To Whom It May Concern:
We came across this information in the trades and thought it would be of
interest to this newsgroup as well.
Happy sailing,
John Sisker, SHIP-TO-SHORE CRUISE AGENCY®
(714) 536-3850 or toll free at (800) 724-6644 & (pagoo ID: 714.536.3850)
www.shiptoshorecruise.com
Celebrity Cruises was awarded $193 million by a federal jury in New York on
Thursday in its case against Essef Corp. for damages stemming from a 1994
outbreak of Legionnaire's disease on the Horizon. Essef is a subsidiary of
Pentair Inc., a company based in Golden Valley, Minn., which makes pool and
spa equipment. In 1994, one passenger died and several became ill from
bacteria in a hot tub on the Horizon. Celebrity filed suit against Essef,
claiming for out-of-pocket losses, lost profits, and loss of business
enterprise value related to this incident. "This was a long-awaited result
for Celebrity Cruises," said Celebrity President Dan Hanrahan. "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, so the
ultimate financial impact to Celebrity is undetermined at this time.
Celebrity has remaining claims for interest and certain legal fees. Pentair
said it believes the jury verdict in this case, which began before Pentair
acquired Essef, "is not consistent with the law nor the evidence offered at
trial." Pentair also stated it intends to make all appropriate post-trial
motions, especially those relating to damage causation and the claim for
lost enterprise value. "We will pursue all available means to achieve
reversal of this jury verdict," said Pentair Chairman and CEO Randall Hogan.
"Although very disappointing, we will not allow this verdict to distract us
from our current focus." Celebrity is a subsidiary of Royal Caribbean
Cruises Ltd. For more information, visit www.celebrity.com or
www.rclinvestor.com.
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