Carnival places orders for Costa and AIDA
Carnival Corperation has placed orders for new ships for Italian line Costa and German-based AIDA Cruises.
One 2,260-passenger vessel and an option for a sister ship at a cost of euros 420 million each have been earmarked for Costa. The 92,700-ton ships are due to enter service in 2009 and 2010.
The AIDA ship with a capacity for 2,050 passengers is also due for delivery in 2010 at a cost of euros 330 million. It will the fourth ship ordered for the line in the past 19 months, with deliveries due each year from 2007.
The annoucement continues the US cruise group’s aggressive expansion in Europe. acccording to chairman and CEO Micky Arison.
He said: “We have spent a great deal of time and money expanding and diversifying the European cruise market which possesses incredible potential for growth.
“Costa is already the clear leader in the southern Euroepan market and AIDA holds the same distinction in Germany.
“These new state-of-the-art ships will further bolster their positions in their respective markjets and ensure that we have adequate capacity available to meet growing demand for European cruises.”
The two lines now have nine ships on order between them representing 21,720 berths – more than any other European cruise line, Carnival claims.
Report by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Digital Travel Reporter of the Mirror totally seduced by HotelPlanner AI Travel Agent
Strike action set to cause travel chaos at Brussels airports