Carnival, the cruise giant, celebrated ist first year since a company-transforming merger by unveiling record second-quarter results today.
The Miami-based group, which acquired UK company P&O Princess in April last year, saw a 38 per cent hike in revenues in the three months to May 31 as it also benefited from comparisons with weak bookings during the Iraq war last year.
Bookings were also “significantly ahead” for the second half of the current financial year as more customers booked their holidays in advance.
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Savings from the P&O merger contributed to what chairman and chief executive Micky Arison described as a “remarkable” quarter.
Revenues increased to $2.26 billion (£1.23bn) during the three months, against a pro-forma figure of $1.63 billion (£890m) a year ago.
All of the seven ships introduced in the past seven months - including Cunard’s Queen Mary II liner - had been successful, Carnival said.
Carnival won a long battle with rival Royal Caribbean to land P&O Princess and currently has 12 cruise brands, including Costa Cruises, Ocean Village and Swan Hellenic.
It operates four ships under the P&O Cruise brand in the UK, with voyages around the world and to the Mediterranean, Baltic, Norwegian Fjords, Caribbean and Atlantic Islands.
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The company, which is listed on both the New York and London markets, operates 77 ships and has more than 123,000 berths as the world’s largest cruise ship operator.
Mr Arison said cruising was an “increasingly popular” vacation choice.
He added: “More customers are booking further in advance resulting in a notable expansion in the booking curve for the second half of the year, which is also extending into 2005.”
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Revenues for the six months to May 31 were $4.24 billion (£2.32bn), compared with $3.26 billion US dollars (£1.78bn).
Carnival said that assuming no major geopolitical events hit the business, earnings per share for the current financial year were expected to be $2.10 to $2.20 US dollars (£1.15 to £1.20), compared with previous guidance of $2.05 to $2.15 (£1.12 to £1.17).
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Shares in the group rose 30p to 2550p.