ROYAL
CARIBBEAN CRUISES LTD. said its second-quarter profits
decreased 21% compared with second-quarter 2005, but CEO Richard
Fain said he was pleasantly surprised by what he called
better-than-expected results. The company reported an 8.3% increase
in revenue over the same period last year, to $1.3 billion, due
mostly to higher onboard earnings and strong pricing.
Second-quarter income dropped to $122.4 million, from $155.2
million in the same period last year; RCCL cited continued softness
in the Caribbean, surging fuel costs and a compressed booking
window.
ROYAL
CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL said it is working with U.S. and
Italian authorities to determine the whereabouts of a 22-year-old
passenger who disappeared from the Voyager of the Seas last week as
it sailed between Civitavecchia and Naples, Italy. The passenger,
Elizabeth Galeana, was reported missing at approximately 7:30 a.m.
July 25, Royal Caribbean said. Onboard announcements and searches
were carried out, and the Naples police conducted an investigation
while the Italian Coast Guard conducted air and sea searches, the
line said. Our thoughts and prayers are with this woman and her
family, said Adam Goldstein, president of Royal Caribbean
International. A statement from the Galeana family said that from
what we know at this time, we do not believe Elizabeths death was
the result of any foul play.
PRINCESS
CRUISES said that human error was responsible for the list
the Crown Princess experienced on July 18 following its departure
from Port Canaveral, Fla. In a statement, Princess Cruises
President Alan Buckelew said, We can appreciate there may be
concern as to the cause of this incident and questions about
whether it could happen again. We can confirm that the incident was
due to human error, and the appropriate personnel changes have been
made.
THE
WORLD is sold out. The residential community at sea, which
celebrates its fourth anniversary this year, has sold its final
available residences. At a New York press event, executives said
that agents will still play an active role in selling cruise
vacations to renters as well as in the re-sale of residences.
Approximately 5% to 10% of the residences are expected to be on the
market at any given time, said James St. John, president of the
Worlds management company ResidenSea; prices range from $850,000 to
$7.3 million. In 2007, the World will begin the year in Argentina
before moving to Antarctica and Europe, and it will time its port
calls for major events, such as Carnival in Rio de Janeiro and the
Cannes Film Festival.
Cruise
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