Much of the cruise industry's big news this past week was focused on new ships for multiple brands. Carnival Corporation also announced protection of commission tier levels through 2023, and Celestyal Cruises gained a new equity fund investor to aid in its growth.
New Ships
Costa Cruises took delivery of Costa Toscana, its newest LNG (liquidified natural gas)-powered ship at the Meyer shipyard in Turku, Finland. Costa Group, which includes the Costa Cruises and AIDA Cruises brands, has two LNG-powered ships, AIDAnova and Costa Smeralda, already in service.
Ultra-luxury Silversea Cruises said it will name its first Projection Evolution ship as Silver Nova. Construction has begun in Germany on that new eco-friendly vessel, which will be delivered in summer 2023. Silver Nova is expected to achieve local emission-free operation in port by using fuel cells and batteries.
Emerald Azzurra, the first super-yacht for Scenic Group's Emerald Cruises, has successfully completed its first sea trials along the Vietnamese coast. Next, the line will complete final touches, train the crew, and the ship will begin sailing in early 2022.
Lindblad Expeditions celebrated the launch of its second polar expedition vessel, the 126-passenger National Geographic Resolution, on its inaugural voyage to “Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falklands."On fast ice in the Weddell Sea’s Duse Bay, guests walked onto the ice to cheer on Captain Heidi Norling as she christened the expedition ship.
More News
In appreciation for the travel advisor community, Carnival Corporation’s five North American brands announced that they will maintain travel advisors’ current commission tiers earned through 2023. Those brands include Carnival Cruise Line, Cunard, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and Seabourn.
Celestyal Cruises and its parent company, Louis PLC, a Cyprus-based tourism organization, announced a definitive strategic investment agreement with funds managed by Searchlight Capital Partners, a global private investment firm. Searchlight will make an investment into a new holding company, Celestyal Holdings, which will assist the line in its growth strategy. Celestyal Cruises' management team will remain and the line will continue to operate its fleet of two ships from its offices in Piraeus, Greece. The Louis Group will continue as a shareholder in the new holding company.
Late in the week, Carnival Cruise Line said it would not operate any scheduled cruises on Carnival Horizon through the end of 2021, but instead return Carnival Sunshine and Carnival Liberty to service a bit earlier than expected and transfer Carnival Horizon's guests to those sailings.Carnival Horizon has had propulsion issues that have impacted its speed, so it's entering drydock for repairs.
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