Louis Cruise Lines News

NUSI alongwith Norwegian Seafarers Union (NSU), FIT-CISL and International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) together organized the Fifth International Cruise Seminar in India. This time the seminar was organized in Bangalore from January 19th -23rd, 2016. Around 75 seafarers from various cruise lines such as NCL, RCCL, Silverseas, P&O, Louis Cruise Lines and others participated in the seminar. The participants held all types of positions onboard, varying from Deck & Engine, HR and both higher and lower ranking positions in the Hotel/Catering Departments. The goal was to educate seafarers about Basic Trade Union awareness, their rights while working at sea, Harassment & Bullying, health and HIV-Aids. their ship and educate their fellow crew members.

In what is being seen as a landmark decision, Hill Dickinson is the first law firm to have successfully defended a UK class action case involving a Norovirus outbreak onboard a cruise liner. The case, which involved an outbreak of gastroenteritis onboard the “THOMSON SPIRIT”, chartered by TUI UK limited and operated by Louis Cruise, was a 43-claimant class action, 28 of whom had alleged bacterial illness with the balance claiming breach of contract. The case was brought against TUI UK Limited who as contracting carrier would have been liable for the fault or neglect of the performing carrier…

Royal Olympic Cruise Lines Inc. has been advised by Louis Cruise Lines Ltd (LCL) that agreement has been reached for the shares held by LCL in ROC Holdings Inc. (ROCH), the majority shareholder in Royal Olympic Cruise Lines (ROCL), to be exchanged for a number of shares held by Louis Tourist Agency Ltd (LTA) in Cyprus Tourist Development Company (CTD), the owners of the Hilton Hotel in Nicosia. Acquisition of the $20 million subordinated bond by LTA and the Guarantee of Liabilities amounting to $6.0 million. As part of the acquisition of LCL’s investment in ROCL, LTA will guarantee the $6.0 million loan made by LCL to ROCL and will acquire $20.0 million subordinated convertible bond issued by ROCL to LCL in 2001.

A $16.7 million initial public offering by Cyprus' Louis Cruise Lines was close to 30 times oversubscribed, a company spokesman said.

Royal Olympic Cruise Lines Inc. reported a net loss for the first six months of the fiscal year 2000 of $10.2 million, an improvement of $2.3 million or 18.4 percent compared with the same period last year. The first half of the year is traditionally a very slow period for the area of the European cruise market in which Royal Olympic operates. The company expects to further improve its position in the rest of fiscal year 2000 and to report positive net income for the full year. The company plans to deploy its most recent delivery, the Olympic Voyager, in the Caribbean cruise market following the end of the summer and fall high seasons in the Aegean.

Royal Olympic Cruise Lines (ROCL) has elected George Stathopoulos to the position of acting CEO. At the same time, Stathopoulos maintains responsibility for the Company's worldwide marketing and sales efforts. The Company also appointed George Kassapis to the position of CFO. The appointment of George Stathopoulos to the top management post of the Company enables Dr. Stelios Kiliaris, who has served as CEO since December 1999, to fully resume his position as managing director of the major shareholder, Louis Cruise Lines Ltd. (LCL). He remains on the Board of ROCL and continues as a member of its Executive Committee. Involved in various aspects of the cruise industry for 24 years…

Nine companies expressed interest in the privatization of Hellenic Shipyards at Skaramanga, part of the country's privatization agenda for 2001, the development ministry reported. The government's advisers on the project will shortlist bidders in the next 15 days and then ask for binding bids for the shipyard, whose major shareholders are ETBA Bank and workers. The ministry expects the project to be concluded by June. The companies that expressed interest are: Constructions Mecaniques de Normandie; General Electric Company; Howaldtswerke Deutsche Werft AG-Ferrostaal AG; Louis Cruise Lines Ltd ; Mentor Technologies; Elefsina Industrial Companies SA; Pacific & Atlantic Corporation; Royal Schelde BV-Damen Shipyards Group BV; and Vosper Thornycroft Ltd.

Geolink announces the signature and integration of Oceancell GSM onboard network contract with Louis Cruise Lines, the largest cruise enterprise in Mediterranean and one of the key players worldwide. Louis Cruise Lines owning and operating internationally in total 10 cruise ships will rely on the Oceancell service to provide its passengers with direct GSM mobile services onboard its ferries.

Petroleos Mexicanos (PEMEX) and Norcontrol IT entered into a three-year maintenance contract that covers the offshore VTMIS system at the Bay of Campeche oilfield located in the Gulf of Mexico off the Yucatan Peninsula. The Bay of Campeche is the largest oilfield in Mexico and the world's largest offshore oil development project. The VTMIS system installed by Norcontrol IT consists of two control centers and seven radar sites, all of which are covered by the maintenance contract. A large capacity, flexible and reliable VTMIS system is required at the Bay of Campeche for several reasons. The coverage area contains between 200-300 vessels per day, all of which have to be monitored to protect the pipelines: Especially important as the bay is only 40-50 m deep in most areas.

The owners, operator and captain of a cruise ship that hit the rocks off the island Santorini and sank were fined a total of $1.57m Monday for polluting the Aegean Sea, the AP reported. The Sea Diamond leaked an estimated 300 tons of fuel into the sea since sinking off the island two months ago. Nearly 1,600 people, most of them Americans, including two dozen students from North Carolina, were evacuated from the Cypriot-owned ship on April 5, but two French tourists are missing and presumed drowned. The Sea Diamond sank the next day, with some 450 tons of fuel and lubricants in its tanks. The ship's owners, Louis Group, operators Louis…

The captain of a cruise ship that slammed into a volcanic reef before sinking off the Aegean island of Santorini blamed strong currents for the accident, Greece's state-run television said Sunday. The 1,156 passengers, most of them Americans, and the 391 crew members were forced to evacuate the listing liner, which sank 15 hours after the accident on Thursday. A pair of French tourists have been missing since then. On Saturday, the captain and five other officers of the 489-ft. Sea Diamond were indicted on charges of causing a shipwreck through negligence, breaching international shipping safety regulations, and polluting the environment.

Cyprus cruise operator Louis Cruise Lines has signed a deal to acquire a 51.4 percent controlling stake in Nasdaq-listed Royal Olympic Cruise Lines. The value of the agreement was not disclosed. The deal will significantly boost Louis's share of the Mediterranean cruise market, bringing some 16 vessels under its management. Louis now owns seven vessels, and an eighth is under management. It has increasingly turned to out-chartering in recent years and has a dominant position in the eastern Mediterranean short-cruise market that it operates out of Limassol. Royal Olympic operates eight vessels in the Mediterranean and in the United States. The Greek company is in the process of building another two vessels, the first due for delivery in June 2000 and the second in 2001.

The Cyprus Stock Exchange extended its gains Nov. 2 with a 3.4 percent climb to a new all-time record, spurred by renewed demand for tourism stocks. Disclosures that Louis Cruise Lines were mulling a share split pushed tourism stocks up 7.5 percent as investors clamored to buy shares. "Demand in the stock went through the roof," said one trader of a 6.3 million share volume in Louis, whose directors meet on Nov. 10. A possible split, rights issue and a new share issue to finance a recent acquisition of Greek-controlled Royal Olympic Cruise Lines will be on the agenda. The all-share index closed 21.87 points, or 3.46 percent higher at 654.70 on a turnover of $87.1 million. Banking stocks rose 1.31 percent to 773.20 points.

Louis Cruise Lines reportedly acquired its seventh cruise vessel, boosting the total capacity of its fleet to 5,803 passengers. The vessel, the M/S Mermoz, was bought from Prestige Cruises NV, a member of the Costa Crociere group. The Mermoz has a tonnage of 14,173 and can accommodate 739 passengers in 300 cabins. The vessel will reportedly replace the Ausonia, which is under charter to Britain's First Choice.

Louis Cruise Lines has acquired its seventh cruise vessel, boosting the total capacity of its fleet to 5,803 passengers. The vessel, M/S Mermoz, was bought from Prestige Cruises NV, a member of the Costa Crociere group. The cost of the acquisition was not disclosed. The vessel will come under LCL's ownership in November, a company spokesman said. The Mermoz is now operated by Costa, and its last cruise under the Paquet brand is scheduled for October, the spokesman added. The Mermoz has a tonnage of 14,173 and accommodates 739 passengers in 300 cabins. The ship will replace the Ausonia, which is under charter to Britain's First Choice. LCL owns seven cruise boats, and an eighth is under management.

Cyprus cruise operator Louis Cruise Lines has signed a deal to acquire a 51.4 percent controlling stake in Nasdaq-listed Royal Olympic Cruise Lines. The value of the deal was not released. Louis now owns seven vessels, and an eighth is under management. It has increasingly turned to out-chartering in recent years and has a dominant position in the eastern Mediterranean short-cruise market that it operates out of Limassol. Royal Olympic operates eight vessels in the Mediterranean and in the United States. The Greek company is in the process of building another two vessels, the first due for delivery in June 2000 and the second in 2001.