Carnival Cruises 2008 Annual Report Download - page 7

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The introduction of Ruby Princess represents the ninth ship in the evolving Grand Class
series of vessels, featuring signatures such as "Movies Under the Stars" outdoor theaters,
showing first-run Hollywood hits on a 330 square foot outdoor poolside LED screen and the
adults' only sanctuary retreat deck. At least 57% of each of these Grand Class ship's
staterooms have balconies; another hallmark of Princess' ships. Princess attracts consumers
through a highly integrated brand campaign, encouraging them to "escape completely®" with a
direct marketing effort supported by a range of advertising and point-of-sale materials.
Holland America Line, with 135 years of cruising experience, operates a premium fleet
of 14 ships, with an additional ship, Nieuw Amsterdam contracted for delivery in 2010.
Holland America Line cruises call at more than 320 destinations in more than 100 countries
and territories on all seven continents. Homeports include New York, Boston, Fort
Lauderdale, Tampa, San Diego, Seattle, Vancouver, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Rome,
Rio de Janeiro, Valparaiso, Auckland, Sydney and Hong Kong. The majority of Holland America
Line's cruise lengths are from seven to 21 days, however there are longer and more exotic
cruises, such as the world cruise which lasts over 118 days. Most sailings in the Caribbean
visit Holland America Line's private island, Half Moon Cay. Holland America's ships, which
tend to be smaller and more intimate than the bigger contemporary cruise ships, were
designed with airy viewing lounges, wraparound teak decks and private, roomy verandahs that
offer guests the chance to experience wildlife and scenery, which is especially important
during its Alaska cruises.
As Holland America Line introduces new guests to its premium brand, the brand continues
to enjoy one of the highest rates of repeat cruisers in the cruise industry. Its onboard
experience is distinguished by warm, welcoming personalized service, a timeless approach to
interior design and one of the most extensive collections of art and antiques at sea. The
five areas identified as pillars of the Holland America guest experience are(1)spacious,
elegant ships and accommodations,(2)sophisticated five-star dining,(3)gracious, unobtrusive
service,(4)extensive enrichment programs and activities and(5)compelling worldwide
itineraries.
The brand's $525 million product enhancement initiative "Signature of Excellence,"
continues with ongoing refinements to service and enrichment activities onboard and ashore.
Signature of Excellence includes the Culinary Arts Center, a state-of-the-art onboard show
kitchen where visiting chefs and culinary experts provide cooking demonstrations and classes
to our guests, three specialty theme bars that feature a multitude of martinis and
champagnes, as well as an international selection of beers and premium whiskeys and
brandies, and many other enhancements.
Seabourn provides ultra luxury cruising vacations in a unique, small-ship style that
focuses on personalized services, all-suite accommodations, superb cuisine and unique
experiences. Consistently rated among the top vacation choices, Seabourn pampers its'
guests with complimentary open bars, open-seating dining and value-added extras such as
Massage MomentsSM on deck, Caviar in the SurfSM beach parties and water sports from the
yachts' fold-down marina. Seabourn's ships offer destinations throughout the world,
including Europe, Asia, the South Pacific and the Americas, with cruises generally from
seven to 14 days, with some of longer length. Seabourn currently operates three 208-guest
yachts and will begin a fleet expansion that is contracted to add three 450-guest sisters,
one in each of 2009, 2010 and 2011. The new vessels will offer more categories of luxury
suites, more dining alternatives and an 11,400-square foot spa facility that will be the
largest on any ultra-luxury vessel. They will maintain the service ratio of nearly one staff
member per guest, and the intimate, sociable atmosphere that is the hallmark of the Seabourn
yachting lifestyle for over 20 years.
III. Europe
We believe that Europe is one of the largest single leisure travel vacation markets,
but to date cruising in Europe has achieved a much lower penetration rate than in North
America, and represents a relatively small percentage of the European vacation market.