Carnival Corp to close Carnival Cruise Line UK office

Carnival Corporation will close Carnival Cruise Line’s UK office in May following “careful consideration of our strategic objectives”.

The cruise giant said it is having “individual conversations” with members of the team with the closure expected to take effect from May 12.

A Carnival Corporation spokesperson said: “After careful consideration of our strategic objectives for the UK market, we have made the difficult decision to propose the closure of the Seavacations team in the UK and sunset this part of the organisation.

“We are currently having individual conversations with the Carnival Cruise Line team in the UK to discuss potential future opportunities within the wider business.

“Our priority is to provide the necessary support to minimise the impact for those affected.”

Under the leadership of vice-president of international sales Iain Baillie, Carnival Cruise Line has made a concerted effort to engage the trade in the UK since it shifted its focus from direct to trade sales in 2016.

In December that year it unveiled its Travel Agents Rock loyalty scheme, which included awards, educationals and VIP trips to destinations including Ibiza.

It became known for its Fun Ambassadors programme, which was established in 2019 and saw 11 travel agents hand-picked each year to work with the line to provide advice, ideas and feedback on how it collaborates with its agent partners.

Its most recent trip to Prague took place in March, with details of this year’s programme expected to be unveiled subsequently. The line did not disclose any plans for future engagement in its statement.

Earlier this year, Carnival Cruise Line placed an order for a trio of new ships capable of carrying almost 8,000 passengers each.

They will be built by Italian ship builder Fincantieri and will be the largest in the Carnival Corporation global fleet.

The three vessels are to be built using a new platform currently called Project Ace for delivery in 2029, 2031 and 2033. 

Carnival Corporation, which is also the parent of Cunard, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and P&O Cruises, reported record first-quarter revenues of $5.8 billion – up by more than $400 million compared with the three months to the end of February 2024.

It also record Q1 operating income of $543 million, nearly twice that recorded in the first quarter of last year.