G7 Summit Cruise Ship Seized Over Filthy Conditions

Editorial Summary

Doug Parker reports on several developments within the cruise industry, beginning with the seizure of the former Costa Magica. The vessel, owned by a Greek cruise line based in Civitavecchia, Italy, was intended to house more than 2,000 police officers providing security for the G7 Summit. However, the ship was seized on Wednesday following reports from unions regarding substandard living conditions. These issues included non-flushable toilets, unusable cabins, water leaks, and broken air conditioning. Local police stated that initial investigations into these hygiene and accommodation problems may constitute fraud, resulting in the chartering of a ferry to replace the vessel. The report also covers a milestone for Celebrity Cruises as the keel was laid for the Celebrity Excel at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in France. The Excel is an Edge class vessel and will be the first methanol capable ship in the fleet. It is scheduled to debut in the fall of next year and will sail seven night Caribbean itineraries from Port Everglades. Finally, the update notes mixed performance in cruise line stocks, with Carnival Corporation and NCL seeing declines while Viking shares increased. The segment concludes with a photo of the Carnival Firenze and a mention of a Luke Bryan concert in Jacksonville.

Written by TripBacon from this video's transcript.