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Crystal Cruises will set sail again this summer with new name, 'personalized service'

Crystal Cruises is back with a new name and a new look.

After  suspending operations  last year, the cruise line is relaunching as Crystal and will set sail again on July 31, the brand said Wednesday.

The A&K Travel Group, which owns the luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent, acquired the Crystal Cruises brand last year along with its Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity ships, which have been refurbished with larger suites and revamped amenities.

"I am delighted to announce that Crystal is reborn, with Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony reimagined and enhancements made to every part of our guests' journey," Crystal president Jack Anderson said in a news release .

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Crystal Cruises  reportedly shut down  at least its U.S. operations last year after an arrest warrant had been issued for the Crystal Symphony because of unpaid fuel bills. The cruise line had previously suspended sailings for several months after its parent company, Genting Hong Kong, declared bankruptcy in January 2022.

Royal Caribbean Group also acquired another former Crystal Cruises ship , Crystal Endeavor, which joined the Silversea Cruises fleet as Silver Endeavour.

Where will Crystal sail?

With the tagline, "Exceptional at Sea," Crystal will sail to destinations around the world, including the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, Alaska, Canada and New England and more.

The relaunched line's first sailing on July 31 will be a 12-night voyage from Marseille, France, to Lisbon, Portugal , on Crystal Serenity.

What can guests expect from Crystal?

Travelers can expect larger accommodations and upgraded features on board.

"Palatial suites, spacious verandas and guest rooms have been rolled out on both ships, reducing overall guest capacity," Anderson said in the release. "Personalized service – long a Crystal signature – has been elevated further."

Anderson said the line's eateries – there are nine on each ship – would serve "authentic food from around the globe," while Abercrombie & Kent's local experts would offer destination-specific experiences.

The ships will also have updated spas and gyms.

How much does a Crystal cruise cost?

A nine-night voyage from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Miami departing Nov. 23 starts at $3,800 per guest based on double occupancy, according to the line's website , but prices vary by cruise and room category, and include food and drinks on board.

Bookings open Wednesday for travel advisors and travelers who have made $500 open deposits . Other past passengers can book a cruise starting on Feb. 13, and bookings will open to the general public Feb. 22.

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5 Companies Owned by Carnival Corp. (CCL)

Cruise brands for passenger segments such as ultra-luxury, luxury, and premium

Carnival Corp. ( CCL ) is a global cruise line. It operates as a dual-listed company with Carnival Plc (CCL.L), but the two separate legal entities function as a single economic entity through contractual agreements. Shares of CCL are traded on the New York Stock Exchange ( NYSE ) while shares of CCL.L are traded on the London Stock Exchange ( LSE ). The company offers cruise vacations through a range of brands that operate in various geographic locations throughout North America, Europe, and Australia. Its brands cater to different price points, lifestyles and cultures as well as entertainment and vacation preferences. Carnival posted a net loss of $10.2 billion on revenue of $5.6 billion in fiscal year ( FY ) 2020, which ended Nov. 30, 2020. The  market cap  of CCL was $27.4 billion and that of CCL.L was GBP18.8 billion ($25.2 billion), as of Nov. 10, 2021.

Carnival's leading brand is Carnival Cruise Line, which was founded in 1972 by entrepreneur Ted Arison. Carnival Cruise Line was initially formed as part of a subsidiary of American International Travel Service (AITS). The company started out with a single used trans-Atlantic ocean liner that it converted into a cruise liner and renamed the Mardi Gras. In 1974, Arison purchased Carnival Cruise Line for $1 and the assumption of AITS' debt of $5 million. At that point, the cruise line was still a small-time operator struggling to survive. But it managed to steadily grow in size and popularity, and went public in 1987 through an initial public offering ( IPO ). The cash raised in the IPO provided the company with the capital needed to continue expanding through acquisitions. The company, which was renamed Carnival Corp. in the early 1990s, has since built a portfolio of globally-recognized cruise brands. Below, we look in more detail at five of those brands.

Holland America Line N.V.

• Type of Business: Cruise Line
• Acquisition Price: $625 million
• Acquisition Date: November 1988 (announced)

Holland America Line traces its origins to the founding of a shipping and passenger line called Netherlands-American Steamship Co. in 1873. In the first 25 years since its founding, the company owned a fleet of six cargo and passenger ships that it operated between Holland and the Dutch East Indies. The company would become known over time as the Holland America Line due to its being headquartered in the Dutch city of Rotterdam. In 1989, Carnival Cruise Line formally acquired the company, reinforcing its position as the largest cruise line in terms of the number of passengers. The Holland America Line now operates a fleet of 10 ships cruising to over 425 ports in more than 100 countries.

Seabourn Cruise Line Ltd.

• Type of Business: Ultra-Luxury Cruise Line
• Acquisition Price: $15 million (initial 25% stake ); $10 million (additional 25% stake); unknown amount (remaining 50% stake in 1998)
• Acquisition Date: 1992 (25% stake); 1995-1996 (25% stake); 1998-1999 (remaining 50% stake)

Seabourn Cruise Line was founded in 1988 with the launch of the 208-passenger Seabourn Pride. The idea for the cruise line originated two years earlier among a small group of luxury hospitality and cruising executives looking to reinvent luxury cruising. When the Seabourn Pride was first launched, it offered: spacious all-suite accommodations; public spaces designed for relaxed socializing; and a stern designed like a private beach resort. Just four years later in 1992, Carnival agreed to purchase a 50% stake in Seabourn via two separate ten-year loans of $15 million and $10 million. With the $15 million loan Carnival acquired an initial 25% stake in Seabourn. The second loan for $10 million secured an additional 25% stake in late 1995. In 1998, the company purchased the remaining 50% stake in Seabourn. At the same time, Carnival acquired Cunard Line Ltd. and combined it with Seabourn. Today, Seabourn operates a fleet of three 458-passenger and two 600-passenger ships offering an ultra-luxury cruising experience in over 400 destinations globally.

• Acquisition Price: approx. $141 million (for initial 50% stake), part of $270 million joint purchase price with Airtours Plc; approx. $515 million (remaining stake)
• Acquisition Date: 1997 (initial 50% stake); 2000 (remaining stake)

Costa made its first voyage from Genoa to Buenos Aires in 1948 with a trans-Atlantic liner named the "Anna C". By the 1960s, the Italy-based company was Europe's largest cruise line. Costa was jointly acquired in 1997 by Carnival and Airtours, each of the two companies purchasing a respective 50% stake. Three years later, Carnival purchased the remaining stake in Costa from Airtours for approximately $515 million. The acquisition of Costa bolstered Carnival's presence in the fast-growing European market. Costa is now the parent company of both Costa Cruise Lines and AIDA Cruises. Today, Costa operates a fleet of 10 ships and visits over 260 ports around the world. AIDA leads the German-speaking cruise market and currently operates a fleet of 14 cruise ships.

Cunard Line Ltd.

• Type of Business: Luxury Cruise Line
• Acquisition Price: $500 million (initial 68% stake); $205 million (remaining stake)
• Acquisition Date: 1998 (initial 68% stake); 1999 (remaining 32% stake)

The Cunard Line was founded in 1840 by war veteran and timber merchant Samuel Cunard. It started out providing mail service in Canada's maritime region before eventually expanding its services across the Atlantic and establishing itself as an international shipping company. During the 1880s, Cunard transported more than one million of the 2.5 million people seeking to settle in the U.S. The company continued to grow and expand over the next century. Cunard was operating five luxury cruise ships by 1998, the year Carnival and a group of investors purchased its operating assets for $500 million. Carnival acquired a 68% interest in the cruise line and consolidated it with Seabourn, of which the company had simultaneously purchased the remaining stake. In 1999, Carnival purchased the remaining 32% stake in Cunard in a deal worth $205 million. The purchase of Cunard, the largest luxury cruise operator in the world at the time, made Carnival the largest cruise company in the world. Cunard currently operates three luxury cruise vessels.

P&O Cruises

• Acquisition Price: approx. $7.3-$7.8 billion
• Acquisition Date: April 2003

P&O Cruises was founded in 1837 as the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co. While the company started out primarily transporting mail, it went on to offer its first leisure cruise from London to the Mediterranean in 1844. Cruising would gradually grow in popularity and become a more regular activity by the mid-1880s. In 2003, the company's cruise operations, known as P&O Princess Cruises Plc, were acquired by Carnival for between $7-$8 billion. The acquisition included Princess Cruises, P&O Cruises, P&O Cruises Australia, and tour operator Princess Tours. The merger between the two companies led to the formation of the dual-listed company – Carnival Corp. and Carnival Plc – discussed in the introduction above. It made Carnival into the first global cruise company. Today, Carnival operates P&O as two separate brands: P&O Cruises (U.K.), which operates a fleet of five premium ships; and P&O Cruises (Australia), which operates a fleet of three ships.

Carnival Corp. & Plc. " Investor Relations ."

Carnival Corp. & Plc. " Corporate Information: Our Brands ."

Carnival Corp. & Plc. " Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended Nov. 30, 2020 ," Page F-2.

Yahoo! Finance. " Carnival Corporation & plc (CCL) ."

Yahoo! Finance. " Carnival Corporation & plc (CCL.L) ."

XE.com Inc. " 1 GBP to USD - Convert British Pounds to US Dollars ."

Carnival. " Corporate Information ."

The New York Times. " Ted Arison, Carnival Founder, Dies at 75 ."

Carnival Corp. & Plc. " Corporate Information: Corporate Timeline ."

Carnival Corp. & Plc. " Corporate Information: Vision, Mission & History ."

The New York Times. " Carnival Cruise Lines to Buy Holland America Line Unit ."

Holland America Line. " Holland America Line Celebrates 145th Anniversary ."

Google Books. " Nautical Tourism ," Page 209.

Carnival Corp. " Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended November 30, 1994 ," Page 6 (PDF).

LinkedIn. " Seabourn Cruise Line ."

Seabourn. " Our History ."

Carnival Corp. " 1999 Annual Report ," Page 32.

The Wall Street Journal. " Carnival to Acquire Remaining 50% Of Costa Crociere From Airtours ."

Carnival Corp. " Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended November 30, 1999 ," Page 16 (PDF).

Costa Crociere S.p.A. " Our History ."

Costa Cruises S.p.A. " Our company: a world in movement ."

The New York Times. " COMPANY NEWS; CARNIVAL TO BUY REMAINING STAKE IN CUNARD LINE ."

Cunard. " 180 years of sailing with Cunard ."

Carnival Corp. " 1999 Annual Report ," Page 2.

The New York Times. " COMPANY NEWS; P&O PRINCESS CRUISES APPROVES ACQUISITION BY CARNIVAL ."

Los Angeles Times. " Carnival to Acquire P&O; Princess Cruises ."

P&O Cruises. " P&O HISTORY ."

Google Books. " Mastering the Globalization of Business ," Page 101.

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Which Company Owns Your Favorite Cruise Line? (Infographic)

Head to the grocery store and you might be surprised that a number of your favorite brands are actually owned by much larger companies.

For instance, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream is actually owned by Unilever. Tide laundry detergent is owned by Procter & Gamble. Kool-Aid is owned by Kraft.

It’s the same thing for automobiles. Acura is part of Honda. Lexus is part of Toyota. And Audi is part of Volkswagen.

Believe it or not, it’s a similar model in the cruise business. Three major companies: Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean Cruises LTD., and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings LTD., own the majority of lines out there.

Below, we’ve put together an infographic that shows exactly which cruise lines are owned by which companies. Check it out:

Cruise Line Ownership Infographic

Cruise lines owned by carnival corporation & plc..

Many people know that Carnival Corporation is big, but don’t realize quite how large they are. Carnival Corp. of course owns the famous Carnival Cruise Line, but they also own luxury brands like Princess and Holland America.

Want even more luxurious offerings? Carnival Corp. is the owner of Cunard (with the famous Queen Mary 2) and the ultra-luxury line Seabourn. It also owns lines that aren’t heavily promoted in the United States, including Costa, P&O Cruises, and AIDA.

Cruise Lines Owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises LTD.

Like Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean Cruises LTD. is most famous for its own namesake: Royal Caribbean International. The company also own Celebrity Cruises and the ultra-luxury line Silversea, along with the immersive Azamara.

In addition to these lines, Royal Caribbean Cruises LTD. owns partial stakes in both Pullmantur and TUI Cruises.

Cruise Lines Owned by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings LTD.

Of the “Big Three” cruise companies, the smallest is Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings LTD. Even so, it still owns several lines under its umbrella.

First is the namesake Norwegian Cruise Line, which has soared in popularity as it has continually launched new and bigger ships like the Norwegian Encore .

Also within the parent company are two luxury lines known for their smaller ship experience: Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Oceania Cruises.

Yes, just how Toyota has its namesake Toyota brand and then the luxury Lexus brand, Norwegian offers both “mass-market” and luxury offerings in its lines.

Independent Cruise Lines

There are a handful of cruise lines that are independent, or at least they are independent of other major cruise line operators.

For instance, Disney Cruise Line is part of Disney, but not part of another line. Meanwhile, Virgin Voyages and MSC Cruises (part of the MSC Group that also has container ships around the world) operate as independent cruise lines that aren’t under the umbrella of another major cruise company.

Note: Company logos shown above are property of their respective owners and not affiliated with Laisman Publishing, LLC or Cruzely.com.

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47 Major Crimes Were Alleged on U.S. Cruise Ships in the First Three Months of 2024. Here’s What to Know

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10 Streaming & Entertainment Brands You Might Not Realize Are Owned By Disney

From the Disney+ streaming app to the Disney Channel to Pixar to the company's century-plus history in animation and filmmaking, it's hard to ignore Disney's impact on the industry. However, some lesser-known streaming and entertainment brands aren't in-your-face-branded Disney, though they benefit from the media conglomerate's deep pockets.

The company may invoke warm fuzzy feelings for most viewers, but many subscribers were unhappy about Disney's decision to enact a price hike after a crackdown on password sharing . Yet even disgruntled customers may still be paying Disney — without realizing it — through its other entertainment subscriptions. So let's take a deeper dive into the lesser-known brands that you might not know are affiliated with Disney at all.

These are a handful of the streaming and entertainment brands that lie under Disney's umbrella. The data comes directly from Disney's 10-K earnings report for the fiscal year ending in September 2023 — and it might be surprising to see what big names are on the list.

Not long ago, Hulu stood alone, though discounted bundles packaged Disney+ with the service. If subscribers wanted to watch Hulu shows, they had to go directly to Hulu. Now, Disney owns 67% of Hulu (as of September 2023) and is combining services.

The merger happened rather quietly, and the visible difference didn't show up until sometime in March 2024; the Disney+ logo shifted, from blue to a more blue-green. Various sources suggested that the logo changed to incorporate Hulu's trademark green, but Disney didn't make a statement about the color change.

Mixing the colors was a smart move because it created a conversation about Disney+ and Hulu. If viewers didn't notice the Hulu programming popping up on their Disney+ feeds, they were bound to hear about the merger in some way.

As far as services go, things haven't changed all that much, except that Hulu content is now part of the Disney+ lineup (though it's still available separately, too). We have some complaints about the current Disney+ and Hulu bundle , although the cost might be worth the savings versus signing up for a single service at a time.

ESPN+ is another Disney+ bundle offering, but subscribers may not have realized that Disney owns ESPN. The Entertainment and Sports Programming Network first debuted in 1979, under the care of founder Bill  Rasmussen. The name changed in 1985 to ESPN, Inc., after ABC bought almost 100% of the company. ESPN is open about The Walt Disney Co.'s ownership of the network, though Hearst Corporation owns a 20% share.

Hearst is well-known in the publishing industry and is headed by the Hearst family, whom Forbes notes is worth $22.4 billion (compare that to the Disney family's $130B). Hearst owns various magazines, newspapers, and TV channels, plus specific TV shows. Some of its biggest names are Cosmopolitan and Elle Magazine.

As for Disney and Hearst's ESPN offerings, ESPN+ streaming has been available for a while. Yet to date, it still doesn't match what's available on cable TV. That's because ESPN+ is a supplemental service, not a full channel, though there are plans to collaborate with other sports brands on a streaming service.

Fox is another surprising addition to Disney's array of entertainment brands, but it won't be the Fox you know for long.   The conglomerate plans to rebrand Fox to FX or Star in the 2024 fiscal year. That doesn't mean your favorite programs are leaving, though. In fact, the change could mean even more content on the same subscriptions you already have and love.

A Hulu expansion happened when Disney bought Fox in 2019, as much of the content on Hulu was previously aired on Fox. Bringing all that content together was a win for Disney, as Fox had big-name shows like "That '70s Show," "The Simpsons," "Family Guy," and "Married... with Children." Fox airs everything from dramas to comedies to reality shows, animated series, game shows, and more.

After the merger, Fox shows became available just about everywhere, from Disney+ to Hulu to the FOX app itself. There were some hiccups, however; "The Simpsons" didn't fit the Disney+ aspect ratio, causing fans to miss out on some key punchlines because of cropping. Disney+ later remedied the issue, releasing "The Simpsons" in its original format .

FX — aka Fox eXtended — is probably best known for its smash hit "American Horror Story"   (although it isn't an FX "original"; "American Horror Stories" is) but it's also a Disney property. It's not surprising to learn this network is part of Disney's entertainment branding once you know Fox is also under that umbrella.

With all of FX's content moving to Hulu under Disney's Fox acquisition, there was even more content to love from Disney's subsidiaries. Along with "American Horror Story," other popular FX shows include "Nip/Tuck," "American Crime Story," "Reservation Dogs," "The Americans," and — its highest-rated show to date — "Sons of Anarchy."

FX's content is often grittier than Disney's standard, family-friendly fare, but as is already clear by the diversity in the brand's portfolio, Disney likes to have a little something for everyone. It's not surprising that the mega-brand continues to pursue more entertainment avenues. 

The Walt Disney Company bought FX (formerly 20th Century Fox) in 2019, but the details became murky from there. With Hulu still active on its own at the time, some shuffling happened before FX found its true home with Disney.

Star+ is another lesser-known streaming service nestled under Disney, perhaps because it's only available in Latin America. Star+ is the streaming product connected to Star, another of Disney's geographically specific offerings. It offers a range of content, including sports from ESPN, and comes as a bundle with Disney+ (Combo+).

The Star+ website isn't functional for those outside its service area, so it's difficult to see what the exact lineup is. The service is said to cover all of Ibero-America except for Cuba. Streaming is available in Spanish and Portuguese, but it's not clear whether that's dubbed original programming, unique programming for Latin America, or a combination of both. English is not listed as an option.

For viewers interested in Star+ but living in the U.S. or elsewhere outside the service area, installing a VPN might allow access. Price-wise, it might not be worth the effort, however. As of April 2024, pricing is $12.59 per month for Star+ and $14.99 for Combo+. For reference, a Disney+ bundle that includes ESPN is $14.99 per month (with ads on Hulu and ESPN+).

ABC Television Network

ABC is one of the company's oldest entertainment subsidiaries. The collaboration between Walt Disney and ABC began way back in 1954 when ABC invested in Disneyland, according to D23, Disney's official fan club site.

At the time, ABC gave $500K cash and millions of dollars of support via loans, cementing the network as a one-third owner of Disneyland in the Los Angeles area. Walt Disney tapped ABC to promote Disneyland, which opened in Anaheim, California, in 1955. The opening was celebrated during an ABC special live broadcast, an interesting fact given that modern-day Disneyland needs no introduction (though Disney does note costs for advertising, it doesn't offer specifics in its report).

Many years later in 1996, Capital Cities/ABC and Disney merged. The $19 billion merger (over $37B in today's value) meant that Disney also owned various radio stations, a bunch of trade journals and shopping guides, a list of newspapers, and various channels, including ESPN, Lifetime Television, The History Channel, and A&E Network.

Disney didn't stay in the publishing or radio business for too terribly long, instead selling off most of the holdings within a few years.

Freeform is an often-overlooked Disney brand that targets younger female viewers. Popular Freeform shows have included "Boy Meets World," "Switched at Birth," "The Secret Life of the American Teenager," "Young & Hungry," "The Fosters," "Pretty Little Liars, and Grown-ish."

Disney has made some changes over the years that impact which cable providers offer Freeform, with the latest being a deal with Charter Communications. The new deal led to Freeform dropping off Spectrum service, which Disney execs called a trade-off. Freeform had already changed a lot before Disney acquired it, so it doesn't seem like the conglomerate is worried about changing things even more.

Freeform was originally a Christian broadcasting station founded by a TV evangelist and offered programming from Christian talk shows to sermons to Westerns. By late 1980, things changed, and the brand was no longer a nonprofit, so the programming changed accordingly. Disney bought what is now Freeform in the late '90s when it became ABC Family, and plenty more changed after that.

Interestingly, one piece of the original buyout contract requires Disney to continue to air "The 700 Club," one of the founder's religious shows, amid more modern hits aimed at the 18 to 34 age bracket.

National Geographic

National Geographic is a massive brand, and Disney owns 73% of it. The brand is, of course, best known for its nature programming, as well as its magazines and online offerings. As of Disney's September 2023 earnings report, National Geographic had over 110 million subscribers between its Nat Geo and National Geographic Wild channels. National Geographic is a more diverse business than just that, too; in 2019, it partnered with Cellular Abroad to offer affordable long-distance calling in the U.K.

National Geographic also shows up in the "experiences" section of Disney's earnings report, because Adventures by Disney has a National Geographics Expeditions segment. Apart from Disney cruises, hotels, and theme parks, Nat Geo is the only other listed experience. The "guided tour packages" are offered "predominantly" at properties — other than Disney — worldwide.

With so many changes, both under Disney and in publishing, National Geographic moved away from selling physical copies of its magazines at newsstands. The good news is that the magazines are available both digitally and in print for subscribers, plus Nat Geo programming continues to be available via Disney subscriptions.

Searchlight Pictures

Searchlight Pictures, like other Disney entertainment brands, has been around for decades. Its name and structure changed various times; in 1994, Searchlight was Fox Searchlight Pictures. Later, it became 20th Century Fox, then 20th Century Studios.

Over the decades it's existed, Searchlight has released many critically acclaimed titles, like the recent offbeat hit "Poor Things," which premiered in 2024. Other popular Searchlight titles include "Napoleon Dynamite," "The Descendants "(a 2011 George Clooney feature), "Black Swan," "12 Years a Slave," "Slumdog Millionaire," "Juno," "Little Miss Sunshine," and many others.

Searchlight Pictures might not be the biggest or most well-known name in Disney's portfolio, but the subsidiary is good at what it does. Poor Things won five Oscars, proving it's not just the U.S.-produced films that make waves. Unlike some other brands, this Disney property stands on its own and doesn't seem to rely on the conglomerate's reputation in the least.

A+E Television Networks

A+E is another surprising Disney addition; Disney holds a 50% equity investment in A+E Television Networks. The other 50% is owned by Hearst, in a similar situation to ESPN. The brand owns subsidiary networks like A&E, The History Channel, Crime + Investigation, Lifetime, Vice TV, and others. Its programming spans many countries and territories (200-plus), and Disney also licenses it to international TV services outside its ownership.

According to Disney's 2023 earnings report, A+E had more than 280 million subscribers across its various channels. Disney also reported a gain of $56 million on A+E based on a content license agreement ending plus an increase in investees' earnings because A+E made more across the board.

Disney may have cut jobs to make streaming more affordable , but it still has many more income streams than the average entertainment conglomerate, A+E being only one of them. By the end of its 2023 fiscal year, Disney's stock was worth $182.9 billion and the net income "attributable to Disney" was stated as over $2.35 billion (2,354 million dollars).

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About Princess Cruises

One of the best-known names in cruising, Princess Cruises first set sail in 1965 with a single ship cruising to Mexico. More than 50 years later, the line is renowned for innovative ships, an array of onboard options, and an environment of exceptional customer service. A recognized leader in worldwide cruising, Princess offers millions of guests each year the opportunity to immerse themselves in top destinations around the globe, aboard a fleet of 15 modern vessels.

Princess Cruises was catapulted to stardom in 1977 when one of its ships, Pacific Princess, was cast in a starring role on a new television show called “The Love Boat.” The weekly series, which introduced millions of viewers to the concept of a sea-going vacation, was an instant hit and both the company name and its“Sea Princess logo have remained synonymous with cruising ever since. The show, which can still be seen around the world, has been widely credited with fueling the dramatic expansion of the industry.

A History of Innovation

Since the line’s beginnings, Princess has frequently paved the way in the cruise industry, evolving to meet the needs of today’s vacationer. In fact, a number of Princess concepts have since been adopted by the entire cruise industry.

The company has long been the leader in building ships specifically designed to accommodate an extensive number of the most sought-after shipboard luxury -- the private balcony. In the 1980s Princess pioneered the concept of the affordable veranda, once an exclusive feature incorporated in only the most expensive suites. Today, Princess’ fleet offers one of the highest percentages of balcony cabins in the industry, across all cabin categories.

In the mid-1990s the company pioneered the concept of putting passengers in control of their own cruise experience with the introduction of a wide range of flexible onboard facilities, amenities and services in order to create a personal vacation experience. The company also pioneered 24-hour dining with the first ‘round-the-clock restaurant. Dining options were further revolutionized in 2001 as Princess became the first cruise line to offer passengers a choice in their main dining room experience – either the traditional seating or a restaurant-style Anytime Dining, in which diners could eat when and with whom they chose. 

Some other Princess innovations over the years include the first wedding chapel hosting modern-day weddings at sea by the ships’ captains (1998); the unique Times Square-style Movies Under the Stars poolside movie screen (2004); and The Sanctuary, an adults-only oasis that has become exceedingly popular with guests looking to relax (2006).

In 2015, Princess Cruises implemented a $450 million-dollar product innovation and cruise ship renovation campaign that continues to enhance the line's onboard guest experience. These enhancements result in more moments of awe, lifetime memories and meaningful stories for guests to share from their cruise vacation.

Princess MedallionClass

Over the years, Princess guests have enjoyed warm and gracious service in an atmosphere of comfortable elegance. This experience has been enhanced with the noted breakthrough in the vacation industry – Princess MedallionClass™ experience offering a number of new features that leverage touchless technologies and significantly enhance and personalize the guest experience, as well as support new health protocols.

Princess MedallionClass Vacations begin with the Medallion™ wearable, a quarter-sized, device that enables everything from expedited contactless boarding to locating loved ones anywhere on the ship, as well as enhanced service like having whatever guests need, delivered directly to them, wherever they are on the ship. In addition, guests can share their favorite cruise moments using MedallionNet, the best Wi-Fi at sea, as well as stay connected with friends and family back home, work remotely anywhere on the ship, quickly post content and stream favorite movies and shows.

Worldwide Destinations

Princess’ more than 170 different itineraries offer travelers the opportunity to literally cover the globe, with sailings to seven continents that call at more than 330 ports and destinations around the world. Destinations include the Caribbean, Alaska, Panama Canal, Europe, Mexico, South America/Antarctica, Australia/New Zealand, South Pacific, Hawaii, Tahiti/French Polynesia, Asia, India, Africa, Canada/New England and world cruises. Princess guests can enhance their cruise experience with a wide array of immersive shore excursions worldwide, led by local experts. The company’s cruisetour offerings also enable guests to combine their cruise with a full land tour in several destinations, such as Europe, Japan and South America. As the recognized leader and #1 cruise line in Alaska, Princess hosts more guests in Great Land than any other cruise line with a variety of cruise and cruisetour options highlighting the state’s must-see attractions, including Glacier Bay National Park and Denali National Park. “North to Alaska,” the award-winning onboard program, brings authentic Alaska experiences to life through local seafood and real Alaskans coming aboard to share their stories. Offering a seamless vacation experience, Princess also owns and operates five wilderness lodges nestled in scenic riverside locations throughout the state and offers its exclusive “Direct to the Wilderness” rail service – giving travelers the opportunity to combine cruise, train, and lodge to see the best of Alaska. 

A Modern Fleet

Princess’ 15-ship fleet offers a range of sizes and amenities. The line’s largest vessels include Discovery Princess (2022), Enchanted Princess (2020), Sky Princess (2019), Majestic Princess (2017), Regal Princess (2014), Royal Princess (2013), Caribbean Princess (2004), Crown Princess (2006), Diamond Princess (2004), Emerald Princess (2007), Grand Princess (1998), Ruby Princess (2008) and Sapphire Princess (2004). Mid-sized vessels consist of Coral Princess (2003) and Island Princess (2003).

The six Royal Class vessels (Royal Princess, Regal Princess, Majestic Princess, Sky Princess, Enchanted Princess and Discovery Princess), introduced a new generation of ships to the fleet. The ships feature a 50 percent larger atrium which is the social hub of the ship; a dramatic over-water SeaWalk, a top-deck glass-bottomed walkway extending more than 28 feet beyond the edge of the vessel; plush private poolside cabanas that appear to be floating on the water; the Princess Live! television studio; a dedicated pastry shop; more dining options including a special Chef’s Table Lumiere, a private space that surrounds diners in a curtain of light; and balconies on all outside staterooms.

Princess Cruises is part of Carnival Corporation (NYSE: CCL and CUK), one of the largest vacation companies in the world. Finding new ways to bring people closer is the legacy of Princess Cruises - creating lasting memories as guests, crew and local destination experts share their hearts, their worlds and create authentic connections while on a Princess cruise vacation.

Media Contacts

Contact information for members of the media

Media Relations Department, Princess Cruises 24305 Town Center Drive Santa Clarita, CA 91355

Phone : 1 661 753 1530 Email :  [email protected]

Not a member of the media? 

Contact us at: 1-800-PRINCESS (1-800-774-6237) or 1-661-753-0000

More contact information is available on our Contact Us page

• Ask a Cruise Question

Who owns which cruise line?

By cassieroll , March 28, 2009 in Ask a Cruise Question

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Is there a handy list somewhere of which company owns which cruise line?

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GORDONCHICK

These are the ones I know, but there are many more:

RCI owns RCCL, Celebrity and Azamara

Carnival owns Carnival, Princess, Holland America, Costa, and Seabourn (I think - I know it's one of the luxury lines).

NCL is owned by Star, or was. I think it's Apollo now.

Here is a list of current cruise companies:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cruise_lines

Here is a list of cruise companies with links to their websites. The websites will give you a list of vessels:

http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/cruises/stories/0905/11trcruiselist.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23

Celebrity and RCCL are owned by RCI

NCL is owned by Star Cruises and someone else

Carnival, Princess/P&O, HAL, Costa and Cunard are owned by Carnival Corp.

Those are your major players.

Of course RCI also owns Azamara, Carnival owns "Yachts of Seabourn" and there are other nitch players out there

I just found it odd on the RCI board people talking about changing lines in one thread, saying Carnival sucks in another, and then saying they are going to go on a Princess cruise. LOL!

The lines are really different, even though most are owned by just a couple of companies. They attract different clientel. For example, I don't think you'll find a hairy chest contest on HAL, probably not on Princess (can't remember) and definitely not on Seabourn, but you absolutely will on Carnival. All of those are owned by Carnival and each has their own niche. But there are actually more similarities between the lines than differences, but you will rarely hear that addressed. Also, each line has their own history before they were bought by Carnival, and some of that is carried through today such as the predominate ethnic background of officers prefered.

Just to be clear Carnival Cruise Lines does not own Princess, HAL, etc; Carnival Corp does. That makes a huge difference. Carnival Corp allows each line to operate independently and compete with each other.

Thank you for the clarification. I did some googling too. So very interesting!

Carnival Corporation (CCL/CUK: largest cruiseline in the world): Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and Seabourn Cruise Line in North America; P&O Cruises, Cunard Line and Ocean Village in the United Kingdom; AIDA in Germany; Costa Cruises in southern Europe; Iberocruceros in Spain; and P&O Cruises in Australia. Note: Ocean Village is being shut down.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (RCL: 2nd largest cruise line in the world): Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, CDF Croisieres de France, Azamara Cruises and Pullmantur brands.

NCL/NCL America: jointly owned by Star Cruises (largest Asian cruise line) and Apollo Management (private equity firm).

MSC Cruises: owned by Mediterranean Shipping Company

Windstar: Owned by Ambassador International (AMIE)

Crystal Cruise Lines: owned by Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha, part of Mitsubishi.

Silversea Cruises: privately owned by the Lefebvre Familly.

There's a bunch of River Cruise Lines, with the better known ones being Uniworld, Viking, and Amadeus. I'm sure I'm missing a bunch of them.

There's a great number of other ones but smaller in nature (Cruise West, Sea Dream Yacht Club, etc.). There's also a great number of smaller regional/country specific companies.

I truly had no idea Carnvial Corp owned Holland America.

Thank you.   I just found it odd on the RCI board people talking about changing lines in one thread, saying Carnival sucks in another, and then saying they are going to go on a Princess cruise. LOL!

Why do you find it odd? We have been on 11 cruise lines including all owned by RCI and most owned by CCL. Each line is totally different, and in CCLs case each of their lines is operated independently with its own managment team, offices, and totally different on-line philsophy. The issue you mention on the RCI thread is a reaction to major cut-backs and policy changes on that line that are driving (and will drive) many of their loyal customers to other cruise lines. Many of us who have cruised for a long time (for us its about 38 years) understand that the cruise companies are dynamic and always undergoing change. The Carnival of today is nothing like the Carnival of 20 years ago (it is much much improved). Unfortunately, the RCI of today is not up to their standards of the past and seems to be dedicated to driving away many of their best customers. The bottom line is that there are some major differences between the various cruise lines (RCI and Azamara are as different as night and day) and also between the various ships within the lines (the Royal Princess is a totally different product than the Diamond Princess).

alibabacruisers

While rsearching our cruise, ports of call, etc at the library I found many good books. Two were about cruising: 1. Econoguide: Cruises (Insider tips and Money saving strategies) and 2. Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships. In the first book I mentioned on pages 196-197 it lists who owns who. The books are book very interesting to read. They give interesting points about all or most of the various cruise lines and teir ships. Check them out at your local library!:)

• 8 years later...

DaveacBarker

I wish people would realize that when they bump a thread that has been dormant for EIGHT YEARS what happens is that almost everyone who subsequently clicks on it will only read the first few posts of now-horribly-out-of-date information rather than start at the bottom. Which in this case the bottom is nothing but a link to a non-authoritative third party website, hardly meeting the board rules for when reviving a zombie thread is allowable.

Nothing out of the ordinary with that. Princess Cruise Lines may be owned by Carnival Corporation, but they are very different in style than Carnival Cruise Lines, also owned by Carnival Corp. We see the same thing in the food industry. For instance, PepsiCo, owners of Pepsi product line, also owns KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut. All are very different businesses under the same corporate umbrella. Being owned by the same company doesn't mean they are similar products.

Don't expect a reply from cassieroll, they haven’t posted on CC since 2012.

Gaaaa! I hate it when that happens. :eek:

I really need to get into the habit of looking at the dates of posts I want to reply to. It is so easy to assume that a thread or post is current. Perhaps an enhancement to the boards that would flag any thread over a year old with something clearly noticeable, such as a different color background, etc. would be helpful - at least for me! :o:o

navybankerteacher

Gaaaa! I hate it when that happens. :eek:   I really need to get into the habit of looking at the dates of posts I want to reply to. It is so easy to assume that a thread or post is current. Perhaps an enhancement to the boards that would flag any thread over a year old with something clearly noticeable, such as a different color background, etc. would be helpful - at least for me! :o:o

Of course, just because a topic is old there is no reason you can't have thoughts about it worth sharing. But, I agree, I feel like kicking myself for not being observant enough to notice that a theme has been kicking around for years.

Lookingforfacts

Pepsi hasn't owned taco Bell, KFC and Pizza hut for about 10 years.

Thanks for the correction. I knew that PepsiCo owned them in the 1990s. I never read anywhere that PepsiCo has spun that division off so assumed they still owned them.

Thanks again.

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Virgin Voyages Prepares For U.S. Launch — Who Owns the New Cruise Line?

Virgin Voyages is owned in part by Richard Branson, with major investments from Bain Capital. Here's everything we know about the new cruise line.

Aug. 30 2022, Published 9:38 a.m. ET

Virgin Voyages has begun operations in the UK and the first U.S. voyage is set for October 2022.

In a niche of the travel industry dominated by Carnival and Royal Caribbean, billionaire entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson is attempting to appeal to a different consumer. Branson’s Virgin Group founded Virgin Voyages, which had its first U.K. sailing this summer and will soon embark on its first voyage from the U.S. So, who owns Virgin Voyages?

The Virgin cruise line, Virgin Voyages, is owned by parent company Virgin Group and its top investor, Bain Capital. Branson, though most consider him synonymous with the Virgin brand, doesn’t own all of the Virgin companies outright. He licenses out the name to subsidiaries, so his actual assets are considerably less than most people assume.

Bain Capital is Virgin Voyages’ majority investor.

The private equity firm Bain Capital is the largest investor in Virgin Voyages. According to CNBC, total investments in the cruise line (not all from Bain) were about $3 billion as of September 2021. Each ship cost about $800 million.

Bain Capital’s consumer and retail chief Ryan Cotton told CNBC that “the public markets are a really viable option for us.”

Bain Capital manages about $160 billion across asset classes including credit, public equity, venture capital , and real estate.

Virgin Voyages raised $550 million in August 2022.

The company closed on an additional $550 million in capital as of August 16, 2022. Bain Capital Private Equity and Virgin Group participated, along with new investor BlackRock Global Credit leading the raise.

Brendan Galloway, director at BlackRock, said “the industry is exhibiting a powerful rebound” from the past few years’ challenges.

Branson celebrating his birthday aboard a Virgin Voyages cruise this summer.

Richard Branson said he started Virgin Voyages to change the cruise industry.

Branson told CNBC that he was inspired to start a cruise line because cruising as it was didn’t appeal to him. He said, “Do you know I was never interested in going on cruise ships, and I suspect there’s something like 90 percent of people who are listening are not that interested in going on cruise ships.”

Virgin Voyages’ no-kid policy is part of the company strategy to attract a different clientele than the typical cruise customer. Morgan Stanley estimates the average age of cruise passengers in the U.S. to be 49. Trade organization Cruise Lines International Association estimates it to be 47.

Branson hopes that the policy of adults-only cruising may attract younger cruise customers such as millennials. “It’s just going to be a fun ship for adults.” The first U.S. voyage is set to depart from Miami on Oct. 6 after numerous pandemic-caused delays.

Virgin Voyages aims to be an adults-only, fun cruising atmosphere.

Cruise line competitors say Virgin Voyages could ultimately be good for the industry.

According to CNBC, Royal Caribbean’s CEO Richard Fain believes the new Virgin Voyages cruise line could be beneficial to their business. New cruise lines could draw attention to the industry and help other cruise lines rather than taking away customers.

Fain said that Disney’s cruise lines ultimately helped their business by increasing supply by 2 percent and adding 10 percent to the demand for cruises. Therefore, he isn't concerned about Virgin Voyages harming Royal Caribbean revenues.

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FinanceBuzz

10 Types of People Who Should Never Go on a Cruise

Posted: November 7, 2023 | Last updated: February 7, 2024

Some people spend their entire lives dreaming about — and saving up for — their dream cruise vacation.  For other would-be vacationers, a cruise isn’t so much the perfect dream as the perfect nightmare.

No one wants to put a charge on their travel credit card or waste their paid time off on a vacation they end up hating, so it pays to figure out if you’re the cruising type or not before you book those tickets.

We describe the 10 types of people who should avoid a cruise at all costs. Read on to figure out if you’re one of them.

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People who worry about getting sick

Embarking on an adventure exposes you not just to new sights, sounds, and experiences but also to fun and exciting new diseases. 

Cruises in particular have a special reputation for spreading disease — specifically the norovirus, which causes acute gastrointestinal distress, and the flu. If you're worried, you can avoid the mistake of wasting money on something you won't enjoy.

The CDC also warns that diseases might spread faster on cruise ships because of their tight quarters. Flu outbreaks are a problem on cruise ships, which can deter retirees who want to take a cruise in their golden years.

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People who want an authentic cultural experience in another country

Even if you cruise around the Caribbean or Mediterranean, you shouldn’t count on having an immersive cultural experience in Greece or the Bahamas. 

Most ships only dock for a few hours before cruising to the next destination, so you won’t have time to explore. Plus, cruise ships are ocean-based resorts, and resorts aren’t built with the local population in mind. 

You’re walled off from the local culture and people, sometimes literally: Royal Caribbean, for instance, owns a private beach in Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world.

People who don’t like enclosed spaces

Cruise ships are massive. With dozens of floors and amenities like pools and gyms. They can feel more like floating city blocks (or just plain cities) than what they really are: Enclosed spaces surrounded by nothing but the endless ocean.

Some people feel as free on a vast, entertainment-filled ship as they do on land. But if you tend to avoid small spaces and get panicky if you don’t have several obvious escape routes from any given room, avoid cruises too.

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People who care more about the destination than the journey

When you’re traveling by cruise ship, the journey is the entire point. You might stop at a few locations, but most of your time will be spent on the ship itself. 

If you’re more interested in exploring fascinating new locations than spending time in transit, or if you’re longing for a journey with more variation than different ship decks, skip the cruise.

Pro tip: No matter the vacation you go on, you could benefit from booking with a credit card that enables you to earn cash back so that your money can go further.

People who are afraid of the ocean

If your fear of the ocean stems from “Jaws” or “The Meg,” you could end up enjoying a cruise in spite of its watery locale. 

But if your ocean fears were inspired more by “Titanic” or “The Poseidon Adventure,” you may want to steer clear of a cruise. A rogue wave isn’t likely to capsize a cruise ship, and there have only been a handful of cruise-sinking incidents in the last 100 years. 

But if you aren’t reassured by the knowledge that cruise ships can roll 60 degrees to either side before capsizing or that most cruise ships were built to withstand 50-foot waves, we don’t blame you — and we don’t recommend that you take a cruise anytime soon.

People who tend to get motion sickness

Some passengers don’t notice the constant motion of the sea when they’re on a cruise ship. The ships themselves are built for maximum balance and stability, so if the seas aren’t choppy you shouldn’t feel much motion. 

However, some people are more prone to motion sickness than others. If you usually get queasy on small boats or during car rides, you could feel the same way on a cruise.

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People who don’t drink

Not every cruise has to be a booze cruise, but there’s no denying that alcohol is one of the main drivers of the cruise ship industry. 

One study found that cruise ship passengers typically have around five drinks a day, and the Carnival cruise line’s current alcohol policy lets passengers consume up to 15 drinks a day before cutting them off.

As any non-drinker knows, it’s not fun to be the only sober person in the room, much less on a massive cruise ship. 

Pro tip: If you're trying to keep more money in your wallet when booking your cruise, you'll want to ditch most of the alcohol purchases because it can get expensive fast. 

People who hate crowds

If alone time is your favorite thing about vacationing, skip the cruise. Depending on the ship, you’ll be spending your vacation with 3,000 to 6,000 fellow passengers plus thousands of crew members. 

You can escape the crowds for a bit by chilling in your cabin, but rooms on cruise ships aren’t large. The most wallet-friendly rooms can be as small as 85 to 100 square feet.

You won’t find a reprieve from the crowd at mealtime either. On most cruise ships, meals are served buffet-style in massive meal rooms that can accommodate hundreds of people.

People who want to save money

Drinks might be the priciest part of cruise life, but they’re definitely not the only expense. Cruise ships usually have their own mall areas with boutiques, gift shops, electronics stores, and (you guessed it) bars. 

Since you’re at sea, there’s nowhere to shop except the ship itself, so don't expect any bargains. It's better to  avoid throwing away money  by buying the products you want somewhere else for a much better price.

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People who hate waiting in lines

Not all of your 3,000 fellow passengers will disembark at a dock, but enough of them do that you could spend ages waiting in line to get off the ship, then ages waiting to get back on the ship.

For some people, waiting in line is a necessary but survivable evil. (Maybe a tolerance for long lines explains why Disney cruises are so popular.) 

For others, waiting in line is the worst form of torture and is a foolish mistake that needs avoiding . If that’s you, we can safely say you’re going to hate cruises unless you don't intend to get off at a port.

Bottom line

Some individuals love cruises so much that they live frugally, save plenty, and supplement their Social Security income so they can spend as much post-retirement time on the sea as possible. 

But if cruises don’t sound like your thing, don’t worry — and don’t listen to anyone who insists a cruise is crucial to your bucket list. 

You have infinite options for meaningful vacations, and you deserve to spend your money on a trip you’ll absolutely love.

More from FinanceBuzz:

• 7 things to do if you're scraping by financially.
• 6 genius hacks Costco shoppers should know.
• Can you retire early? Take this quiz and find out.
• Are you a homeowner? Get a protection plan on all your appliances.

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