MIAMI
(February 3, 2014) – Carnival Cruise Lines set a one-month reservations
record, taking net bookings (new reservations minus cancellations) for
more than 565,000 guests
between January 1 and January 31, 2014.
The record number of
reservations was 17 percent higher than the same one-month period a year
ago. Additionally, traffic to the cruise line’s web site
carnival.com also reached an all-time high with 13 million visits during the one-month period.
Bookings
were at unprecedented levels across the line’s 24-ship fleet, which
operates three- to 23-day voyages from a wide range of convenient North
American homeports as
well as cruises from Australia.
Carnival
President and CEO Gerry Cahill attributed the record booking activity
to a number of factors, including continued product enhancements and
innovations being introduced
across the Carnival fleet, very attractive promotions in the
marketplace, strong support from travel agent partners, and a new
“Moments that Matter” advertising campaign launched last fall, which is
currently in heavy rotation in broadcast and digital channels.
Cahill also cited increasing recognition among consumers that Carnival
cruises provide a truly exceptional vacation value.
"Now
is the time of year when many people focus on their upcoming vacation
plans and the cruise industry typically sees an escalation in booking
activity. We are definitely
observing a strong uptick in reservations with bookings coming in at
unprecedented levels,” said Cahill.
“We are seeing heavy sales growth in
all channels, particularly via our travel agent partners, and we would
like to express our tremendous appreciation
for their support,” he added. Cahill also pointed out that Carnival did
not introduce any new ships in 2013 so added capacity would not account
for the stronger booking activity.
“More than anything, I believe
consumers are increasingly recognizing that,
when it comes to an exceptional vacation experience at a great value,
Carnival easily comes out on top.”
Among
the new initiatives introduced over past several months are a
one-of-kind vacation guarantee that gives consumers the option of ending
their voyage early and flying
home at Carnival’s expense if they are dissatisfied for any reason, a
comprehensive revamp of the line’s main dining room offerings, and a fun
and exciting partnership with Dr. Seuss Enterprises to enhance the
activities programming for Carnival’s youngest
guests.
Last month, the line announced an enhancement to its live
music offerings through upgraded house bands and the Carnival LIVE
concert series which features performances by many of today's top
artists including Jennifer Hudson, Gavin DeGraw, Lady Antebellum,
Olivia Newton-John, Daughtry, Styx, Martina McBride, Jewel and many
others.
Additionally,
the line has continued to roll out its $500 million Fun Ship 2.0
product enhancement program across the fleet, which includes a variety
of hugely popular new
dining, bar and entertainment upgrades. In 2014, a total of 11 Carnival
ships will feature major Fun Ship 2.0 enhancements, including vessels
that sail from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Port Canaveral, Tampa, New
Orleans and Galveston.
For
additional information, call 1-800-327-9501 (individual) or
1-800-327-5782 (groups) or visit the line’s travel agent Internet
portal, GoCCL.com.
Carnival can also be found on:
Twitter:
www.twitter.com/carnivalcruise
Facebook Fan Page:
www.facebook.com/carnival
About Carnival Cruise Lines
Carnival, a unit of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), is "The World's Most Popular Cruise Line®" with 24 ships operating three- to 23-day voyages to The Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, New England, Panama Canal, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and Tahiti. The company’s 25th ship, the 135,000-ton Carnival Vista, is scheduled to enter service in 2016.
Carnival, a unit of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), is "The World's Most Popular Cruise Line®" with 24 ships operating three- to 23-day voyages to The Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, New England, Panama Canal, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and Tahiti. The company’s 25th ship, the 135,000-ton Carnival Vista, is scheduled to enter service in 2016.
Carnival
is a proud member of World's Leading Cruise Lines. Our exclusive
alliance also includes Cunard, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises,
Costa Cruises and Seabourn. Sharing a passion
to please each guest and a commitment to quality and value, World's
Leading Cruise Lines inspires people to discover their best vacation
experience. Together, we offer a variety of exciting and enriching
cruise vacations to the world's most desirable destinations.
Visit us at www.worldleadingcruiselines.com.
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