Carnival Corp. CEO Arnold Donald said there has been no "discernable,
measurable impact" from the uncertainty surrounding Great Britain's exit
from the European Union on Carnival brands.
In an interview at the World Travel and Tourism Council
Global Summit in Seville, Spain, Donald said that Carnival's two brands that do
a lot of business in Great Britain, P&O Cruises and Cunard Line, sell there
in pounds sterling, so there is no currency disincentive to British travelers.
Although Donald said, "A question like Brexit is very
relevant," at a global summit, he told Travel Weekly editor in chief Arnie
Weissmann that the overall effect created by the Brexit political tensions has
been hard to gauge.
"We have not seen, or been able to measure, any direct
impact on our business. We're not immune. Things could happen. We monitor it
closely. Overall, we have not experienced any major, noticeable impact on our
business," Donald said.
In addition, Donald said that cruise berth cutbacks for 2020
announced by the port in Dublin, which is seeking in part to make more room for
cargo operations should Brexit proceed, is a singular situation not likely to
occur in many other ports. "We don't have any grave concerns," he
said.