Carnival Corp. is
adding another brand to its fleet, this one to serve the growing Spanish
market. Last week, Carnival and
Carnival's 1,486-passenger Celebration, which launched back in 1987, will join Iberocruceros in late spring 2008 after an extensive renovation. Orizonia's 1,244-passenger Grand Mistral and 834-passenger Grand Voyager round out the fleet.
Alfredo Serrano, who currently serves as the general manager
of the Iberojet fleet, has been appointed general manager of the new
Iberocruceros, which will be headquartered in
In a statement, Carnival Corp. Chairman and CEO Micky Arison called the new joint venture "a solid platform for expanding in the fast-growing European marketplace." (A recent study by the Cruise Lines International Associated detailed the boom of European cruising and growing embarkation numbers from European ports.)
German Brand Deal Fell Through
On the same day, Carnival announced a dead deal in
Carnival will continue to up its presence in the German
market, though, through new construction for its Aida and Costa brands, as well
as through Cunard, whose Queen Mary 2 will operate a series of
trans-Atlantic crossings from