Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., was notified of the decision by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to refer its proposed merger with P&O Princess to the Competition Commission for further review. Royal Caribbean believes strongly that the proposed merger will deliver significant consumer benefits, as well as shareholder value.
Richard Fain, Chairman and Chief Executive of Royal Caribbean, said: "We have never taken regulatory approval for granted. This referral in no way detracts from our determination to complete the merger on the agreed timetable".
Goldman Sachs International and Cazenove & Co. Ltd, which are regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Services Authority Limited, are acting for Royal Caribbean in connection with the agreed combination and no-one else and
will not be responsible to anyone other than Royal Caribbean for providing the protections afforded to customers of Goldman Sachs International and Cazenove & Co. Ltd nor for providing advice in relation to the agreed combination.