Watson Farley & Williams advised Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank (CACIB) as agent, SACE and a syndicate of nine banks on pre- and post-delivery loan facilities for four Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings newbuilds at Fincantieri.
Saga reported a return to profit for its cruise and travel businesses last year, however it continues to look for a partner for its two-ship ocean cruising arm in order to reduce debt and support growth.
The $1.9m sale of the two former American Queen Voyages lakes (coastal) vessels Ocean Voyager and Ocean Navigator to John Waggoner was approved by a bankruptcy court.
Aiming to cut interest expense, Carnival Corp. & plc launched a private offering for €500m of new senior unsecured notes due 2030 to refinance its €500m 7.625% senior unsecured notes due 2026.
Cruise operator Viking's F-1 prospectus for a public offering in the US shows a $1.86b loss in 2023 on improving revenues of $4.7b, up from $3.2b in 2022.
The successful bid for American Queen Voyages' two lakes (coastal) vessels was $1.9m, buyer TBA, and the sale of the four river vessels to American Cruise Lines was approved for the adjusted price of $6m.
The strong booking environment isn't pent-up demand from loyalists — many new customers are discovering cruising's value versus land vacations, Carnival Corp. & plc CEO Josh Weinstein said.