those operational enhancements, while in dry dock Carnival Triumph received many of the latest Fun Ship 2.0 amenities, including:

On its year-round schedule from Galveston, Carnival Triumph departs Thursdays on four-day cruises to Cozumel and Mondays and Saturdays on five-day voyages to Cozumel and Progreso, Mexico.

Source: Carnival Cruise Lines

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After several months of instability, the world’s largest cruise ship company is bringing back a familiar face.

Bob Dickinson, who retired as president and CEO of Carnival Cruise Lines in 2007 after a 35-year career with the line, has entered into a consulting agreement with parent company Carnival Corp.

In an interview Monday morning, Dickinson said his initial assignment would be to examine travel agent relationships with the company’s North American brands: Carnival Cruise Lines, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line and Seabourn Cruise Line. His role will include studying agent perceptions of the brands compared to perceptions of their competitors, cooperation between brands and agents and best practices.

“Because I’m not tied to any one brand, I have sort of a 30,000-foot look at it; I can be very, very objective,” said Dickinson, 70. “It may be difficult for a brand to say ‘Gee, I made a mistake’ or ‘Gosh, I should have seen that and I didn’t,’ or ‘Gosh, maybe this strategy was the wrong one.’”

While he acknowledged that “there will be egos involved, obviously,” Dickinson said his job will be simply to present solid facts and leave the action up to managers. “It’s not meant to be an adversarial effort, it’s meant to be a collaborative effort,” he said.

The Miami-based cruise operator did not make any executives available for interviews Monday, but said in a statement that Dickinson will report to Carnival Corp. Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer Howard Frank.

Dickinson served on the parent company’s corporate board from 1987 until April, when he reluctantly did not stand for reelection. The reason, he said, was that in the UK, where the stock is also traded, he was not considered an “independent” director because of his long history with the cruise line. But he didn’t want to leave the industry, so Dickinson said he and Frank started talking about other possible roles.

The consultancy agreement, effective June 1, is for one year but can be renewed, Dickinson said.

He said the work will also touch on advertising and could include public relations and consumer and trade outreach.

Dickinson comes on board at a rocky time for the cruise company, stemming from the disabling February fire aboard the Carnival Triumph. The ship was powerless in the Gulf of Mexico for several days on what became known as the “Poop Cruise” because passengers did not have widespread access to working toilets. A series of technical issues on other ships drew attention, taking a toll on the cruise line’s reputation.

In May, Carnival lowered its earnings forecast for the year to $1.45-$1.65 a share, saying it had been forced to drop prices to drive demand. The company had already lowered its 2013 forecast in March, dropping a pre-Triumph estimate of $2.20-$2.40 per share to $1.80-$2.10.

The company’s woes, while hitting Carnival the hardest, appear to be affecting the public’s perception of the entire industry. An online Harris Poll conducted in May showed that perceived quality, trust and purchase intent for seven brands had declined compared to a post-Triumph poll. But the news was the worst for Carnival: The poll showed that perceived quality of Carnival dropped 12 percent from the February survey, trust dropped 11 percent and purchase intent declined 8 percent.

For some regular cruisers, the news about Dickinson’s reengagement with Carnival was welcome.

“Typically our readers don’t care much who runs a cruise line,” said Carolyn Spencer Brown, editor-in-chief of the website . “But wow, I put a post up last night and the response has been incredible. They call the guy Uncle Bob.”

Mike Driscoll, editor of the weekly trade publication Cruise Week, said the focus on travel agent relationships is necessary, especially for Carnival Cruise Lines.

“It needed to happen because Carnival has a lot of issues with the distribution system that go beyond all of the negative consumer issues this year,” he said. “Travel agents are the primary distributors of cruises. They’re not pushing Carnival to the extent that they used to, and they are pushing Carnival’s two competitors. And they are pushing sister brands.”

Dickinson said the cruise company’s message needs to stay centered on the value proposition of cruise vacations.

“To me, the best defense is a good offense,” he said.

By Hannah Sampson, Miami Herald

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Beginning in 2014, Carnival Cruise Lines has significantly diversified Carnival Splendor’s year-round offerings from New York, adding new four- and five- day Canada cruises, seven-day Canada/New England departures, and the only program of eight-day eastern Caribbean voyages operating one-way between New York and San Juan.

These new voyages complement the ship’s popular year-round eight-day departures that showcase top destinations in the Caribbean, The Bahamas, and Central Florida.

In total, Carnival Splendor will offer 10 different itineraries visiting more than a dozen scenic destinations throughout the Caribbean, Canada, and the U.S. Atlantic Coast, providing consumers with an incredible array of “Fun Ship” vacation choices.

“New York is a favorite homeport of Carnival guests and we’re delighted to expand our offerings from the Big Apple to include a diverse array of itineraries, from historic and charming cities in Canada and New England to a host of tropical island destinations throughout the Caribbean,” said Gerry Cahill, Carnival’s president and CEO. “At the same time, we’re also pleased to offer these special one-way cruises between New York and San Juan which provide our guests with an even greater variety of exciting destinations from which to choose,” he added.

Four- to Seven-Day Canada/New England Cruises from New York

Carnival Splendor will operate a schedule of four-, five- and seven-day Canada/New England cruises running from June to October 2014.

Four-day weekend cruises depart June 5, July 3 and 31, and Aug. 28, 2014, calling at Saint John, New Brunswick, while five-day cruises depart Sept. 1 and Oct. 11, 2014, calling at both Saint John and Halifax, Nova Scotia. Five week-long “fall foliage” Canada/New England cruises will also be offered, featuring extended stops at Boston, Portland, Maine; Saint John and Halifax. Departure days for the seven-day voyages include Sept. 6, 13, 20, and 27 and Oct. 4, 2014.

These attractive Canada/New England voyages provide guests the opportunity to view centuries-old architectural structures, explore awe-inspiring natural wonders, and visit interesting historical landmarks.

Unique One-Way Cruises Between New York and San Juan

For the first time, Carnival Splendor will offer a series of one-way voyages between New York and San Juan. The eight-day itineraries will operate from New York to San Juan or vice versa, with stops at St. Thomas, St. Kitts, Antigua, and St. Maarten. Three New York-to-San Juan cruises will depart Oct. 24, 2014, and Jan. 12 and Feb. 13, 2015, while three San Juan-to-New York voyages will depart Nov. 1, 2014, and Jan. 20 and Feb. 21, 2015.

On these one-of-a-kind voyages, guests can visit some of the world’s most beautiful beaches and participate in a wide range of activities, from snorkeling, scuba diving and kayaking to zip-lining across the lush Caribbean countryside.

Eight-day Voyages Round-Trip from New York

These new options complement Carnival Splendor’s wide array of eight-day cruises round-trip from New York offered throughout the year. These include a Bahamas/Florida itinerary calling at Port Canaveral, Fla.; and Freeport and Nassau, The Bahamas, along with two different eastern Caribbean routes, one featuring San Juan, St. Thomas and Grand Turk, and another visiting Grand Turk, Nassau and the private Bahamian island of Half Moon Cay.

In addition to outstanding beaches, guests sailing on these cruises can experience unique dining, shopping and cultural opportunities and tour a variety of historic landmarks and attractions.

Variety of Fun On-Board Options Aboard Carnival Splendor

The 3,006-passenger Carnival Splendor offers a variety of on-board features and facilities, highlighted by a two-level 21,000-square-foot Cloud 9 Spa, along with four swimming pools, a cascading water slide and free, supervised programming and facilities catering to kids in three age groups. Dining options include two two-level main dining rooms, a classic American steakhouse and an expansive poolside restaurant offering a variety of international cuisines and a 24-hour pizzeria.

Carnival Splendor also offers a wide range of accommodation choices, including spectacular suites and Cloud 9 Spa staterooms, with more than 60 percent of all staterooms offering either an ocean view or private balcony. There are even inter-connecting staterooms that are perfect for families or guests travelling together.

Source: Carnival Cruise Lines

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Video footage from the Carnival cruise ship where a young couple went missing this week appears to show the woman jumping from the vessel and her panic-stricken boyfriend following moments later, Australia's Herald Sun is reporting.

The news outlet, citing local police, says an enhancement of security video from the Australia-based Carnival Spirit appears to show Paul Rossington, 30, jumping after his girlfriend, Kristen Schroder, 27, about 20 seconds after she plunged from the ship.

The couple went overboard late Wednesday as the Carnival Spirit was sailing off the coast of Australia, but no one realized they were missing until Thursday morning when the vessel docked in Sydney, Australia.

A massive air and sea search of the waters off the Australia coast begun on Thursday was called off today, and the couple is presumed dead.

The Herald Sun says detectives have spent the last day enhancing and analyzing surveillance footage from the ship to figure out what happened to the couple, who were traveling with friends and family.

In a statement sent to USA TODAY on Thursday, Carnival was vague about what the security camera footage showed but ruled out anything criminal.

"There is indication from the shipboard video of what transpired," the statement says. "There is no evidence of foul play. However, out of respect for the families, we are not going to publicly disclose the details of what occurred at this time."

Carnival's top executive in Australia, Ann Sherry, today defended the Carnival Spirit crew's handling of the situation, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. While the couple's fall from the ship was caught on tape Wednesday by one of the vessel's 600 surveillance cameras, Sherry noted that not all the cameras are monitored around-the-clock.

"We've invested hugely (in cameras), we can see exactly what's going in most parts of the ship at most times," she said, according to the Morning Herald. "There is also a balance, of course, around privacy. We don't watch what people are doing in their private spaces, but we are keen to know exactly what's happening around the sides of the ship."

The incident is just the latest to put Carnival in the spotlight. It comes three months after a power loss on another Carnival ship, the Carnival Triumph, left passengers stranded at sea for days in miserable conditions. The much-publicized event followed an engine room fire on the ship.

Carnival also has experienced power problems in recent months with several other ships, including the Carnival Legend and Carnival Dream, and the line this week has faced complaints about unfinished areas from passengers on the first voyage of the newly revamped Carnival Sunshine.

The 2,124-passenger Carnival Spirit is based in Australia year-round. One of 24 ships at the line, it sails eight- to 12-night voyages to the South Pacific out of Sydney and Melbourne, Australia that are aimed primarily at Australians.

By Gene Sloan, USA Today

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Carnival Cruise Lines is to send a letter to the UK trade today telling them it will have no ships in Europe next year, Travel Weekly reports in a news alert emailed to Cruise Business in the UK.

Carnival Cruise Lines, which has the 86,000 gross ton Carnival Legend based in Dover and the 102,000 gross ton Carnival Sunshine operating from Barcelona and Venice this year, said it did not think Americans, who make up the vast majority of its passengers, would pay increased airfares to cross the Atlantic.

Itineraries for 2014 have yet to be announced, but UK director Adolfo Perez said agents may be expecting Carnival to have European sailings next year. He stressed the deployment did not mean any scaling back of the UK office and said he was very hopeful that Carnival would bring a ship back in Europe for the 2015 season.

Carnival Legend will reposition to Australia this autumn, where it will become the second ship of the company to cater for the local market.

"The important thing is that our sales team is staying exactly the same size. In fact, we're even recruiting someone right now to replace one of the team that has just left to move overseas. The trade has really supported us and sales have grown significantly from this market and so we will remain as committed as ever with the same great commissions and marketing support."

"We are really hopeful of getting a ship back in Europe in 2015 and you can't just pull out for a year and then expect to just come back again when we need the trade, so it will be business as usual with us really engaged with the trade. Unfortunately, we just don't think the airfares for Americans will be affordable."

The letter to agents said: “Given the current market conditions, increasing air fares, and the fact that most of our guests are from the US, we have decided to not deploy a Carnival ship to Europe in 2014. This was a difficult decision for us, as we realise our guests truly love sailing with Carnival in Europe, largely because we provide great holidays at great value for money. We are hopeful we will return in the future.”

“Carnival continues to be committed to the UK and Irish markets. Whilst we have relied on you all for our European deployment in 2013, you continue to bring guests to Carnival in the Caribbean… and they love it. In fact, the majority of our UK customers choose a cruising holiday that departs from North America. After all, we are the cruise industry leader in year-round Caribbean cruise holidays including departures from all of the major Florida ports and we are the only cruise line to offer year-round departures from Barbados, a true British favourite.”

Following last year’s decision to split the UK-based team overseeing the line from fellow Carnival Corporation operator Holland America Line, it has had a dedicated sales and marketing team under Perez based in London.

By Kari Reinikainen, Cruise Business Review

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