Carnival profits surge ahead

It’s been a busy week for Micky Arison, chairman and CEO of the biggest cruise company in the world.
He’s in Italy, having taken delivery of his company’s newest ship, the Carnival Dream. Meanwhile, back at Miami HQ, the Carnival empire, which includes Cunard, P&O, Princess, Holland America and Costa, was announcing its latest financial results.
Third-quarter profits of just over a billion dollars were better than expected, thanks to lower fuel costs and stronger advance bookings.
Arison said the drastic price-cutting which has helped fill ships across the industry may not continue for much longer, and that early bookers are likely to get a better deal than last-minute bargain-hunters.
He also warned that although the company is keen to add new ships and passenger capacity, the weakness of the dollar against the euro is making it too expensive to contemplate placing orders with European shipyards, even though they have reduced their costs.
P&O, Cunard, Holland America and Costa all have ships under construction in Italy, but Princess launched its last ship, Ruby Princess, last year and currently has no new vessels on order.
“It’s unlikely that a contract could be signed before the end of the year,” he said during a conference call, adding that it could be 2013 before a ship could take to the sea if ordered in early 2010.
He had no better news for Alaska, where he is conducting a running battle against the state’s $50-a-head passenger tax. Several cruise lines have pulled ships out of Alaskan waters, and Arison warned more might be transferred away in 2011.
At least he’s happy with his newest ship, and no wonder. Take a look at the pictures which cruise director John Heald has now posted on his blog. But be warned, you’ll need a strong stomach to get past the photographs of Heald on the water slides.