Carnival assigns newbuilding

Carnival Corporation has assigned a previously ordered 112,000gt cruise ship to its Carnival Cruise Lines brand. The 3,006-passenger ship, to be built by Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri, is expected to enter service in spring 2008.

The vessel was part of a five-ship contract with Fincantieri announced in September 2004 that also included the 116,000-ton Emerald Princess for Princess Cruises, the 110,000-ton Carnival Freedom for Carnival Cruise Lines, and the 116,000-ton Ventura for P&O Cruises, and a significant redesign of Cunard Line’s previously ordered Queen Victoria.

“Originally, we envisioned this ship would be designated for one of our European brands. However, Carnival Cruise Lines continues to perform at a very high level and based on the tremendous consumer demand for its products, we now believe that this specific tonnage would be best utilized for Carnival’s North American market,” said Micky Arison, Carnival Corporation & plc chairman and CEO.