Carnival Corporation, the biggest cruise operator in the world, has announced it will let go of 13 mamoth ships from its fleet as the group prepares for a phased "destination by destination" overhaul starting August.
According to Chief Executive Arnold Donald, regional lines would be better off positioned to sail first as "these brands are categorized by ready access with drive-to-market and shorter cruise availability," Benjamin Parker of The Telegraph quoted Donald as saying.
Although one possible line that fits this description is the P&O Cruises of Britain, which is part of the Carnival Group, the new advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which alerts against any cruise ship voyage, means that customers are unlikely to embark any time soon.
The cruise line group had previously disclosed that it planned to fast-track the removal of ships for the current fiscal year, which were previously estimated to be sold over the coming years.
Carnival sold one commercial vessel last June and stated it has entered into a deal to dispose of five ships and initial agreements for an extra three ships, all of which are anticipated to exit the fleet in the next three months. Carnival said the move is part of its efforts to deal with a $4.4 billion loss in the second quarter this year.
Carnival Corporation did not divulge the names of the 13 vessels that it plans to eliminate. Sale total marks a drop of around 9 percent in the fleet's current capacity. It also disclosed that only five of the nine ships that were set to be bought this year and the next will now be shipped before the end of the fiscal year 2021.
In a filing, Donald pointed out that they have "aggressively unloaded assets while actively deferring new ship deliveries," Richard Tribou of the Orlando Sentinel reported. He added that they are working hard to resume operations while serving the best interests of public health, the report disclosed. The decision, it said, is part of Carnival Corp. and other cruise lines' strategy to save money while sailing is suspended because of the ongoing global health crisis.
Both Carnival brands sailing from the U.S. have the option to stop its voyage until at least Sept. 15 in the wake of the pandemic. Carnival Cruise Line had previously disclosed that it will not start sailing until Oct. 1, and is currently working on a sailing schedule that it will send to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for approval.
