News from the world of cruising ~
September 16-23, 2001
For schedule changes & departure information on a specific cruise line or port of call, please select Latest Updates by Cruise Line
Public Announcement--Worldwide Travel Caution
Coast Guard Port Updates
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CSA Travel Protection Updates Coverage Statement; Our Pledge to Our Clients, Our Industry and Our Country Stands Unwaivered...
SAN DIEGO, Sept 21 - The employees of CSA Travel Protection extend our condolences to the families and friends of those injured, missing or killed in the attacks throughout the Northeastern United States on September 11, 2001. We also commend the rescue workers and other volunteers for their diligent and heroic efforts in responding to the crisis.
We realize that many of our customers were affected by these attacks, either directly or indirectly. Please know that CSA, as always, is committed to providing the best service possible. We have taken thousands of telephone calls and are assisting our Insureds and business partners through this difficult time.
CSA offers a wide range of travel protection and assistance services to customers traveling worldwide. As the number of customers is in the hundreds of thousands, it is not possible to provide a general statement with regard to coverage as it applies to an individual traveler's situation. We must therefore, review each situation in detail through our claims procedures to determine specific coverages as outlined in your Certificate of Insurance or Policy.
Our Response to the Situation: CSA has implemented emergency contingency plans to ensure continuity of service. Our service has been tested before during crisis situations, such as natural disasters and financial defaults. We are experienced and prepared to meet the necessary requirements to service the large influx of calls, questions and claims during a disaster situation. We have increased our staff to manage the increased workload, and each CSA employee is putting in extra time to maintain our high standards of excellence.
Travel Delay Coverage: We will be paying thousands of travelers for travel delay expenses incurred as a result of the attacks of September 11, 2001.
Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption Coverage: The insurance coverage offered by CSA Travel Protection includes exclusions for losses arising from particular situations. CSA's Travel Protection products include an exclusion to Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption Coverage for losses caused by 'any government regulation or prohibition.' We have determined that the 'any government regulation or prohibition' exclusion does not apply to the FAA actions of September 11th. Our customers whose travel plans were directly affected by the FAA suspension of flights, and subsequent reductions of service during September 11, 2001 - September 16, 2001, should contact CSA for assistance. We are committed to providing outstanding service to our customers; we realize that not all travel suppliers have issued reimbursements in the form of cash, credits or vouchers. To request a CSA claim form or to receive further assistance, please call (800) 348-9505.
Travel Industry Reimbursements: Many clients are receiving full refunds on air tickets and cancelled travel packages. Several suppliers are offering future credits and alternate travel dates. We recommend that your clients check with their travel supplier about possible refunds or credits. CSA Customer Service Representatives can help in this matter and provide supplier contact information. For assistance call (800) 348-9505.
Travel Protection Plan Refunds: Until further notice, CSA is offering full plan refunds to clients who cancel their trip and request that their travel protection coverage be voided. Once voided, coverage is not in effect. CSA only requires a written request for a plan refund, along with proof of the trip cancellation. As always, clients who change their travel dates will be able to change their travel protection plan benefits to correspond to their new travel dates.
Filing Claims: To request a CSA claim form or to receive further assistance, please call (800) 348-9505.
Ordering CSA Travel Protection: CSA is accepting new applications for travel protection for future travel dates.
"As always, CSA's 24-hour Emergency Hotline Services is available 24/7 for assistance in personal travel assistance, replacing lost travel documents or tickets, emergency messages to and from home and for clients needing legal or emergency assistance. Our customer service department is available to answer questions. To reach our customer service department, please call (800) 348-9505." Sincerely, Les Maine President, CSA Travel Protection
(Source: CSA Travel Protection)
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Northrop Grumman, American Classic Voyages Co. Settle Business Issues, Move Forward on Project America Cruise Ship Construction
PASCAGOULA, MS, Sept. 21 - Northrop Grumman Corporation and American Classic Voyages Co. today announced they have reached an agreement, endorsed by the U.S. Maritime Administration with the support of U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta, that enables the continued and uninterrupted construction of two 1,900-passenger cruise ships.
The program to build the first cruise ships in the United States in 40 years, named Project America, is a pilot project to reinvigorate U.S.-flag cruise ship construction and operation. Today's agreement enables Project America to continue unabated and resolves business issues relating to a delay in the delivery and an increase in the price of the cruise ships currently under construction at Northrop Grumman's Ingalls Operations.
"With these business issues behind us we can again concentrate solely on the business of building these ships,'' said Jerry St. Pe, chief operating officer of Northrop Grumman's Ship Systems sector. "This project is not only important to Northrop Grumman and American Classic, but it has far-reaching benefits for the U.S. economy, creating thousands of American jobs and bolstering the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base.''
Phil Calian, chief executive officer of American Classic, said, "We are extremely pleased to reach an amicable resolution. We look forward to having a state-of-the-art, luxury cruise ship, built in an American shipyard, sailing the Hawaiian Islands in 2004. Despite the current challenging economic environment, American Classic believes that Hawaii is a fantastic growth opportunity for the company as the Hawaiian cruise market is in its infancy.''
Following are the major provisions of the agreement:
- Ship delivery dates will be extended by approximately 12 months, to
Feb. 1, 2004, for Project America Ship I and Feb. 1, 2005, for Project
America Ship II;
- The price per ship will be increased by $19 million from the original
contract price of $440 million to cover the increased costs of the
interior finishing (joiner) package;
- AMCV has committed $42 million and Northrop Grumman has committed
$44 million to acquire through 2005 a new issue of stock in AMCV's
subsidiary, Project America. This additional equity in Project America
will help offset the price increase and associated costs for the
delivery extensions, and will provide additional funding for Ships I
and II. In addition to the equity committed as part of this agreement,
AMCV has already committed $100 million to fund the construction of
Ships I and II;
- The parties have settled all outstanding disputes; and
- The agreement does not increase the $1.1 billion loan guarantee
original commitment provided by the Maritime Administration for the
Project America Ships.
More than 1,600 personnel at Northrop Grumman's Ingalls Operations are currently engaged full-time in the cruise ship program. The design of the ships is virtually complete, and the first ship is one-third finished. A total of 142 assemblies have begun fabrication, with more than 48 percent of the assembly blocks erected on the ship.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a $15 billion, global aerospace and defense company with its worldwide headquarters in Los Angeles. Northrop Grumman provides technologically advanced, innovative products, services and solutions in defense and commercial electronics, systems integration, information technology and non-nuclear shipbuilding and systems. With 80,000 employees and operations in 44 states and 25 countries, Northrop Grumman serves U.S. and international military, government and commercial customers.
American Classic Voyages is the largest U.S. Flag cruise company and markets four distinct products that cruise in Hawaii, along the coasts of North and Central America and on America's inland waterways. United States Lines, American Hawaii Cruises, Delta Queen Coastal Voyages and Delta Queen Steamboat Company operate a total of seven U.S. crewed vessels with a combined 3,480 berths. Three ships, including the Project America ships, with a total of 4,024 berths are on order at U.S. shipyards and scheduled for delivery through 2005. For more information, visit www.amcv.com.
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Norwegian Cruise Line, Star Cruises and Orient Lines Announce Changes in Fleet and Deployment
MIAMI--Sept 20, 2001--The Norwegian Cruise Line/Star Cruises Group today announced details of changes to its deployment plans for 2002:
The brand new Freestyle Cruising ship, Norwegian Sun, scheduled to sail in the Mediterranean from May through October 2002, will instead spend the summer in the Caribbean where she is already more than 75% full for the Spring;
SuperStar Aries, which was due to transfer from the Star Cruises fleet into Orient Lines as Ocean Voyager in May 2002, will now remain with Star Cruises in Bangkok and her introduction into Orient Lines will be delayed until Spring 2003;
S/S Norway, which was to have been swapped into Star Cruises in exchange for SuperStar Aries, will now remain in the NCL fleet for a further year and will return to her Miami base in time for Christmas this year after a dry docking and refurbishment in Europe;
Norwegian Sky, currently scheduled to take over the Eastern Caribbean run from Norway, will instead offer an alternating Eastern/Western Caribbean itinerary between January and March 2002, as Norway moves back into her traditional Eastern deployment.
The changes have been made in response to travel agent demands for a year-round Caribbean product from NCL, as well as in anticipation of a likely shift in travel patterns of North American consumers over the coming months.
Norwegian Sun, which is one of two new purpose-built Freestyle Cruising ships being delivered to NCL this fall, has been booking extremely well in her Exotic Western Caribbean deployment and there have been internal discussions on the pros and cons of canceling her 2002 inaugural Mediterranean season in order to keep her in the Caribbean year-round.
"We returned home last week from taking delivery of Norwegian Sun and showing her off to our top travel agent partners,'' said Colin Veitch, president and CEO of NCL. "The response was extremely positive and we were pressed to put this innovative product into the Caribbean as soon as possible. The terrible events in New York and Washington the day after we returned home then tipped the balance in our internal discussions. We have decided to build on our traditional Caribbean base rather than deploying this new ship on seven-day Mediterranean cruising, in such uncertain times.''
With this addition to its North American based fleet in 2002, NCL will offer seven-day round-trip cruises on a regular basis from eight different U.S. and Canadian ports (Boston, New York, Miami, San Juan, Seattle, Vancouver, Honolulu, Maui); more than any other cruise line.
The delayed introduction of Ocean Voyager is to allow Orient Lines' management to focus on its two existing ships, Marco Polo and Crown Odyssey, which will both spend much of 2002 in Europe.
"The willingness of our North American passengers to travel overseas is something we will be watching closely over the coming months,'' Veitch said. "In the meantime, we believe we are acting prudently in postponing the introduction of a third ship to Orient Lines.''
The return of the much-loved Norway soon after her intended "farewell' transatlantic cruise, is a result of the postponement of Ocean Voyager's transfer from Star Cruises. It had been intended that Norway would either take over the Bangkok run of SuperStar Aries (Ocean Voyager) or a slot opened by one of the Singapore ships repositioning into the Bangkok slot. This will not now happen, and rather than try to develop a new home port in Asia, Star Cruises has agreed that NCL should operate the ship for another year in a market where she is known and well accepted.
"Judging from my mailbag and e-mail in-box, there are a lot of people who were very sad to see Norway leaving Miami. It's my hope that a lot of people will be happy that Norway can offer what we should call a second farewell season,'' Veitch said. "Just think of her as the cruise equivalent of Frank Sinatra!''
Norway will return to service on December 23, 2001, offering seven- day Eastern Caribbean cruises from Miami on a Sunday departure, calling at St. Thomas, St. Johns, St. Maarten, and NCL's private Bahamian island, Great Stirrup Cay.
Norwegian Sun will offer seven-day Western Caribbean cruises from Miami on a Saturday departure calling at Grand Cayman, Roatan, Belize City and Cozumel.
Norwegian Sky, currently scheduled to fill the Eastern Caribbean slot on Saturday from Miami left open by Norway, will instead move to an alternating Eastern/Western Caribbean rotation of seven-day cruises combinable to 14 days. This change will occur January 26, 2002 and continue through the March 30, 2002 departure.
Details of prices and itineraries for these new deployments will be communicated to travel agents within the next few days, and will be included in the 2002/2003 Caribbean brochure due out shortly. All new itineraries will be on sale beginning Monday, Sept. 24, 2001.
Groups and individuals booked on those Norwegian Sky alternating Eastern Caribbean cruises, which will now become Western, will be offered the opportunity to remain booked on the new itinerary or to switch to the Norway's eastern cruise the following day, or Norwegian Sky's Eastern Caribbean itinerary the previous or following week.
Miami-based Norwegian Cruise Line is an international cruise company and industry innovator that currently operates a fleet of nine ships sailing to more than 200 ports around the world. NCL is currently building two new ships: Norwegian Star, a 2,200-passenger ship that will be NCL's largest (delivered in October); and Norwegian Dawn, a 2,200-passenger sister ship to Norwegian Star (delivery in December 2002). For further information on NCL, contact a travel agent or NCL in the U.S. and Canada at (800) 327-7030; in Miami-Dade County, Florida, (305) 436-0866; visit NCL's web site at www.ncl.com or on AOL at keyword: NCL.
Orient Lines' U.S. headquarters is located in Fort Lauderdale, Fl., while its operation center is based in London. A global network of sales agents sells Orient Lines to local markets. For information about CruiseTours aboard Marco Polo and Crown Odyssey, contact a travel agent, Orient Lines at (800) 333-7300 or visit their web site at www.orientlines.com
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CELEBRITY CRUISES' SUMMIT CREATES "WAVE OF COMPASSION" IN AMERICAN RED CROSS DISASTER RELIEF EFFORT
MIAMI - Sept 20, 2001 - Celebrity Cruises' Summit, the third member of the line's Millennium-class fleet, officially enters service on October 1, but already is on an unique mission: the new vessel will serve as the platform for a cruise that will raise funds for the American Red Cross National Disaster Relief Fund, assisting those affected by last week's terrorist attacks. Celebrity Cruises has reserved 200 staterooms on Summit's two-night preview cruise departing Port Everglades on September 28 for this fundraising event by the American Red Cross of Greater Miami and the Keys. Interested donors can book a premium stateroom with a veranda for $1,000, or an ocean-view stateroom for $500, with all funds going toward the American Red Cross National Disaster Relief Fund.
Celebrity Cruises also has pledged to donate all proceeds from Summit's casino operations during the two-night sailing. For a vessel which left the shipyard only three weeks ago, Summit already has an unforgettable history. At approximately 6 a.m. on September 11, Summit arrived as scheduled in Boston, where the new vessel was to begin the most extensive consecutive series of preview activities in the line's history. Those plans changed dramatically only a few hours after Summit's arrival.
Upon learning of the catastrophic events of September 11, Celebrity canceled the events which would have taken place this week in Boston and New York, and immediately repositioned Summit at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale. Summit will remain there, poised to embark on Celebrity's previously scheduled preview events in South Florida next week, now with new and deeper meaning.
Individuals interested in joining Celebrity Cruises and the American Red Cross of Greater Miami and the Keys in this "wave of compassion" cruise are asked to book a stateroom by calling Gloria Danovitz at (305) 644-1200, extension 111, by or before Monday, September 24.
Celebrity Cruises is the highest-rated premium cruise line in the industry, with the youngest fleet of any major cruise line. Summit enters service in October, and Constellation will make its maiden voyage in 2002, bringing the Celebrity fleet to nine ships. For more information, visit the Celebrity web site at www.celebritycruises.com.
The Red Cross is providing relief in all the affected areas and at airports around the country, including crisis counseling, shelter, blankets, food and beverages and much more for the thousands who are affected. The American Red Cross is also providing mobile and fixed feeding for those in need. Hundreds of Red Cross Disaster mental health workers have been on the scene of the disasters and will continue to be there, helping those affected with the emotional trauma.
All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. To help people of the recent attack on our nation and other disasters, contributions can be made to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund by calling 1-800-HELP NOW or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Internet users can make a secure online credit card contribution by visiting www.redcross.org or www.miamiredcross.org, or by calling 305-644-1200 x 116. Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may also be sent to the American Red Cross of Greater Miami & The Keys at 335 SW 27th Avenue, Miami, Florida 33135, or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.
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CARNIVAL CORPORATION REPORTS RECORD THIRD QUARTER EARNINGS
MIAMI (9/20/01) - Carnival Corporation reported record net income of $495.0 million ($0.84 Diluted EPS) on revenues of $1.49 billion for its third quarter ended August 31, 2001, compared to net income of $396.2 million ($0.67 Diluted EPS) on revenues of $1.23 billion for the same quarter in 2000.
Net income for the nine months ended August 31, 2001, was $809.9 million ($1.38 Diluted EPS) on revenues of $3.58 billion, compared to net income of $771.7 million ($1.27 Diluted EPS) on revenues of $2.93 billion for the same period in 2000. The 25 percent increase in the company's third quarter 2001 net income was primarily the result of a 14.5 percent, or $57 million, increase in net income from the company's existing cruise operations, and a $42 million increase in the company's net income from its Costa Cruises subsidiary. The increase in earnings from Costa's operations primarily resulted from the consolidation of Costa and a change in the timing of reporting Costa's operations from a two month lag to the current monthly period, both of which commenced at the beginning of 2001, and an improvement in Costa's operating results.
Excluding Costa, the increase in third quarter net income was driven primarily by a 10.2 percent increase in capacity, and a reduction in cost per available berth day. Net revenue yields (revenue per available berth day) were down 1.4 percent for the quarter. The improvement in results from the company's existing operations was particularly impressive at the company's Carnival Cruise Lines brand, which performed very well in spite of the slowdown in the U.S. economy. Third quarter 2001 net income also included the previously reported gain of approximately $100 million from the sale of the company's minority interest in Airtours, a European tour operator. In addition, the third quarter 2001 included a loss of approximately $101 million related to the write-down and sale of certain assets primarily associated with the company's Cunard and Seabourn luxury brands. These two one-time events effectively offset each other.
Commenting on last week's horrific events, Carnival Corporation Chairman and CEO Micky Arison said, "We are deeply saddened and shocked by the terrorist actions of last week, and our thoughts and prayers are with the people in New York and Washington, D.C., and the families and loved ones of those who have been lost, as well as those injured. These events will undoubtedly have a negative effect on our business in the short-term. However, at this point, it is too early for us to measure what the impact will be." Prior to these events, the company's expectations for the fourth quarter of 2001 remained in line with its guidance provided earlier in the year. Arison noted that the company believes that the fundamental long-term drivers of its growth will remain intact. "In addition, the company's strong operating margins and balance sheet, including approximately $1.2 billion in cash and short-term investments and relatively low debt levels, should place the company in a strong position during this period of uncertainty," he said.
Carnival scheduled a conference call with analysts at 11 a.m. today to discuss its third quarter earnings. This call can be listened to, either live or on a delayed basis for one week after the call, at the company's Web site at www.carnivalcorp.com. Carnival Corporation is comprised of Carnival Cruise Lines, the world's largest cruise line based on passengers carried, Holland America Line, Costa Cruises, Cunard Line, Seabourn Cruise Line and Windstar Cruises. Carnival Corporation's various brands operate 43 ships in the Caribbean, Alaska, Europe, Mexican Riviera, South America and other worldwide destinations. Additional information can be obtained via Carnival Corporation's Web site at www.carnivalcorp.com.
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FREE ECONOMY CLASS AIR TO SEABOURN'S 2002 EUROPEAN CRUISES
Business Class Upgrades From $995 and Early Booking Savings up to 30%
MIAMI, Sept 20, 2001 - Seabourn Cruise Line is offering free economy class air from 25 North American gateways to an array of 2002 European cruise vacations of seven to 18 days aboard the 104-couple Yachts of Seabourn. On many departures, upgrades to business class air are also available, at prices starting from $995. Taking advantage of Early Booking Savings of up to 30 percent, travelers can sail aboard the most luxurious fleet of intimate ships in the world for fares from $2,799 per person, including free air.
Guests sailing aboard Seabourn Pride, Spirit or Legend will explore Europe's most intriguing destinations, including the French Riviera, Spain, Italy, the Rivers of Europe, Scandinavia and Russia, Norwegian Fjords and more. On each cruise, guests will enjoy a complimentary Exclusively Seabourn shoreside experience in one port of call.
On board, guests experience Seabourn's unparalleled levels of personalized service, complimentary wines and spirits throughout the cruise and such added touches as free Massage Moments on deck, superb cuisine designed by renowned chef Charlie Palmer in the open seating Restaurant and the indulgent Pure Pampering program, featuring fine wellbeing products and a unique menu of various soothing and revitalizing bathing experiences by Molton Brown of London.
All accommodations on board are sumptuous suites of 277 square feet or more, many with balconies. Each Seabourn yacht also provides a unique foldout water sports Marina that can be lowered while the ship is at anchor to provide protected swimming and a variety of aquatic activities such as snorkeling, board-sailing, pedal boats, banana boat rides and waterskiing.
The offer of free air applies to a wide variety of cruise itineraries and departures from April through November of 2002. Many of the itineraries offer 14-day or seven-day segment options. Complete 2002 sailing itineraries, along with extensive information about the Yachts of Seabourn and this and other special offers is available on the World Wide Web at www.seabourn.com or by using the AOL Keyword: Seabourn.
The Yachts of Seabourn were recently selected by Luxury Link on the website of Forbes.com to be the "Traveler's Choice" among its featured "World's Best" products and places. To visit this site, set your browser for www.forbes.com/lifestyle/travel/expedia.jhtml.
For more details, or to reserve a cruise vacation aboard the Yachts of Seabourn, contact a professional travel agent or call Seabourn at 1-800-929-9391.
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SANTA CLARITA, Calif.--Sept. 19, 2001--Princess Cruises today announced that it will postpone the inaugural events surrounding the North American launch of its Golden Princess.
"We have decided to postpone the festivities surrounding the launch of Golden Princess originally scheduled for October 10 and 11, 2001, in Florida,'' said Phil Kleweno, President of the line. "Due to operational considerations surrounding the scheduled events planned for the christening of Golden Princess we believe it would be best to postpone the events until next year.''
The christening of Golden Princess will be re-scheduled to occur in 2002 when the ship sails into New York. "Holding our inaugural at that time reinforces our commitment to New York as a destination and our ongoing support of its tourism,'' added Kleweno.
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LONDON, Sept 19 - P&O Princess Cruises Plc said on Wednesday the net cost to the luxury cruise ship operator of last week's attacks in the United States was $3-5 million.
The world's third-largest cruise ship operator said it incurred the costs from diverting ships to Boston from New York and travel changes for customers who could not get to or from ports due to the closure of North American airspace.
By 1450 GMT, shares in P&O Princess, which was spun off last year from ports, ferries, logistics and container ship group Peninsular & Oriental Navigation Steam Company, were up 0.71 percent to 211-3/4 pence in a weaker market.
P&O Princess said in a statement that it would charge the cost in the current quarter, but added that it was still yet to gauge the full impact on customer booking patterns.
"Obviously Princess' bookings have been impacted by last week's events,'' the company said. "However, it is too early to draw any conclusions about the medium term booking pattern.''
P&O Princess also said it was likely to continue to divert ships to Boston from New York for the remainder of Canada/New England and Bermuda cruise season which ends next month.
"The costs of the disruption we have experienced, including the costs of the future cruise credits, reduced onboard revenue and additional hotel and flight costs for disembarking passengers, are largely covered by insurance,'' it said.
It declined to provide the cost before insurance. Source: Reuters
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MIRAMAR, Fla., Sept. 19 -- Maritime Telecommunications Network, Inc. (MTN), the leader in maritime communications, made a swift and heart-felt decision moments after the second airliner crashed into the World Trade Center. Maritime Telecommunications Network, and subsidiary Digital Seas, enabled satellite service fees to be waived for their cruise line customers, resulting in over 150,000 minutes of telephone service and 47,000 e-mails to be transmitted by onboard guests at no charge.
Bradford Briggs, Senior VP of MTN said, "Within one hour of the attack, the MTN team had contacted every cruise line and 'pulled the switch' to make all calls from ship-to-shore complimentary. I am proud that my team could react so quickly and that the cruise lines agreed that this was an appropriate step to take in light of the tragedy.''
MTN released an urgent memo to its customers on Sept. 11, stating, MTN wants to best serve your Guests or Crew with Telecommunications Services, including phone and Internet traffic. Digital Seas Internet Services, an MTN subsidiary, will also be available and DSI shipboard managers are being issued instructions to assist passengers wishing to contact relatives at no charge. While initially there was a 48-hour limit on phone calls, for cruise lines that were unable to reach port the free calls were extended through the week and into the weekend, as needed.
A passenger onboard a Renaissance ship sailing in the Mediterranean sent an e-mail from the ship, writing, "Your firm's decision to open the Internet cafe free to all passengers for the day was only further evidence of your commitment to excellent service. Throughout the day and the next few days I heard many stories of relief traced to e-mail communications. I know your business's decision to forgo short-term revenue was sincerely appreciated. I thank you for the quality of service and for the foresight to provide this connectivity for cruise ship passengers.''
Passengers and Crew onboard vessels expressed deep appreciation for the free services. Johannes Kausland, Director of Maritime Telecommunication for Norwegian Cruise Line said, "MTN is and continues to be an excellent company, and their support this week has been fantastic. I cannot praise [MTN] high enough for the effort they put forth to support us, our crew and passengers through this terrible situation.''
During the entire ordeal, MTN employees remained at the office on a 24-hour rotating schedule. "Our employees understood what a vital role they played for passengers who were worried about family members and those people whose itineraries were altered due to the port closures. Through our customers, we provide telephony and Internet services to over 200,000 people at any given time. We were proud to see our employees volunteer for the overnight shifts and remain at the office until late into the night,'' stated David Kagan, CEO of MTN.
About Maritime Telecommunications Network
Maritime Telecommunications Network, Inc. (MTN), the leader in maritime communications, provides C-Band voice, fax, data and Internet communications as well as Inmarsat services to the cruise and offshore industries, and the U.S. Navy throughout the world. MTN also provides ship-to-shore live video and radio broadcast capabilities in C- or Ku-Band. MTN is owned by its parent company Verestar, Inc., which is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Tower Corporation. More information is available at www.mtnsat.com.
About Verestar, Inc.
Verestar, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of American Tower Corporation, provides the network communications solutions that link business and the world. Verestar seamlessly delivers and manages customers' mission- critical communications with end-to-end solutions, integrated technologies and flexible service options. Verestar, Inc. also owns and operates Maritime Telecommunications Network, Inc. (MTN), offering Internet, voice and data services to the cruise ship, oil and gas industries, and General Telecom, Verestar's international voice switching company. For more information, visit www.verestar.com.
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E! ENTERTAINMENT STAR BROOKE BURKE AND MISS AMERICA ANGELA PEREZ BARAQUIO TO PERFORM HISTORIC DUAL CHRISTENING
Norwegian Sun and Norwegian Star to Receive
First Simultaneous Christening
MIAMI Two of America's brightest new personalities will team to christen Norwegian Cruise Line's (NCL) brightest new ships in a historic christening ceremony taking place in Miami on November 17, 2001. Brooke Burke, popular host of E! Entertainment Television's "Wild On" and reigning Miss America Angela Perez Baraquio will act as the godmothers of NCL's first ships purpose-built for the groundbreaking Freestyle Cruising concept--the 78,309-ton Norwegian Sun and the 91,000-ton Norwegian Star, respectively--in what will be the first simultaneous christening on record of two commercial passenger vessels. The inaugural festivities will take place at the Port of Miami's Piers 1, 2 and 3 with the ships positioned bow to bow.
Brooke Burke is a well-traveled celebrity host of "Wild On" taking her to such exotic, adventuresome, and far-flung places as Spain, the Mayan Riviera, Belize and Aruba. Known for her stunning beauty and bubbly personality, Burke is a major reason why "Wild On" is one of cable television's hottest shows. She has also appeared on national television commercials and recently hosted NCL's Freestyle Cruising video as well as other upcoming NCL promotional activities.
Miss America 2001 Angela Perez Baraquio is a native of Honolulu, Hawaii, which will be the year-round homeport for Norwegian Star. A graduate of the University of Hawaii Manoa, Miss America adopted a platform stressing character in the classroom and has traveled approximately 20,000 miles a month urging students, educators, parents and communities at large to make character education a part of their daily lives.
According to Colin Veitch, president and chief executive officer of NCL, both women embody the distinctive spirit of Freestyle Cruising. "Both Brooke and Miss America represent the independence and enthusiasm that is evident in Freestyle Cruising," Veitch said. "They are two of America's shining young stars and will make wonderful godmothers for two brand new ships packed full of energy and fun."
Delivered to NCL in August, the 78,309-ton, 1,936-passenger Norwegian Sun offers a choice of nine different restaurants, including 10 distinctive menus every evening; larger staterooms; and a new category - mini suites with balconies. Seventy percent of all staterooms are outside cabins.
The 2,240-passenger Norwegian Star will be NCL's largest ship at 91,000 tons and is built at the maximum size to fit through the Panama Canal. Norwegian Star will feature more dining options than any other ship in the North American market offering passengers the flexibility of 10 different restaurants and 11 different menus every night.
Unlike anything on any other vessel today, a steel and glass structure on top of Norwegian Star, aft from the main sundeck, will boast a fantasy-world complex of multi-room villas offering panoramic views of the ocean, each with a roof terrace and private Japanese garden featuring open-air dining, Jacuzzis, and totally private sunning and relaxation areas. With each villa reaching almost 5,350 square feet, they will be the largest afloat.
"We are very excited about our new ships, which will help even more people discover the freedom and style of Freestyle Cruising," Veitch said. "But we are additionally excited to work with such energetic and engaging women like Brooke and Angela. They symbolize a new generation of modern, free-spirited achievers who also happen to brighten the lives of everyone around them."
For further information on NCL, contact a travel agent or NCL in the U.S. and Canada at (800) 327-7030; in Miami-Dade County, Florida, (305) 436-0866; or their web site at www.ncl.com.
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Travel Guard Will Pay Travel Insurance Claims Resulting From Terrorist Attacks on September 11
STEVENS POINT, Wis., Sept. 17 - Travel Guard International, the nation's leading travel insurance supplier, announced today that it will cover travel insurance claims resulting from last week's terrorist attacks for travelers who purchased the company's standard retail travel insurance policies.
For travelers who purchased the company's retail travel insurance polices prior to September 11, 2001, Travel Guard will cover trip delay claims, based on the terms and conditions of their specific policy, for travelers affected by the terrorist incidents. Travelers who purchased the company's Cruise, Tour & Travel or Travel Guard Select polices also will be given the option to reschedule or cancel their trip altogether and receive reimbursement from Travel Guard. Travelers who purchased Travel Guard's Super Saver economy plan before September 11, 2001 will be covered for trip cancellation claims if their trip is scheduled to begin prior to October 11, 2001.
"We are moving ahead with this decision to help alleviate the concerns of American travelers and help restore confidence for their future travel," said John Noel, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Travel Guard International. "We hope this action will help put our customers at ease as they will be able to cancel their trip if they do not want to travel and we will reimburse them for their losses. We hope the entire travel industry follows our lead in providing assurance to the traveling public of protection before and during their trips."
"As a country, we are deeply hurt by the loss of so many innocent lives," Noel said. "Rather than weaken our resolve, these events have helped all Americans find a stronger commitment to the ideals of democracy and the foundation our country was built on."
Since this tragedy occurred, Travel Guard has never closed its doors and has deployed additional staff to its service centers to handle the large volume of calls from the thousands of clients who have been stranded throughout the world. "We have helped an American woman get out of Afghanistan, we have rebooked travel arrangements for thousands of stranded business travelers, and we have been answering coverage concerns of travelers who have already booked future trips," Noel said. "Our volume of calls, in some cases was 10 times higher than normal. We have doubled and tripled our staff. Some employees have been working 24-hour shifts. Our company and our employees will dedicate the massive job ahead of us to those victims and families who have suffered beyond human understanding. All of us here at Travel Guard will work to help America come back and come back even stronger."
Travel Guard is a member company of the Noel Group, based in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Travel Guard is the nation's leading provider of travel insurance and markets its policies through 16,000 travel agencies and 500 tour operators. Customers with questions or claims can call Travel Guard's 24-hour World Service Center 1-800-826-1300. Source: Travel Guard
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Carnival Corp to Hold Conference Call on Third Quarter Earnings
MIAMI, Sept. 17 - Carnival Corporation's Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer Howard Frank has scheduled a conference call with analysts for 11 a.m., Thursday, Sept. 20, to discuss the company's third quarter financial results which are expected to be released that morning.
A simulcast of the call will be available via the company's Web site at www.carnivalcorp.com, and a replay will be available at the same site for a week following the call. Source: Carnival Corp
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MIAMI, Sept. 17 - American Classic Voyages Co. clarified today that the transfers and sales of its common stock reported last month by its two largest shareholders, affiliates of Sam Zell and Ann Lurie, were to and among their respective affiliates only. The transactions were effected solely for tax planning purposes and there has been no change in the economic ownership of AMCV. Mr. Zell's and Ms. Lurie's respective affiliates combined continue to control approximately 34.6% of the Company's outstanding common stock.
American Classic Voyages Co. is the world's largest U.S.-flag cruise company and markets four distinct products that cruise in Hawaii, along the coast of North America and on America's inland waterways. United States Lines, American Hawaii Cruises, Delta Queen Coastal Voyages and Delta Queen Steamboat Company operate a total of seven U.S.-crewed vessels with a combined 3,480 berths. Three more ships, with a total of 4,024 berths, are on order at U.S. shipyards. The 224-passenger Cape Cod Light is scheduled to begin Delta Queen Coastal Voyages' service in April 2002 and two 1,900-passenger ships are scheduled to enter service in Hawaii in 2003 and 2004 for United States Lines. For more information, visit www.amcv.com. SOURCE: American Classic Voyages Co.
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CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES TO RAISE $1.5 MILLION FOR
AMERICAN RED CROSS RELIEF EFFORTS
MIAMI (09/17/01) - Carnival Cruise Lines will donate $50 for each stateroom sold over the next 30 days to the American Red Cross to aid in relief efforts associated with the recent terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C.
The $50 per cabin donation is expected to generate approximately $1.5 million for the American Red Cross, continuing Carnival's decade-long association with the world's foremost relief organization.
Carnival, like other companies throughout the world, wanted to help the victims of the tragedy, while providing its guests and travel agent partners an opportunity to share in the relief efforts, according to Carnival President Bob Dickinson.
"We were deeply saddened and horrified by the events of Sept. 11 and wanted to offer our assistance any way we could. With this $50 per stateroom donation, our guests and travel agent partners, along with our company and its employees, are doing their part in enabling the American Red Cross to help those affected by this inconceivable tragedy," he said.
Over the years, Carnival has made significant financial contributions to a wide variety of American Red Cross initiatives, everything from hurricane and storm relief to blood drives and water safety programs. Most recently, Carnival donated $200,000 to the organization for Tropical Storm Allison relief efforts in Texas and Louisiana. The $50 per stateroom donation applies to individual bookings and encompasses all of the line's cruise offerings, which include two- to 17-day voyages to the Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, New England, Canadian Maritime Provinces, Panama Canal, Bermuda, and Europe.
"Words cannot begin to express the feelings of sorrow and sadness we've experienced over the past week. It is our hope that this donation will allow the dedicated personnel at the American Red Cross to carry out their duties as we pray and mourn for those killed and injured in these attacks," Dickinson said.
For additional information and reservations, contact any travel agent, call 1-800-CARNIVAL or visit www.carnival.com. Source: Carnival Cruise Lines
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MIAMI, Sept 17 - Carnival Cruise Line is offering one-way tickets on its "Fun Ships'' to Americans stranded in the Yucatan resort town of Cozumel because of the air system turmoil following last week's U.S. attacks.
For $149, U.S. citizens get two days at sea and passage from Mexico to either Miami or Tampa. The fees cover lodging, meals and Las Vegas-style entertainment. Drinks are extra.
A total of 271 one-way passengers landed in the Florida cities on Monday aboard the Imagination and the Jubilee, two ships run by the line owned by Carnival Corp.
North America's cruise ships had many empty berths last week because passengers dependent on airlines could not reach departure ports.
Additional U.S. citizens may come later on the ships, which stop regularly in Cozumel, but the practice would likely end this week as North American air service resumes, spokesman Tim Gallagher said.
"This is not the business we want to be in,'' Gallagher said. "But, if we can help Americans, we will.'' Source: Reuters
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MIAMI, Sept 17 - Bookings for future trips at Carnival Corp, the world's biggest cruise group, were running at 60 percent the normal pace after last week's terror attacks, the company's chief executive said on Monday.
Shares of big cruise operators and other leisure groups were savaged by Wall Street investors worried that Tuesday's devastating attacks in New York and Washington would knock the United States into recession and discourage all travel.
Carnival shares dropped as much as 40 percent in the first day of trading on the New York Stock Exchange since Tuesday, hitting a low of $16.95, not seen since 1997. Carnival pared losses to close on Monday at $19.43, down $9.09, or 32 percent.
Micky Arison, chairman and CEO, also said in an interview that Miami-based Carnival expected to be profitable in the current fourth quarter ending Nov. 30 even with the consumer uncertainty created by last week's terror attacks.
Most cruises, including the 47,000 taken last week on Carnival's 45 ships, are normally booked months in advance.
"We have not had significant cancellations for future cruises, yet,'' Arison said. "As of what we know today, we are anticipating we will be be profitable in this quarter.''
Big cruise operators such as Carnival and Royal Caribbean were bedeviled last week by the unprecedented two-day suspension of civilian flights in the United States. Thousands of cruise passengers were unable to reach departure ports or fly home, developments sure to hurt cruise industry profits.
Carnival, which is scheduled to report fiscal third-quarter results on Thursday, was forecast by analysts to earn 31 cents a share in its fiscal fourth quarter, or 6 cents a share less than last year's fiscal fourth quarter, according to Thomson Financial/First Call.
Royal Caribbean, the No. 2 cruise operator after Carnival, said on Monday its cruises last week were about two-thirds full. Extra costs and lost revenues from such actions as relaxing cancellation penalties would total $20 million to $25 million, Royal Caribbean said in a news release.
Arison said internal tabulations indicated that Carnival's spending and lost revenues were likely less than Royal Caribbean's. Carnival canceled just one of 44 cruises last week, in order to accommodate passengers unable to fly home, and carried between 75 percent and 80 percent its usual contingent of passengers, Arison said. He declined to give specific earnings forecasts, saying the consumer fears created by the attacks, along with the expectation of U.S. retaliation, were impossible to gauge.
"You tell me what the president is going to do, and I'll tell you where we will be,'' he said. "In the next 30 to 60 days, we will be better able to say where we are.''
Arison said Carnival's net yield, a measure of revenues per passenger, would decline. Each one percent drop in yield would knock six cents to 8 cents a share from Carnival earning's in fiscal 2002, according to UBS Warburg analyst Robin Farley. The executive also said Carnival, with ships sailing under such names as Holland America, Cunard and Carnival Cruise, had $1.2 billion in cash, $1.6 billion in undrawn credit and was considering reviving a share repurchase program. Arison said Carnival had no plans to pull back on agreements to build new ships and said his company had increased its profits a decade ago, during the Gulf War, even as demand for cruise vacations declined. By Michael Connor Reuters
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MIAMI, Sept 17 - Carnival Corp, the world's No. 1 cruise group, dropped as much as 40 percent on Monday, hitting a low of $16.95 not seen since 1997, in the first day of trading since last week's air attacks in New York and Washington.
Other cruise stocks, hurt like Carnival by fears Americans and Europeans will cut back dramatically on leisure travel, were also sharply off. Some analysts see the sector facing a sustained consumer turndown even as it adds pricey new ships.
Trading in the shares of No. 2 cruise group Royal Caribbean's shares were, like those of Carnival, delayed by order imbalances and also opened down sharply. At mid-morning, Royal Caribbean shares were off about 31 percent, or $6.59, to $14.80 after posting a low of $14.72 not touched since 1997.
Carnival bounced back some by mid-morning, with its shares down $8.72, or 31 percent.
Wall Street stocks overall fell sharply, despite announcement of a U.S. interest rate cut meant to counter fears of a recession and to energize financial markets paralyzed by Tuesday's attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
P&O Princess
Princess, which also trades in London, was dragged down earlier on Monday by a widespread selloff in Europe's leisure and tourism stocks. Hotels and tour operators in Europe reported mass cancellations as travelers girded for expected U.S. retaliation for last week's terror attacks. Source: Reuters
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