Carnival Corp. said it has finalized an agreement with the government of St. Maarten and the Port of St. Maarten to provide $34.5 million in funding for the construction of a new two-berth cruise ship pier on the Caribbean island.

Carnival Cruise Lines casinos now allow instant underwriting of credit through the Arriva, the first credit card designed specifically for use in casinos. Carnival casinos can arrange for Arriva Cards to be issued instantly for vacationers seeking casino credit card cash advances.

Carnival Cruise Lines’ has shown a record-breaking 2007 Caribbean cruise season and will carry an unprecedented 2.9 million passengers within the region, the most in its 35-year history.

Holland America Line will have its largest presence ever in the Caribbean in the 2008-2009 season, buoyed by the addition of its upcoming vessel, the 2,104-passenger Eurodam, which will launch service there in late 2008.

Holland America Line will have its largest presence ever in the Caribbean in the 2008-2009 season, buoyed by the addition of its upcoming vessel, the 2,104-passenger Eurodam, which will launch service there in late 2008.

The keel was laid on July 11 for the new Seabourn Cruises ship, the Odyssey, at a ceremony in Friuli, in northeast Italy between Venice and Trieste. The 32,000-ton, 225-suite Seabourn Odyssey is due to enter service in June 2009.