Royal Olympic Cruise Lines News

Royal Olympic Cruise Lines Inc. announced today that the, Olympia Explorer, sister ship to Royal Olympic’s Olympia Voyager is expected to reach the port of Piraeus early 2002, which will enable her to perform exciting new itineraries from Venice to Piraeus, Istanbul and the Greek Islands next summer, with Piraeus as an alternative port of embarkation. Royal Olympic Cruises delegates and representatives from Blohm+Voss Shipyard in Hamburg had a very constructive meeting in Piraeus regarding the delivery of the Olympia Explorer, which was due for delivery in April 2001. With 28 knots cruising speed, the Olympia Explorer is the only ship…

Royal Olympic Cruise Lines Inc., reported that third quarter net revenues increased by 11.3 percent to $57.1 million compared to the same period last year. For the nine months ended August 31, 2001, revenues increased by 17.6 percent to $102.6 million compared to $87.3 million during the same period in 2000. The growth in revenues in the third quarter is attributable to an improved summer cruise season and the introduction of Seawing, which contributed $8 million. Operating expenses increased by 20.4 percent or $5.5 million to $ 32.6 million for the third quarter of 2001, compared to $ 27.0 million for the same period last year. The increase in operating expenses was mainly due to the introduction of Seawing…

Royal Olympic Cruise Lines, Inc., announced today that two out of its eight shipowning companies, Olympic World Cruises, Inc., the owner of the vessel Olympia Voyager, and Royal World Cruises, Inc. the owner of the vessel Olympia Explorer, have filed for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the United States bankruptcy code. The company has been in discussion with the lenders to these subsidiaries regarding a potential restructuring of $250.0 million in loans incurred to finance the acquisition of the two vessels. Discussions have not to date produced an agreement and the lenders have delivered a notice of acceleration of the loans. These loans are secured by mortgages on the two vessels and have been guaranteed by Royal Olympic Cruise Lines, the parent company.

Responding to a published report that their vessel OLYMPIA EXPLORER was ordered by the court in Honolulu to remain in Hawaiian waters, Royal Olympic Cruise Lines Inc. announced that a temporary restraining order that had been issued by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court at 1 p.m. Wednesday, December 17, was rescinded two hours later. The vessel sailed from Honolulu the same day and is presently continuing the performance of its scheduled cruise among the Hawaiian islands and its voyage to San Diego and Los Angeles. The vessel OLYMPIA VOYAGER, which also is subject to the Chapter 11 reorganization proceeding pending in Honolulu, sailed from Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Wednesday night on its next scheduled voyage.

Responding to a published report that their vessel Olympia Explorer was ordered by the court in Honolulu to remain in Hawaiian waters, Royal Olympic Cruise Lines Inc. announced that a temporary restraining order that had been issued by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court at 1 p.m. Wednesday, December 17, was rescinded two hours later. The vessel sailed from Honolulu the same day and is presently continuing the performance of its scheduled cruise among the Hawaiian islands and its voyage to San Diego and Los Angeles. The vessel Olympia Voyager, which also is subject to the Chapter 11 reorganization proceeding pending in Honolulu, sailed from Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Wednesday night on its next scheduled voyage.

Royal Olympic Cruise Lines, Inc. and Olympia Voyager 11:00 AM EST, Monday, December 22. Honolulu, and subject to further discussions with lenders and further action by the District Court are restricted to calls at US Ports. As a result of this limitation the December 22 sailing of the Olympia Explorer to Ensenada, Mexico and the Hawaiian Islands has been cancelled and the Olympia Voyager has been held at St Thomas V.I., and is expected to return to Port Everglades with passengers on January 2nd. between owners and lenders and further action by the Court. reorganization.

Royal Olympic Cruise Lines announced that the Greek court administering the section 45 proceeding regarding its subsidiaries has allowed the company an extension until Thursday, February 12, 2004, to reach agreement on a plan of restructuring with the holders of at least 51% of outstanding obligations. The company is in negotiations with its major creditor, Fortis Bank, which itself holds more than 51% of the total obligations. In addition the company announced that it has put all administrative staff in Greece on unpaid leave pending the outcome of the court ruling and discussions with financial institutions and various creditors.

Royal Olympic Cruise Lines Inc. announced today that the Greek Court administrating the Section 45 proceeding regarding its subsidiaries is expected to issue a decision in the next few days. The Court had previously given the company until today to present a restructuring plan consented to by 51% of its creditors. Negotiations with Fortis Bank, the holder of more than 51% of the company's debt, are meanwhile continuing, in an attempt to secure the consent to a plan. The company also announced that Athens 2004, the group overseeing the Olympic Games to be held in Athens, has recalled in full the $1 million advance deposits paid to Royal Olympic Cruise Lines.

Royal Olympic Cruise Lines Inc. reported that significant booking cancellations aboard its cruise vessels for the remainder of the year will adversely affect its final results for 2001. The cancellations follow the tragic attacks on New York and Washington DC on September 11, 2001. CEO of Royal Olympic Cruise Lines, Yiannos Pantazis, stated, "A large number of the passengers travelling with us in September and October are from the United States and unfortunately, since September 11, many have chosen not to travel abroad. The cancelled bookings will have a serious negative impact on the fourth quarter and, consequently, the year-end numbers will show a higher loss than previously expected. $0.85 per share.

Royal Olympic Cruise Lines Inc. announced that the Olympia Explorer, sister ship to Royal Olympic's Olympia Voyager, is expected to reach the port of Piraeus early 2002, which will enable it to perform new itineraries from Venice to Piraeus, Istanbul and the Greek Islands next summer, with Piraeus as an alternative port of embarkation. Royal Olympic Cruises delegates and representatives from Blohm+Voss Shipyard in Hamburg had a meeting in Piraeus regarding the delivery of the Olympia Explorer, which was due for delivery in April 2001.

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.

Royal Olympic Cruise Lines Inc announced that Silk Navigation had acquired an additional 20 percent of ROC Holdings Inc. from Louis Tourist Agency. As a result, Silk and Louis each now hold 50 percent of ROC Holdings, which in turn holds 51.4% of Royal Olympic's common stock. Silk Navigation is controlled by members of the Potamianos family, with Andreas Potamianos holding the position as Royal Olympic's Co-Deputy Chairman and Louis Tourist Agency is controlled by Costakis Loizou, also Co-Deputy Chairman. In addition, Royal Olympic announced that it had agreed with Louis Tourist Agency to modify the terms of the $20 million convertible subordinated note issued by Royal Olympic on February 28, 2001 and held by Louis Tourist Agency.

Blohm+Voss GMBH delivered of the new fast cruise ship, Olympia Explorer, to Royal Olympic Cruise Lines Inc. The vessel immediately sailed from the Blohm+Voss shipyard to the Port of Piraeus in Greece. The Olympia Explorer, together with her sister ship, Olympia Voyager, are the fastest cruise vessels of their size, performing unique cruises at speeds of up to 30 knots. "The new itineraries Royal Olympic Cruises will offer with this vessel have created considerable interest in the cruise market. The first cruises are already fully booked," added Pantazis. On her maiden voyage on May 3, the Olympia Explorer will start a series of weekly cruises calling at the ports of Piraeus, Corfu, Venice, Dubrovnik, Bari, Katakolon, Istanbul, Mykonos and Santorini.

Around the world, people involved with shipping are booking flights to Greece and preparing to do business at the Posidonia 2002 International Shipping Exhibition, held on the Piraeus waterfront from June 4-7, 2002. With the Greek market worth a conservative $16 billion per annum, there is plenty of incentive. The business week begins with The Posidonia Congress and a program of high level international presentations and debate, at the Megaron, Athens Concert Hall on Monday, June 3. Posidonia's attraction for exhibitors and visitors is not hard to see. Greek shipowners control the biggest fleet in the world. Their drive towards fleet renewal and regeneration is creating multi billion dollar opportunities throughout the international maritime industry.

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…

German shipbuilder Blohm + Voss said on Wednesday it was in negotiations to build two ships but declined to confirm a report that the potential order was to build two cruise ships worth 960 million marks ($435.2 million). It was reported earlier that the German group was in talks with a potential U.S. client to build two giant cruise ships capable of a top speed of 29 knots using a new propulsion system and hull design. "I can confirm that we are in talks for two ships," a Blohm + Voss spokeswoman said. "We would be very glad if this came true, but for now we are in negotiations," he said but declined further comment. Blohm + Voss returned…

More than 125 years ago, on April 5, 1877, two young and ambitious engineers, Hermann Blohm and Ernst Voss joined together to what has since evolved into one of Germany’s most advanced and largest shipyards – Blohm + Voss Schiffswerft und Maschinenfabrik (shipyard and machine factor) on Steinwarder Island, situated on the River Elbe. Originally formed to build steam ships, the company began to develop into one of the largest closed shipyard site and dock capacity by the beginning of the 20th Century. Throughout its developmental stages, Blohm + Voss profited richly from a favorable economic environment, as well. At the time, the industrialization of the united German Reich was occurring, thus causing the need for a large amount of cargo and passenger ships were suddenly needed.

Royal Olympic Cruise Lines Inc. reported improved overall results for the three months ended February 28, 2002. The improvement was achieved in spite of the difficulties experienced, along with all the other cruise companies, due to the terrorist attacks in September 2001, which led to a substantial drop in its revenues. Total revenues for the quarter under review fell by 33.2 percent, from $14.2 million in the corresponding period of the previous year to $9.5 million. However, as a result of reduced interest rate payments and an improvement in non-operational items, the net loss for the quarter decreased by 18.2 percent or $2.2 million, from $12.4 million to $10.2 million.

Royal Olympic Cruise Lines Inc. announced that its new cruise ship, Olympia Explorer, was christened at the Port of Piraeus on Friday, June 7, 2002. Vangelis Papathanassiou, the internationally renowned composer and 1982 Oscar winner for his film score for "Chariots of Fire," was the vessel's godfather, assisted by Katerina Potamianos and Marisa Loizou, the daughters of Andreas Potamianos and Costakis Loizou, Royal Olympic's two main shareholders. After the christening ceremony, music from Vangelis' score for the film "1492" was played. Olympia Explorer, like her sister ship, Olympia Voyager, was built at the Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg and with cruising speeds of up to 30 knots, she is the fastest cruise ship, of her size, in the world.

Royal Olympic Cruise Lines Inc. has announced a loss for the fiscal year 2001, ended November 30, 2001. The events of September 11 had a substantial impact on the company's results and in the period September to November 2001, booking cancellations exceeded 3,000. EBIDA fell 25 percent from $ 21.7 mil in 2000 to $9.8 million in 2001. The inclusion of the first new vessel, Olympia Voyager, for a full year, resulted in additional interest and depreciation charges of $9.5 million, giving rise to operating losses of $18.4 million vs. profit of $3.2 million last year. The results were further deteriorated by non-operating losses on the valuation of financial instruments…

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.

Royal Olympic Cruise Lines Inc. has requested that a number of improvements be made to the Company's newbuilding, Olympic Explorer, prior to taking final delivery of the cruise ship, which was originally scheduled for today. The Company is making adjustments to the Olympic Explorer's early voyages and is in contact with its clients and agents informing them of possible variations to schedules and alternative options. A high level official of Royal Olympic Cruises stated, "Our aim is to make sure that the vessel we take delivery of, and put into service for our guests, is of the highest standards of comfort and efficiency."