ROYAL
CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL will stretch the Enchantment of
the Seas next summer by inserting a 73-foot midsection into the
ship. The midsection will be built by Finnish shipbuilder Kvaerner
Masa-Yards and floated over to the Keppel Verolme shipyard in
Rotterdam, Holland, where the Enchantment will be halved and the
midsection inserted. The lengthening will add 151 cabins, as well
as indoor and outdoor public spaces, to the vessel. Additional
renovations include a specialty restaurant and a Boleros Latin
music-themed lounge.
RICHARD
FAIN, RCCL's CEO, said there could be more ship
lengthenings in Royal Caribbean's future. "I think it's fair to
characterize that as [part of] a program of trying to improve our
vessels and take advantage of some of the lessons we've learned on
the new building ... particularly alternative dining." But, he
added, "I don't think we're on any mission to do a lot more of the
lengthening. Physically all the ships are quite different and some
are more conducive to lengthenings than others."
RCCL'S second-quarter profits, meanwhile,
increased 119%, to $122.2 million. Revenue increased 26.2% to $1.1
billion, primarily due to a 12.4% increase in capacity and
increases in ticket prices, occupancy and onboard revenue, the
company said. Occupancy for the quarter was 106.2%, which
executives said was at the top end of its available capacity, and
Jack Williams, president of the Royal Caribbean International and
Celebrity brands, said 2004 demand continued to "significantly outpace" last year.
NCL
AMERICA'S 2005 Hawaii lineup will offer five different
itineraries between its two U.S.-flagged ships -- all at the same
time. The Pride of America, which begins Hawaii service July 23,
2005, will offer seven-day roundtrip service from Honolulu as its
core product but will simultaneously offer three- and four-day
cruises by taking on short-cruise passengers in Honolulu and Maui.
The Pride of Aloha, meanwhile, also will take on short-cruise
passengers during its seven-day roundtrip cruises from Maui. The
ship will continue to offer seven-day cruises from Honolulu. The
seven-day Maui cruises begin June 4, 2005. The new cruises go on
sale Aug. 9, 2004.
STRONG
DEMAND for Silversea Cruises' two 2005 cruises to Beirut,
Lebanon, Syria and Libya prompted the luxury line to add a third
Beirut cruise to its lineup. The added 15-day voyage, on May 26,
begins in Istanbul and calls in Kusadasi, Turkey; Rhodes, Greece;
Tartous, Syria; Beirut; Alexandria, Egypt; Benghazi and Tripoli,
Libya; Valetta, Malta; and Liparti and Rome, Italy.
PRINCESS IS
IN THE CARIBBEAN next winter with new 14-day itineraries,
a new port call -- the island of Bonaire -- and six ships: the
Caribbean Princess, the Grand Princess, the Star Princess and the
Golden Princess will sail seven-day itineraries; the Sun Princess
will offer alternating 10-day itineraries and the Sea Princess will
introduce 14-day itineraries.