Royal Caribbean Profits Sink and Shares Take a Dive

Pacific Business News, 07/27/06

www.usatoday.com/travel/hotels/2006-07-27-royal-sinks_x.htm

Travelweekly.com: AG Edwards: Caribbean cruise pricing weakening (07/26/2006)

http://www.cruise-ship-report.com/News/072606.htm :

Cruise Ship Report for July 2006 -- News for Cruisers
"Cruise Ship Readiness Tested in San Diego Mock Terrorist Attack "

woking.co.uk/newsml: " CRUISE TURNS INTO A NIGHTMARE FOR COUNCILLOR AND HIS FAMILY 27/07/2006
Cllr Philip Goldenberg and his family were aboard the Crown Princess on a nine-day cruise around the Caribbean and North America when the 113,000-tonne ship came perilously close to capsizing just off the Florida coast last Tuesday.There was widespread panic as the rolling ship sent furniture sailing overboard and left passengers fearing for their lives.Lift shafts and stairwells resembled waterfalls as the ship’s four swimming pools emptied onto the decks.Cllr Goldenberg said: “The ship suddenly tilted about 40 degrees to port and we would have tipped over if it had gone much further.“As I was sitting outside on one of the lower decks the side went downwards. “I froze, knowing there was nothing I could do and either the ship would right itself or else it would capsize with a massive loss of life of more than 4,000 people.”Cllr Goldenberg said he and his family were very lucky not to be injured but 240 passengers did not enjoy their luck. Those injured in the incident were treated on board, with 98 people being transferred to hospitals in Florida. All those have since been released apart from three passengers and two crew members, who are expected to make a full recovery. Cllr Goldenberg added: “The real problems were for the passengers outside at the top of the ship with water and people being flung out of the swimming pools and a lot of broken glass. “The shopping area in the middle of the ship looked as if it had been hit by a tornado.”Southampton-based Princess Cruises, which operates the Crown Princess, confirmed 58 of the 3,080 passengers were British but did not have any information on the nationalities of those injured. Cllr Goldenberg welcomed the news that an independent investigation would be conducted to discover the cause of the incident.He added: “All these cruise ships are very top-heavy, so any tilt is potentially dangerous, let alone one as dramatic as this. “It is particularly disturbing to learn that there was a similar incident with a sister ship in February.” A spokesman for the cruise company said that the incident was “regrettable”.