Celebrity Cruises announced today that a federal court jury in New York has awarded Celebrity US$193 million in a lawsuit against Essef Corp. Celebrity has remaining claims for interest and certain legal fees. Celebrity filed suit against Essef Corp. for damages stemming from a 1994 outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease on Celebrity’s vessel Horizon. Celebrity claimed for out-of-pocket losses, lost profits, and loss of business enterprise value related to this incident.

Dan Hanrahan, President of Celebrity Cruises, stated: “This was a long awaited result for Celebrity Cruises. We feel vindicated by this verdict. In the cruise industry, the safety of our guests and employees is paramount.”

The verdict is subject to appeal and, due to the ongoing nature of the proceedings, the ultimate financial impact to Celebrity Cruises is undetermined at this time. Any gain from this verdict will only be recognized when the outcome is known with certainty.

Celebrity Cruises is a subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
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