Frank Del Rio News

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd forecast operating cash flow to be positive for the current quarter on Tuesday, as the U.S. cruise operator benefits from higher on-board spending and prices with its full fleet back in service.Shares of the company rose about 3% in early trade, as the company also said that booking trends remained strong despite a hit from Omicron variant of the coronavirus and the Russia-Ukraine conflict."We are seeing an explosive showing by consumers, particularly American consumers.

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.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd said its plans for resuming mid-summer U.S. sailings could be in jeopardy, a day after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) laid out new technical instructions for the cruise industry.The health agency, which recently said it was "committed" to the resumption of passenger operations, on Wednesday issued requirements for starting simulated trips and applying for a COVID-19 conditional sailing certificate to begin sailing with…

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd said on Monday it had sought the approval of U.S. health authorities to restart trips from U.S. ports from July 4 with mandatory vaccinations for travelers, bringing new hope to the ravaged industry.The company’s announcement follows the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) latest guidance last week to the cruise ship industry, including the need for COVID-19 vaccinations.In a letter, Norwegian Cruise said that its plan was…

Cruise operator Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd said on Monday it would require mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for all guests and crew when it restarts trips from U.S. ports in July.The company’s announcement follows the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) latest guidance last week to the cruise ship industry, including the need for COVID-19 vaccinations.The cruise operator has taken a hit for over a year due to the pandemic, resulting in heavy annual losses and plunging revenue…

Knut Kloster, one of the founders of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. and a pioneer of the modern cruise industry, passed away on Sunday at the age of 91.“We are incredibly saddened by the loss of the visionary who not only brought our company, but our industry, to life,” said Frank Del Rio, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings president and CEO. “Knut was a pioneer in our industry and certainly ahead of his time, exploring every opportunity to be at the forefront and break boundaries.

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…

Cruise industry rivals are teaming up in an effort to sail again.On Monday, Royal Caribbean Group and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd announced a joint task force to help develop safety standards for restarting their businesses during the coronavirus pandemic.The “Healthy Sail Panel,” co-chaired by former Utah Governor Mike Leavitt and former U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, is advising the companies on restart plans they will submit to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other regulators at the end of August.

Carnival Cruise Line said on Monday it has extended its pause in operations for North American voyages until September 30, as it determines how to safely resume service amid the COVID-19 pandemic.The cruise line, owned by Carnival Corp, had previously said it would resume some voyages on August 1.Industry trade group Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) said on Friday its ocean-going cruise line members, which include Carnival, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd, would voluntarily extend their pause in operations from U.S. ports until Sept.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd swung to a quarterly loss on a $1.6 billion impairment charge as the COVID-19 pandemic brought the global cruise industry to a virtual standstill.Cruise operators have been hammered by the curbs to contain the spread of the virus, with extended port quarantines in Japan and California due to deadly outbreaks on some cruise ships adding to the worries.The company said on Thursday it posted a net loss of $1.88 billion, or $8.80 per share, for the three months ended March 31…

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd’s $3.5 billion in cash on hand will be enough to bankroll the company for “at least 18 months” without any new revenue due to the coronavirus pandemic that has halted voyages, Chief Executive Frank Del Rio said on Thursday.“That’s enough to cover our cash burn under a zero-revenue environment for at least 18 months, not 12, 18 months,” Del Rio told Reuters in a phone interview.Norwegian’s shares, which have lost almost 80% of their market value this year…

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd on Monday withdrew its 2020 forecast and said it would cut spending by about $515 million, as it extends the suspension of its ships to June 30 amid the coronavirus pandemic.The outbreak has effectively shut down the entire cruise ship industry, and with most international travel halted, cruise companies are now hemorrhaging cash and scrambling for new funds to ride out the slowdown that could last longer than expected.Shares of Norwegian and…

Godmother and international icon Christie Brinkley named Seven Seas Splendor in a star-studded ceremony during black-tie festivities Friday evening at PortMiami.The Luxury ocean cruise line Regent Seven Seas Cruises stated that Seven Seas Splendor is the sister of 2016's Seven Seas Explorer."Every ship we launch gets even better, and Seven Seas Splendor is magnificent," said Frank Del Rio, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. "The collaboration between the designers, engineers, craftsmen, hotel and restaurant teams and the crew on board all brings the renowned Regent experience to life on this beautiful ship."Seven Seas Splendor is helmed by 30-year veteran Captain Serena Melani…

The third-largest cruise line in the world Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL)  announced plans for the development and construction of the Norwegian Cruise Line Center of Excellence, a new shipboard seafarer training facility near Manila in the Philippines.The Center, which will serve both new and existing crew and provide training for various service-related jobs, is due to open in late 2020, said a press release from Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.Norwegian said the facility will be "designed to provide trainees with realistic work and living experiences aboard a cruise ship, which will include replicas of staterooms, a shipboard galley, a casino floor…

The largest shipbuilder in Europe Fincantieri and the US Group Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. signed a contract for the construction of two new generation cruise ships for the Oceania Cruises brand, with delivery scheduled respectively in 2022 and 2025, which will start the “Allura-Class”.The agreement has an overall value exceeding 1 billion euros.With about 67,000 tons and the capacity of accommodating approximately 1,200 passengers on board, these units will be the new flagships of Oceania Cruises future fleet, for which the Group has built in 2011 and 2012 respectively “Marina” and “Riviera” at the Sestri Ponente (Genoa) yard.“We…

Miami-based Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings reported third-quarter ended September 30, 2018 profit of $470.4 million compared to $400.7 million in the prior year. The cruise operator said in a investor release that its total revenue increased 12.5% to $1.9 billion. Gross Yield increased 4.5%. Net Yield increased 4.0% on a Constant Currency basis, outperforming guidance by 50 basis points. Norwegian expects to generate record earnings in full year 2018 and has increased its outlook above the high-end of its previous guidance range. Adjusted EPS is now expected to be approximately $4.85, which is inclusive of the previously announced impact…

U.S. based Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. has exercised options to order the fifth and the sixth newbuildings of the Leonardo series cruise ships from Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri.The new vessels will be about 140,000-tons, almost 300 meters long and accommodate 3,300 guests, and are part of a class of new-concept cruise ships for the Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) brand with deliveries scheduled in 2026 and 2027.The agreement for the construction of the first four units…

Norwegian Cruise Line’s first ship custom-designed specifically for the Chinese cruise market will be repositioned to sail from the United States starting in 2019.The nearly 4,000 passenger cruise ship Norwegian Joy is slated to sail seasonally from Seattle to Alaska in summer 2019 before making voyages to the Mexican Riviera and Panama Canal from Los Angeles in winter 2019/2020.Built by German shipbuilder Meyer Werft in 2017, the 1,094-foot-long, 167,725 gt Norwegian Joy was designed with finishes and amenities tailored specifically to the tastes of Chinese guests.

Norwegian Cruise Line’s first ship to sail to Cuba, Norwegian Sky, has made her maiden call in the capital city of Havana. “Today is a momentous day for Norwegian Cruise Line, our guests and our travel agent partners, as we open our doors to Cuba’s natural beauty, warm people and historical treasures,” said Frank Del Rio, president and chief executive officer for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, who was on board Norwegian Sky with other NCL executives to celebrate the voyage. Today’s call was the first of Norwegian Sky’s weekly roundtrip cruises from Miami to Cuba.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. said it has partnered with online and mobile commerce company Alibaba Group for its entry into the Chinese cruise shipping market. Alibaba operates the world’s largest online and mobile marketplaces, offering a wide range of products and services to its nearly half billion monthly active users. In China, people live, work and play on Alibaba, buying local and overseas products, and enjoying its entertainment and lifestyle services – travel, food delivery and social networking.

Cruise holidays. Despite the now mundane miracle of aviation travel, Earth's deep oceans and seas still beckon to millions of holidaymakers year on year. Or, if perhaps not the water herself, then the concomitant aspects of contemporary cruise travel. A number of days if not weeks aboard a gargantuan, luxury-focused ship, which is replete from fore to aft with swimming pools, cafes, bars, restaurants, libraries, retail departments, casinos…did we mention bars, too? Magnificent.

Norwegian Cruise Line’s first custom-designed ship for the Chinese cruise market, Norwegian Joy, was christened in a ceremony held onboard the vessel in Shanghai that featured a performance by the ship’s Godfather, singer songwriter, music producer, actor and film director, Wang Leehom. At 167,725–gross-tons and accommodating 3,883 guests, Norwegian Joy’s design, finishes and amenities are tailored specifically to the tastes of Chinese guests. The vessel was built by German shipyard Meyer Werft.

Miami-Dade County has given the green light for construction to begin on the sleek new terminal for Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) terminal, designed by Miami-based architecture firm Bermello Ajamil & Partners. The county will invest up to USD 100mln to build 166,000-square-foot terminal at PortMiami, augmented by funds coming from Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. Commissioners also agreed to advance project costs not to exceed an additional $65m. The terminal will be able to accommodate ships with up to 5,000 passengers, feature indoor and outdoor waiting areas, faster embarkation and disembarkation technology, expedited security screening and include a new parking garage, a valet area and lounge.