Adolfo Perez has reassured the trade following the power cut that left thousands stranded on board the Carnival Triumph recently.
Perez, managing director of Carnival Cruise Lines for UK and Ireland, has written to agents to thank them for their support, and to apologise for the conditions onboard the ship.
“All of us at Carnival deeply regret the hardship our guests had to face during their days on board the ship,” said Perez.
“Our number one concern was to ensure the safety and welfare of our guests and crew and to get them home as soon as possible.
“Our shipboard and shore side teams worked tirelessly to take care of them and minimise their discomfort and inconvenience. We also focused on making sure their loved ones had a direct link to our Family Support Centre where they could obtain round the clock information on their family and friends on board.”
Perez continued: “Now that all the guests are safely home, our efforts are firmly focused on the ongoing investigation into the root cause of the fire and what measures we can take to ensure this does not happen again.
“These efforts are taking place in collaboration with the US Coast Guard and other independent parties. We know, however, that preliminary investigations indicate the cause of the fire was the result of a leak in the fuel return line for the number six diesel generator.”
He reassured agents that “all our ships are safe and secure”, and that all of them meet, and in many areas exceed, all regulatory standards.
“I promise we will continue to investigate in order to understand what took place and to learn what steps we can take to improve going forward,” said Perez.
“We know that holidaymakers can choose from a vast variety of options, and that they – and you – expect a fantastic cruise holiday from us. We are very sorry that this time we did not deliver.”
He added: “I really value your support for Carnival Cruise Lines, and in encouraging British holidaymakers to select a cruise on our ships. We hope you will continue to do so in the future, and we will endeavour to do everything we can to make our experiences as memorable and fun as possible for your customers.”