B R I E F LY
CARNIVAL LOOKS TO ’22
BOOKINGS: Carnival Corp. says its 2022 cruise bookings are running ahead of 2019 numbers, a sign that guests will return once the pandemic has eased. Carnival halted sailings in March 2020 after numerous ships reported coronavirus outbreaks on board. The company expects to resume a limited amount of cruising in Europe later this month. It has paused U.S. sailings through March 31. Carnival says it lost $2.2 billion in its fourth quarter, which ended Nov. 30. The company says it also expects to report a loss its 2021 fiscal year, which ends in November.
AIRBNB REVIEWS D.C.
RESERVATIONS: Airbnb said Monday that it’s reviewing reservations in the Washington, D.C., area ahead of next week’s presidential inauguration and will bar any guests associated with hate groups or violent activity. The move comes as some city officials ask Airbnb, VRBO and other rental hosts to take down their listings until the Jan. 20 inauguration is over. “There’s no way to guarantee that your guests are not coming to incite violence,” Janeese Lewis George, a Washington city council member, said on Twitter. “Please protect your neighbors and the District from more attacks.”
FORD ANNOUNCES
Ford Motor said on Monday it will close three plants in Brazil and stop producing automobiles in the South American country. The company said in a statement it will cease production immediately at the factories “as the COVID-19 pandemic amplifies persistent industry idle capacity and slow sales that have resulted in years of significant losses.” The automaker also said it will keep its South America headquarters, product development center and proving grounds in Brazil.
BRAZIL CLOSINGS: T-MOBILE TO BORROW
FOR SPECTRUM BID: T-Mobile US is borrowing as much as $2 billion as the mobile carrier engages in an expensive battle to buy more spectrum assets. The company will issue the debt in three parts, maturing as late as 2031, according to a statement Monday. The proceeds will be used for general corporate purposes, which may include financing acquisitions of additional spectrum and refinancing debt.