Carnival's AIDA Cruises Set to Sail Again, Bookings Begin

Ushering in good news for cruise lovers, Carnival (NYSE:CUK) Corporation’s CCL AIDA Cruises has announced resumption of sailing from August following the pause in operations since mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic. Bookings for the same are also being taken.

The company also announced sailing dates for three ships namely — AIDAperla sailing from Hamburg on Aug 5, AIDAmar sailing from Rostock-Warnemünde on Aug 12 and AIDAblu from Kiel on Aug 16.

Notably, the company intends to resume operations in a phased manner, keeping in mind the health and safety of its guests and crew members. It has also initiated a comprehensive set of guidelines to maintain health and hygiene standards.

The measures include digital health questionnaire prior to the cruise, temperature measurements before check-in, physical distancing guidelines and routing systems on arrival and departure and on board. Also, seating capacities at venues (such as restaurants, bars, theatres, sports and wellness areas) will be closely monitored. The company has also initiated enhanced cleaning and disinfection measures across all cabins and public areas. Disinfection dispensers will be made available at both check-in and on board.

The ships are equipped with PCR test kits and diagnostic devices for the immediate evaluation of suspected COVID-19 cases. Moreover, medical team will be on board for COVID-19 tests procedures and treatment. Together with the WHO, German Robert Koch Institute (RKI) along with other governmental and health authorities, the company is well-prepared to handle patients diagnosed with COVID-19.

Although the company will embark on the voyage at an adjusted passenger capacity, further foreign destinations are expected to be added to the itinerary depending on the opening of other European ports for cruise ships.

Carnival — which shares space with Norwegian Cruise Line (NYSE:NCLH) Holdings Ltd. NCLH and Royal Caribbean (NYSE:RCL) Cruises Ltd. RCL in the Zacks Leisure and Recreation Services industry— has a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) at present.

So far this year, shares of the company have plummeted 71.3% compared with the industry’s fall of 49.4%.

Key Pick

A better-ranked stock in the leisure space is Planet Fitness (NYSE:PLNT), Inc. PLNT, which carries a Zacks Rank # 2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Planet Fitness has an impressive long-term earnings growth rate of 17.4%.

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