Seabourn Cruise Line Orders Two New Ultra Luxur...
Seabourn Cruise Line Orders Two New Ultra Luxury Ships
To Be Built at Mariotti Shipyard, Genoa, At an All-In Cost of Approximately
250 Million Dollars Each
MIAMI, Oct. 19 -- Seabourn Cruise Line announced today that it will build
two new, ultra luxury ships, for delivery in spring 2009 and 2010. Seabourn,
a division of Miami-based Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL)(NYSE:
CUK), has signed a letter of intent for the project with shipbuilder T.
Mariotti S.p.A. of Genoa, Italy. The sister ships will have an all-in U.S.
dollar cost of $250 million each.
Each of the 32,000-GRT ships will accommodate all guests in 225 luxury
suites, ninety percent of which will offer private verandas. Combined, the
two vessels will more than double Seabourn's current fleet capacity of 634
berths.
"Our brand has been experiencing more demand in the marketplace than we
could fulfill for quite some time now," stated Deborah L. Natansohn, president
of Seabourn. "The new ships will allow us to bring the unique Seabourn
experience to a larger number of people, particularly the highly affluent and
active baby boomer generation just now heading towards the more leisurely
years of their lives."
The letter of intent to build the ships is subject to a number of
conditions including definitive contracts, financing and other terms.
According to Micky Arison, Chairman and CEO of Carnival Corporation & plc,
"This order represents our confidence in the luxury segment of the cruising
market, which has shown significant and consistent revenue growth in recent
years, with robust future potential. Through our own and independent research,
we know that the luxury consumer views the Seabourn brand as the absolute
ultimate in leisure travel. This new generation of yacht-like ships will
secure its position at the top of the cruise industry pyramid for many years
to come."
The vessels have been specifically designed to enable Seabourn's award-
winning staff to deliver the highly personalized service experience that is a
hallmark of the brand. "They will be spacious, with the sleek lines and
relaxed, personal feel of an oversized yacht," Natansohn said. "We've
essentially taken the signature elements of our existing yachts and added some
exciting new features that the larger hulls will allow."
Marco Bisagno, President of T. Mariotti S.p.A. noted, "When they were
introduced, the three existing Seabourn ships embodied a new class of cruising
vessel, and they spawned an entirely new niche in the market. We are proud and
excited that Seabourn has enlisted Mariotti to craft what will be the next
generation of intimate, ultra luxury cruising vessels, to be built in Genoa by
our skilled team."
With this order, Mariotti confirms its leadership in the small/medium size
ultra luxury ships market.
The design specifications call for hulls 650 feet long, with a beam of 84
feet and a draft of 21 feet. The ships will be powered by diesel-generated
electricity and operate with twin screw propellers, with a service speed of 19
knots. They will be equipped with two bow thrusters to enhance maneuverability
and two stabilizers. The ships will also be "green ships" employing advanced
wastewater treatment technology.
Natansohn said that past guests and luxury-selling travel agents worldwide
will be ecstatic at the word of new ships for the brand. "The Yachts of
Seabourn have always been the highest-rated ships in the world when it comes
to cuisine and service," she stated. "With an increased ability to deliver
Seabourn's superior cruise experience to even more travelers, on state-of-the-
art vessels, we will continue to define the standard for ultra luxury
cruising."
For information on Seabourn cruise vacations, contact a travel agent, call
Seabourn at 1-800-929-9391 or visit Seabourn's award-winning website at
www.seabourn.com .
The Yachts of Seabourn provide the ultimate in ultra luxury cruise
vacations to the most desirable destinations on earth. Seabourn is a proud
member of World's Leading Cruise Lines. Our exclusive alliance also includes
Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America, Princess Cruises, Cunard Line, Costa
Cruises and Windstar Cruises. Sharing a passion to please each guest, and a
commitment to quality and value, our member lines appeal to a wide range of
lifestyles and budgets. Together we offer exciting and enriching cruise
vacations to the world's most desirable destinations. The Yachts of Seabourn
is a brand of Carnival Corporation and plc (NYSE: CCL; LSE) and (NYSE: CUK),
and supports the Ocean Conservation & Tourism Alliance, dedicated to education
and promotion of best practices for protecting the marine environment.
SOURCE Carnival Plc
-0- 10/19/2006
/CONTACT: Bruce Good of Seabourn Cruise Line, +1-305-463-3105, or
bgood@seabourn.com /
/Web site: http://www.seabourn.com/
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