Royal Caribbean COVID-19 Impact

Royal Caribbean Group reported financial results on Monday for the fiscal year of 2020 and commented on the business considering the global COVID-19 pandemic.

 "The COVID-19 pandemic is having a painful and profound impact on our world and our business; unquestionably, this crisis is the most difficult in the Company's history. But we have been impressed and grateful for the resourcefulness and agility of our team in responding to these unprecedented challenges. More importantly, we remain confident about the ability of our Company to recover and return to the positive trajectory we were on previously," said Richard D. Fain, Chairman and CEO. "We are encouraged to see the sharp decline in cases and the growing availability of vaccines. We can't wait to get back to the business of showing people the world and making great memories." 

Full Year 2020 results: 

As part of the global containment effort resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company implemented a voluntary suspension of its cruise operations beginning March 13, 2020, which has been extended for most ships through at least April 30, 2021. 

For the full year, the Company reported US GAAP Net Loss of $(5.8) billion or $(27.05) per share compared to US GAAP Net Income of $1.9 billion or $8.95 per share in the prior year. The Company also reported Adjusted Net Loss of $(3.9) billion or $(18.31) per share for full year 2020 compared to Adjusted Net Income of $2.0 billion or $9.54 per share in the prior year.

Healthy Return to Sailing

Royal Caribbean continues to collaborate with the Healthy Sail Panel, epidemiologists, health authorities and various governments around the globe to ensure a healthy and safe return to cruising for guests, crew and the communities visited. The Company also continues to prepare and develop its plan to meet the Framework for Conditional Sailing Order issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for US sailings. Meanwhile most sailings remain suspended.

In December, Quantum of the Seas started operating out of Singapore.  The CDC has requested Royal Caribbean provide information about two of their COVID-19 safety technologies being used on Quantum.  We wrote about the first one, Muster 2.0 in a previous post.  With that technology, passengers no longer gather in large groups to complete the mandatory safety drill before sailing.

The second technology, the Tracelet™ is a patented technology which allows for contact tracing.

 

What is a Tracelet™? 

Tracelet™         Courtesy Royal Caribbean Singapore

Who needs to wear it? 

What if I cannot wear it on my wrist? 

According to Royal Caribbean's Singapore website, the Tracelet™ is a comfortable, water-resistant, hypoallergenic wearable worn by all guests and crew during the cruise. The Tracelet™ helps us with contact tracing in the unlikely event of an onboard health concern. Therefore, everyone onboard regardless of age, needs to wear it. 

Should you be unable to wear it on your wrist, we will find another way for you to wear it. Any guest who chooses not to wear the Tracelet™ will be unable to sail.

The press release also details financial steps taken by the company and details the impact on past and future bookings.  Read entire Press Release here.

Looking to 2022

Royal Caribbean has released its Short Caribbean sailings for Summer 2022 - Winter 2023, which are now available for booking.  Three Freedom class ships, Freedom of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, and Liberty of the Seas will operate from Florida and sail 3-4 night cruises to the Bahamas including a stop at their private island sensation Perfect Day at Coco Cay.

Mariner of the Seas will sail 4-5 night cruises to the Western Caribbean and Perfect Day at Coco Cay from Port Canaveral.  Adventure of the Seas and Grandeur of the Seas will offer short cruises from Galveston.  Brilliance of the Seas and Rhapsody of the Seas will sail 4-5 night cruises to Western Caribbean from Tampa.

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Carnival Triumph Arrives in Mobile

By Mike Brantley | mbrantley@al.comPress-Register

Carnival Triumph Arrives in Mobile:

Gerry Cahill, Carnival CEO said:

First, I'd like to start with saying how very thankful we all are that the ship is alongside and everyone is safe. I am so appreciative of the efforts of everyone involved in bringing the Carnival Triumph safely to the Port of Mobile.

I want to thank the United States Coast Guard, The Port and City of Mobile, Customs and Border Protection, and the countless other parties who have been incredibly helpful throughout.

I’d also like to thank our shoreside teams for working around the clock to make this happen. And finally, I want to thank our crew for all they have done. We have seen and heard so many reports, online and in the media, from passengers praising the crew’s hard work.

I am now going onboard to talk with our guests and crew, as well as to help with getting our guests off the ship and on their way home. Thank you.

Passengers Disembark Ship

It took several hours for the passengers to disembark the crippled Carnival Triumph when it finally docked in Mobile, AL. The horrific five days at sea were now over. As expected passengers were emotional, some kissing the ground as they got off the ship. There were about 100 buses lined up ready to take the passengers to New Orleans or Houston. Some passengers had people meet them and they stayed in Mobile rather than take a long journey on a bus.

For the passengers, the ordeal is over, but for the crew, the nightmare continues as they will now have the task of cleaning up the trashed ship. They won't be seeing their families or taking hot showers. Carnival hasn't mentioned if they'd get an extra $500 in their paychecks for the long hours they've put in enduring the same or worse conditions as the passengers. Our hats are off to the crew for a job well done doing their best to take care of the passengers during this extraordinary cruise.

 Click Here for Photos of the Stranded Ship at Sea

Carnival Triumph Arrives By Mike Brantley | mbrantley@al.com

Carnival Triumph Statement

U.S.C.G. photo by Lt. Cmdr. Paul McConnell

CARNIVAL TRIUMPH
STATEMENT FROM GERRY CAHILL, PRESIDENT & CEO, CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES

February 11, 2013, 8:30pm ET

The Carnival Triumph, while on a four-day cruise that departed Galveston last Thursday, experienced an engine room fire on Sunday morning and has been without propulsion in the Gulf of Mexico since that time. The ship’s automatic fire extinguishing systems activated and the fire was successfully extinguished. Fortunately, there were no injuries to guests or crew members.

Earlier this evening, the first of two tugboats arrived and is tied up to the ship with the second expected in the early hours of Tuesday morning. We had originally planned to tow the ship to Progreso, Mexico, the closest port to the ship’s location early Sunday. Since that time, the ship has drifted about 90 miles north due to strong currents. This now puts the ship nearly equidistant to Mobile, Alabama and given the strength of the currents, it is preferable to head north to Mobile, rather than attempt to tow against them. We now expect to arrive in Mobile sometime on Thursday, roughly the same time the ship would have arrived in Progreso given the distance the ship has traveled. From there, we will provide the necessary transportation to get our guests home. Mobile also provides simpler re-entry, particularly for the 900 guests onboard traveling without passports.

We have maintained constant contact with the ship’s officers. All of our guests are safe, and we’re doing everything we can to make them as comfortable as possible. The ship has maintained emergency generator power since the fire occurred and the technical team on board has been successful in gradually restoring auxiliary power to operate some basic hotel functions. Currently, public and cabin toilets are operational in certain sections of the ship, power has been restored to a limited number of elevators, and some power in the Lido dining area is providing for hot coffee and limited hot food service.

All guests on the current Carnival Triumph voyage will receive a full refund for the cruise, along with transportation expenses. In addition, they will receive a future cruise credit equal to the amount paid for this voyage, as well as reimbursement of all shipboard purchases during the voyage, with the exception of gift shop and casino charges.

We’re terribly sorry for the inconvenience, discomfort, and frustration our guests are feeling. We know they expected a fantastic vacation, and clearly that is not what they received. Our shipboard and shoreside teams are working around the clock to care for our guests and get them home safely.


Photo Credit: 

GULF OF MEXICO - The Coast Guard Cutter Vigorous stands by to assist the cruise ship Carnival Triumph in the Gulf of Mexico, Feb. 11, 2013. The Carnival Triumph lost propulsion power after an engine room fire Feb. 10, 2013. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt. Cmdr. Paul McConnell.

Statement from CLIA on Costa Concordia

STATEMENT FROM CLIA 

RE: COSTA CONCORDIA

Fort Lauderdale, FL — January 14, 2012 — The Cruise Lines International Association is closely monitoring the situation with the Costa Concordia. The immediate focus is on attending to the incident at hand, and ensuring the safety and accounting for passengers and crew to the fullest extent possible. On behalf of the Global Cruise Ship Industry, we would also like to pay tribute to all those who worked tirelessly to evacuate the ship to help minimize casualties. CLIA would also like to reassure other cruise ship passengers that all CLIA member lines are subject to the highest safety standards around the world and according to international maritime requirements. 

About CLIA

The nonprofit Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is North America's largest cruise industry organization. CLIA represents the interests of 26 member lines and participates in the regulatory and policy development process while supporting measures that foster a safe, secure and healthy cruise ship environment. CLIA is also engaged in travel agent training, research and marketing communications to promote the value and desirability of cruise vacations and counts as members 16,000 travel agencies. For more information on CLIA, the cruise industry, and CLIA-member cruise lines and travel agencies, visit www.cruising.org. CLIA can also be followed on the Cruise Lines International Association's Facebook and Twitter fan pages.

Carnival Corporation Official Statement On Costa Concordia

This statement is from Carnival Corporation & plc in Miami, FL. Carnival Corporation & plc is the parent company of Costa Cruises.

On January 13, 2012, Costa Cruises’ vessel, the Costa Concordia, departed from Civitavecchia, Italy with approximately 3,200 passengers and 1,000 crew members on a seven-day voyage. At approximately 10:00pm CET, the vessel struck rock off the coast of Isola del Giglio, Italy and sustained significant damage causing the ship to list severely. The order was given to abandon ship and deploy the lifeboats.

Tragically, there are reports of some deaths and injuries. This is a terrible tragedy and we are deeply saddened. Carnival Corporation & plc offers our sympathies and heartfelt condolences to all of the Costa Concordia guests, crew members and their families. Carnival Corporation & plc and Costa Cruises are committing our full resources to provide assistance and ensure that all guests and crew are looked after.

We want to express our deep gratitude to the Italian Coast Guard and local authorities and community members who have gone to extraordinary lengths to assist in the evacuation of the ship and provide support for our guests and crew. We are working to fully understand the cause of what occurred. The safety of our guests and crew members remains the number one priority of Carnival Corporation & plc and all of our cruise lines. Costa Concordia was sailing on a Mediterranean cruise from Civitavecchia (Rome) with scheduled calls at Savona, Italy; Marseille, France; Barcelona, Spain; Palma de Mallorca; Cagliari and Palermo, Italy.

Friends and family members may use the following country-specific contact numbers to reach Costa Cruises:

Click Image for Latest Updates

Italy 848505050
U.S. 800-462-6782
Austria 00438109006565
Germany +4940570121314
France +33155475554
Spain +34934875685
Portugal +34914185951
UK 08453510552

Carnival Corporation & plc is the parent company of ten cruise lines including Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn, AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard, Ibero Cruises, P&O Cruises (UK) and P&O Cruises (Australia).