In an exclusive story, Cruise Line News has learned that cruise industry giant Carnival Corporation recently incorporated its business in the United States (in the state of Delaware). Carnival intends to announce this historic development tomorrow, April 2nd, at Carnival’s headquarters in Miami.

Since 1972, Carnival has incorporated its business and registered its cruise ships

Travel Weekly and Skift recently reported that the new CEO of Carnival Corporation, Arnold Donald, will receive the following in compensation:

Arnold Donald - Carnival Cruise Lines Compensation$1 million base salary to start, with reviews by the board of directors to increase or decrease his salary;

A fixed bonus of $1.125 million for 2013;

A one-time award of performance-based restricted stock

Adam Goldstein Royal CaribbeanNews sources report that Royal Caribbean President Adam Goldstein sold 7,855 shares of RCL stock on the open market in a transaction yesterday.

Goldstein’s sold the stock at an average price of $43.22, for a total value of $339,493.10.

He reportedly now directly owns 335,654 shares of Royal Caribbean stock, valued at approximately $14,506,966.

Yesterday

As promised, Senator Jay Rockefeller announced that he has introduced legislation seeking to eliminate the Section 883 exemption for cruise industry income derived from cruises that embark or disembark passengers in the U.S.  Senator Rockefeller stated in a press release: 

“The cruise industry can’t operate for free here in the U.S. It costs money to

RCL Adam Goldstein The Daily Political reports that Royal Caribbean President Adam Goldstein (left) unloaded 2,181 shares of RCL cruise stock yesterday at an average price of $36.80, for a total value of $80,260.80.

Goldstein still owns 335,654 shares of the company’s stock worth over $12,350,000. 

A number of research firms have recently commented on RCL’s stock value. One

Cruise lines hate U.S. governmental scrutiny of their business operations.  

The whole purpose of incorporating their businesses and flagging their cruise ships in foreign countries is to avoid U.S. taxes and the scrutiny of federal regulators. This business model permits the cruise lines to pay virtually no U.S. taxes and to avoid U.S. wage, labor

Under public criticism and pressure initiated by U.S. Senator Rockefeller, Carnival announced today that it will reimburse the federal government for costs of over $4,000,000 incurred by the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy in responding to its Triumph and Splendor cruise ships.

Senator Rockefeller set his sights on the cruise industry at a Senate

Micky Arison - Senator Rockefeller - Cruise Ship TaxesAs I mentioned earlier, Carnival responded to Senator Rockefeller’s letter inquiring into the cruise line’s avoidance of U.S taxes and its refusal to reimburse federal agencies for services rendered with what I characterized the other day as a "screw you!" letter.

Today news sources are reporting that Senator Rockefeller characterized Carnival’s response as "shameful."