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Carnival Corporation & plc Orders 112,000-Ton Cruise Ship for Costa Cruises Unit
Represents New Class of Vessel for Italian Cruise Operator
MIAMI, Jan. 19, 2004 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Genoa-based Costa Cruises, a unitof Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE; LSE: CCL) (NYSE: CUK), announced todaythat it has signed a letter of intent with Italian shipbuilder FincantieriCantieri Navali S.p.A. to construct a 112,000-gross-ton cruise ship to bedelivered in summer 2006. To be built at Fincantieri's Sestri Ponenteshipyard, the new vessel will have an all-in cost of approximately 450 millioneuros.
The as-yet-unnamed ship, which will encompass 1,502 staterooms with atotal guest capacity of 3,800, will be the largest passenger ship in thehistory of Italian seafaring. It is expected to be deployed in theMediterranean year-round.
As an all-new class of vessel for the line, it will offer innovativeamenities and facilities including a wide range of formal and casual diningvenues, one of the largest health and wellness centers at sea, four swimmingpools -- two of which will feature retractable domes -- and state-of-the-arttelecommunications capabilities that will enable guests to use their cellulartelephones while at sea. Sixty-one percent of the ship's staterooms willfeature an ocean view with 62 percent of those offering private balconies.
"Costa is the largest cruise operator in Europe, an area which is veryimportant to the strategic growth of our company. This new class will enableCarnival Corporation & plc to further its leadership position in this fast-growing market," said Carnival Corporation & plc Chairman and CEO MickyArison. "At approximately 150,000 euros per lower berth, this new vessel wasvery attractively priced for Costa," he added.
Commented Pier Luigi Foschi, chairman and CEO of Costa Cruises, "Thedecision to further expand our fleet capacity has been prompted both by theterrific customer response to the Costa Fortuna and by the forecasts ofcontinued growth in demand in the European cruise industry. In addition, weare renewing our commitment to the development of our national passengershipbuilding industry, in which Italy is one of the world's key players."
Arison noted the new vessel will be the fifth Costa cruise ship to beconstructed at Fincantieri and will enhance the shipbuilder's reputation forconstructing some of the most stunning and technically advanced ships in thecruise industry. "We're very pleased to continue our 14-year relationship withFincantieri, a valuable business partner which has the largest order book forCarnival's multi-billion-dollar newbuilding program. In fact, nine of our 12new ships are being constructed at Fincantieri's yards in Monfalcone, Sestriand Marghera," he said.
Costa Cruises has an international fleet of 10 ships that span the globeoffering cruises of seven nights and longer throughout the Mediterranean,Northern Europe, South America and Caribbean. The new 105,000-ton CostaMagica, currently under construction at Fincantieri, is expected to enterservice in November 2004.
Carnival Corporation & plc is the largest cruise vacation group in theworld, with a portfolio of 12 cruise brands in North America, Europe andAustralia, comprised of Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, PrincessCruises, Seabourn Cruise Line, Windstar Cruises, AIDA, Costa Cruises, CunardLine, Ocean Village, P&O Cruises, Swan Hellenic, and P&O Cruises Australia.Together, these brands operate 72 ships totaling more than 115,600 lowerberths with 12 new ships scheduled for delivery between now and mid-2006.Carnival Corporation & plc also operates the leading tour companies in Alaskaand the Canadian Yukon, Holland America Tours and Princess Tours. Traded onboth the New York and London Stock Exchanges, Carnival Corporation & plc isthe only group in the world to be included in both the S&P 500 and the FTSE100 indices.
Additional information is available online at carnivalcorp.com,carnivalplc.com and costacruises.com.
SOURCE Carnival Corporation & plc -0- 01/19/2004 /CONTACT: US Media, Tim Gallagher, +1-305-599-2600, ext. 16000, or US orUK Investor Relations, Beth Roberts, +1-305-406-4832, both of CarnivalCorporation & plc; or in the UK, Sophie Fitton, Brunswick Group,+011-44-20-7404-5959, or Bronwen Griffiths, +011-44-23-8052-5231, or+011-44-20-7404-5959, both for Carnival Corporation & plc/ /Web site: # # / (CCL CUK)CO: Carnival Corporation & plc ; Costa Cruises; Fincantieri Sestri PonenteST: Florida, ItalyIN: LEI TRA MARSU:CH -- FLM003 --2516 01/19/2004 04:30 EST #
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