America Line News

Carnival Warns of Hit to 2024 Earnings After Rerouting of Red Sea Itineraries

Carnival said on Tuesday that its annual earnings would take a hit as the cruise operator reroutes its ships that were due to pass through the Red Sea, a key transit route linking Asia and Europe.A growing list of companies have rerouted vessels as the Houthis, a Yemeni militant group, steps up attacks on Israeli ships or ships heading towards Israel, in solidarity with the Palestinians.The rerouting by Carnival is expected to have an impact of 7 cents to 8 cents on its adjusted earnings per share for full-year 2024, with the majority of the impact coming in the second quarter.

Holland America Line Completes Shore Power Connectivity Installs

With the completion of shore power installation on Volendam, Holland America Line's entire fleet is now shore power-capable. Volendam completed installation in Vancouver, British Columbia, and connected to the port's shoreside electricity for the first full day on Sept. 27.The cruise line began converting ships to have shore power connectivity in 2006 with its four Vista Class ships; its Pinnacle Class ships (Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam and Rotterdam) all were built with shore power systems installed…

Carnival Posts Smaller Loss on Strong Demand

Cruise operator Carnival Corp on Monday reported a smaller-than-expected quarterly loss and beat estimates for revenue, helped by strong demand for leisure travel, higher ticket prices and strong on-board spending.Cruise operators like Carnival, Royal Caribbean Group and Norwegian Cruise Lines Holdings are reporting resilient demand from cooped-up consumers undeterred by elevated inflation as COVID-19 pandemic-related restrictions ease."We are still experiencing a record wave season…

Holland America Line Trials Biofuels on Board Volendam

Carnival Corporation's Holland America Line brand announced it has completed a 20-day trial of cleaner-burning biofuel on board its cruise ship Volendam, reporting a decrease in lifecycle emissions compared to marine gas oil.Wrapping up at Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands, the long-term test was conducted in partnership with GoodFuels, a producer and supplier of sustainable biofuels for the transportation industry, and Wärtsilä, manufacturer of power and propulsion technologies and lifecycle solutions for the marine market.The assessment was completed September 7.

Yesterday’s or Tomorrow’s Offshore Energy: Which to Pick?

Looking back, it is easy to wonder if one could have done better by taking the other fork in the road. I grew up in Holland in a maritime family and am pretty sure I would have stuck with maritime there. In 1968, when I was 8 years old, my father left Holland America Line and joined the United States Salvage Association. At the same time, their main customer, the U.S. marine insurance industry, became heavily involved in the development of North Sea offshore oil and gas, and it resulted in an economic boom that made USSA’s Rotterdam office wildly profitable.

Holland America Line Ship to House Ukrainian Refugees

A Dutch-flagged cruise ship will provide a temporary home to some 1,500 Ukrainians who fled their country in the wake of Russia's invasion.Holland America Line said its vessel Volendam will be used to accommodate Ukrainian refugees as part of an agreement announced by Netherlands and City of Rotterdam government officials. The ship will dock at Merwehaven, a cargo port on the north side of the River Maas in Rotterdam, for three months to provide a temporary home for approximately 1,500 Ukrainians, part of a larger commitment from the Netherlands to accommodate 50,000 people who fled the war in their homeland.“We are in a unique position to accommodate the immediate need for food and housing…

AIDA Cruises Cancels Stops at Russian Port

Carnival Corp-owned AIDA Cruises said on Thursday four of its ships would not stop at St. Petersburg port in Russia this summer as were previously scheduled, after the country’s invasion of Ukraine.The move comes after most major U.S.

Cruise Ship with COVID-19 Outbreak Docks in Mexico

Mexico on Tuesday allowed a cruise ship to dock and disembark tourists in spite of an outbreak of COVID-19 on board, as the government vowed to keep the country open to cruise vessels provided sanitary precautions are met.The ship, Ms Zuiderdam, with some 2,000 passengers and crew, docked in the port of Guaymas in the northern state of state of Sonora, state and federal authorities said.In a statement, the Mexican government said it would accept cruise ships that sought permission…

Carnival's Long-term Demand Indicates Omicron Threat Will Fade Soon

Carnival Corp on Monday flagged a hit to its near-term bookings from Omicron, even as demand for cruises late next year and beyond suggest a short-lived impact from new coronavirus variants.Shares of Carnival gained 3.3% as the cruise operator said new COVID-19 variants have not had a significant impact on its plan to return its full fleet to operations in the spring of 2022.The fast-spreading COVID-19 Omicron variant has been a cause of concern over the last month, creating some…

Fincantieri Delivers New Cruise Ship to Holland America Line

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri on has delivered a new cruise ship 'Rotterdam' to the cruise line Holland America Line, part of Carnival Corporation.This is Holland America Line's eleventh ship in the fleet. A handover ceremony took place at Fincantieri's Marghera shipyard in Italy on the evening of July 29.As the third vessel in the Pinnacle Class series and the seventh ship to bear the name for Holland America Line, Rotterdam will carry 2,668 guests in 1,340 cabins. The new cruise ship…

Fincantieri Sees Chantiers Deal Decided by Year End

Italy’s plan to create a European shipbuilding champion through Fincantieri’s bid for France’s Chantiers de l’Atlantique will be decided by the end of December, its chairman said on Monday, amid signs the deal is in trouble.Italy hopes the tie-up will help state-controlled Fincantieri, Europe’s biggest shipyard, better compete with rivals from Asia and elsewhere.Fincantieri, whose clients include Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises, MSC and Disney Cruise Line…

Fincantieri Delivers Its First Cruise Ship of the COVID-19 Era

Fincantieri handed over the 145,000-gross-ton Enchanted Princess to Carnival Corp. brand Princess Cruises on Wednesday, marking the Italian shipbuilder's 100th cruise ship delivery over the last 30 years, and the first since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.The milestone delivery was celebrated with a live video message from Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte during a ceremony virtually attended by Micky Arison, Chairman of Carnival Corp.; Arnold Donald, President and CEO of Carnival Corp.…

Stalled Cruise Industry Targets Repeat Passengers

Retired New Yorkers Mahlon and Kim Russell have taken 15 cruises over the past 15 years, visiting destinations from Tahiti to St. Petersburg, primarily with Norwegian Cruise Line.After canceling a fall trip to Europe, in July the Russells booked a 10-day cruise around Australia and New Zealand—for January 2022.“We love cruising,” said Mahlon Russell. “But we don’t love it enough to be the first ones out of the gate.”The cruise industry has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic…

Profiles in Training: Marcus Cheesman, Founder, Seven Seas Preparatory Academy

Marcus Cheesman started his maritime training in 1987 at the early age of 13, attending Trinity House Navigation School, the UK’s only Nautical school. Upon graduation he was selected for a deck cadet apprenticeship with P&O Cruises and continued to progress through the ranks with P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line (including Windstar Cruises) and Disney Cruise Line, ultimately obtaining his Master Mariners license in 2002. He has piloted vessels on the busy River Humber based in his home town Hull…

Carnival Makes Leadership Changes at HAL, Costa

Carnival Corporation announced another set of moves within its global leadership team as part of the company's broader efforts to streamline operations and prepare the organization for the eventual resumption of cruising amid the coronavirus health crisis.Gus Antorcha, currently chief operations officer for the group's Carnival Cruise Line brand, has been named president of the company's Holland America Line, while Neil Palomba, currently president of the company's Italy-based Costa Cruises…

Princess and Other Cruise Lines Extend Service Suspensions

Carnival Corp’s Princess Cruises said on Wednesday its voyages would remain suspended through the end of summer as reduced flights and travel bans around the globe bring the industry to a virtual standstill.Holland America Line, Carnival’s another unit, said it has canceled all cruises for Alaska, Europe and Canada and New England for the year, as well as its Amsterdam vessel that was scheduled to depart in October to Fort Lauderdale, Florida from Boston.“As we continue to navigate through these unprecedented and challenging times…

Carnival Plans to Resume Some Voyages in August

Carnival Corp announced Monday it plans to resume certain North American voyages in August as it tries to rebound from the coronavirus pandemic, which has idled its ships since March.The company said its Carnival Cruise Line brand intends to restart cruises on eight ships from Miami (Carnival Horizon, Carnival Magic and Carnival Sensation), Port Canaveral (Carnival Breeze and Carnival Elation) and Galveston (Carnival Dream, Carnival Freedom and Carnival Vista) on August 1, while…

Two Cruise Ships Dock in Florida After Coronavirus Ordeal

An ocean liner forced by a deadly onboard coronavirus outbreak to languish at sea since mid-March pulled into a South Florida port on Thursday, after authorities settled plans for the vessel and its sister ship to dock and most passengers to come ashore.The Holland America Line cruise ship MS Zaandam and its twin, the MS Rotterdam, docked late in the afternoon at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where medical personnel immediately began off-loading 13 severely ill…

Coronavirus-stricken Zaandam to Dock in Florida

Two Holland America Line cruise ships, including the coronavirus-hit Zaandam, are scheduled to dock at Port Everglades on Thursday, a spokesperson for the Florida port confirmed.The port said it would hold berths open for the two ships as details for the conditions of arrival are being finalized. An estimated time of arrival is to be determined.Florida has been working with the cruise line and the U.S. government to develop a plan to allow thousands of passengers exposed to COVID…

Cruise Passengers Await Florida Deal Allowing Them to Disembark

The U.S. government and Florida were working on a plan on Wednesday to allow thousands of cruise ship passengers exposed to an onboard coronavirus outbreak to disembark, a day after President Donald Trump urged the governor to drop his opposition to their docking.Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis said he was not opposed to them docking in his city. But he said a clear protocol was needed to protect residents of his South Florida city from infection.“There can be no missteps in this process…

Trump Urges Florida to Welcome Coronavirus-hit Cruise Ship

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday urged Florida officials to open an Atlantic Coast port to a Dutch cruise ship stuck at sea with a deadly coronavirus outbreak onboard, urging the governor to drop his opposition.Weighing in on the fate of Holland America Line’s MS Zaandam during a White House briefing, Trump said he would call Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who has declared the vessel unwelcome to prevent its sick passengers from being “dumped” on his state.“They’re dying on the ship…

Carnival Brands Pause Cruises for Another Month

Four of Carnival Corp’s cruise lines said on Monday they would extend the suspension of all voyages by a month to May due to the coronavirus crisis that has worsened over the past few weeks.The brands - Holland America Line, Carnival and luxury cruise ship operators Seabourn and Cunard - together operate 49 ships.Carnival Corp, also the operator of two coronavirus-stricken Princess cruises, has already temporarily suspended several of its ships due to concerns over the rapidly spreading COVID-19 crisis earlier this month.“The impact of COVID-19 is affecting personal routines and businesses as

Holland America Line Extends Pause on Operations

Carnival-owned Holland America Line, owner and operator of the coronavirus-stricken MS Zaandam, announced it will extend its pause of global cruise operations for an additional 30 days, cancelling sailings scheduled to depart through May 14, amid continued port closures and travel restrictions surrounding global health concerns."As the world addresses global health concerns, travel has come to a temporary standstill as communities take necessary precautions to protect themselves," said Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line.