Cruise Community (registration required) is reporting that Carnival Corp has completed a deal to sell Windstar Cruises to Ambassadors International for $100 million. Ambassadors International purchased Delta Queen Steamship Company last year and merged it with American West Steamship Company to create Majestic America Line.
Carnival CEO Micky Arison is quoted as saying that the company decided to exit the niche cruise market some time ago. That strategy began with the transfer of Swan Hellenic’s Minerva II to Princess Cruises. Minerva II will not be replaced, and as a result the line will be shutting down once the transfer of Minerva II is complete in a few weeks.
According to Mr. Arison, while both Swan Hellenic and Windstar Cruises offer excellent products they do not fit into the company’s future growth plans.
Carnival expects the transfer of Windstar Cruises to be completed in the second quarter.
(0) Comments (Leave a Comment)Filed under: Swen Hellenic Cruises, Windstar Cruises Posted by Michael on 07/15/06
If you’ve already been receiving mailings from us then you should be receiving your own copy of the latest edition of the Cruise Planners Magazine. In this edition Carnival Cruise Line is our featured line and Carnival’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing Vicki Freed writes about Carnival and the Caribbean.
You’ll also find some great specials from all of the cruise lines and tour companies that we represent and even coupons for some great items and reduced deposits on many sailings.
Not on our mailing list? Give us a call at 888-286-9827 and we’ll send you your copy.
(0) Comments (Leave a Comment)Filed under: Carnival Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cruise West, Crystal Cruises, Cunard Cruise Lines, Disney Cruise Line, General News, Holland America Line, MSC Cruises, NCL America, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, Orient Lines, Peter Deilmann Cruises, Princess Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Silversea Cruises, Star Clippers Tall Ships, Swen Hellenic Cruises, The Yachts of Seabourn, Viking River Cruises, Windstar Cruises Posted by Patricia on 04/24/06
As readers of the The Mail Bouy, we know you want to get the latest information and best deals on cruising available. In June, we will be publishing a magazine free for our readers. We do this twice a year and partner with all the major cruise lines to publish the best deals and specials that are only available through us.
Should you wish to receive your complimentary issue, please just drop an e-mail with your mailing address to letsgo@mycruiseplanner.info. Please note we will not use your e-mail address or contact you directly, unless you request us to. We do not want anyone to miss out on these special offers.
In addition, over the upcoming months we are going to be offering special merchandise from various cruise lines to our readers. Please stay tuned to this space for more details.
(0) Comments (Leave a Comment)Filed under: Carnival Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cruise Planners Weekly Specials, Cruise West, Crystal Cruises, Cunard Cruise Lines, Delta Queen Steamboat Company, Disney Cruise Line, General News, Glacier Bay Cruiseline, Holland America Line, MSC Cruises, NCL America, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, Orient Lines, Peter Deilmann Cruises, Princess Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Silversea Cruises, Star Clippers Tall Ships, Swen Hellenic Cruises, The Yachts of Seabourn, Viking River Cruises, Windstar Cruises Posted by Michael on 03/09/06
In a puzzling turn of events, Swan Hellenic has announced that they will be transfering the Minerva II to Princess Cruise Lines next year. The transfer has caused many in the industry to scratch their heads in bewilderment, as the Minerva II is Swan Hellenic’s only ship, and they currently don’t have any ships on order.
The 680 passenger ship will be renamed Royal Princess and join it’s sisters Pacific Princess and Tahitian Princess. All three ships were originally R class ships built for Renaissance Cruises.
After a two week drydock for interior modifications, the new Royal Princess will begin sailing 12 day Mediterranean, Holy Land, and Black Sea itineraries from Europe. Current plans are for Royal Princess to operate in Europe and on exotic worldwide destinations just like the last Royal Princess operated by Princess Cruise Lines. Built in 1984 that ship now sails as P&O Cruises’ Artemis.
But the question now is what next for Swan Hellenic?
A spokesman for the cruise line says that the line is profitable, but that the decision to transfer Minerva II to Princess was purely commercial. Since Princess Cruises can support more capacity and already has the two sister ships Tahitian Princess and Pacific Princess it can add ships without incurring more costs. The decision was made by parent company P&O Cruises International because they felt that the ship could be more profitable elsewhere in the company.
The announcement of Minerva II’s transfer was made now in order to give Princess time to promote the vessel, plus, there would still be time to get a program out for Summer 2007 if the Swan Hellenic brand continues.
According to a spokesman for P&O Cruises and Carnival UK the company could buy or charter a replacement but the options also could include possibly selling the business if they aren’t able to find a suitable ship.
The other question brought up by this transfer is what about Oceania Cruises?
Oceania operates three other R Class ships and announced back in November that they were in advanced negotiations for a fourth ship that they intended to name Marina. Unconfirmed rumors were that the ship in question is the Pacific Princess, but with Princess now acquiring Minerva II is the Pacific Princess deal still in the works?
(0) Comments (Leave a Comment)Filed under: Princess Cruises, Swen Hellenic Cruises Posted by Michael on 01/24/06
Wave Season - that time of year from January through March when cruise lines’ reservations departments are at their busiest - is shaping up to once again to offer unrivalled vacation opportunities to travelers embarking on seagoing journeys.
This year, cruisers can take advantage of Wave Season promotions offered by nine member companies of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the cruise industry’s premier marketing organization.
Cruise lines are celebrating Wave Season with attractive advance-purchase incentives that include stateroom upgrades, two-for-one fares, onboard credits, upgrades from economy to business class air and discounts of up to 60 percent
You can read more after the jump. (more…)
(0) Comments (Leave a Comment)Filed under: Crystal Cruises, Holland America Line, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Silversea Cruises, Swen Hellenic Cruises, The Yachts of Seabourn Next Page »
