Princess Cruises and its corporate parent, Carnival Corp., are outsourcing their information technology operations, costing 200 employees their jobs, including 61 in Valencia. Another 60 affected workers are at Carnival headquarters in Miami, with the balance at its other subsidiaries.
The affected workers are being offered contracts with Capgemini, a Paris-based international consulting, technology, and outsourcing firm that has offices in 36 cities in 15 states.
Carnival said its move is meant “to help strengthen its operation and keep pace with the evolving technology environment,” said Princess spokeswoman Negin Kamali.
She added that all impacted individuals are being offered employment with Capgemini, and that they “also can also seek other career opportunities within Carnival Corp.”
As required by state law, Princess filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notice of the layoffs with California’s Employment Development Department, on Dec. 5, indicating that the 61 permanent layoffs will take effect Feb. 4.
The affected workers were offered six-month contracts with Capgemini, Carnival spokesman Roger Frizzell told the Miami Herald, and have until Monday to sign. In August, the consulting firm will decide who gets permanent job offers. Frizzell denied reports that the jobs were being sent to India.
Carnival Corp., the world’s largest cruise line operator, owns 10 cruise lines and 100 ships as the result of a series of acquisitions, including the 2003 merger with P&O Princess. It has 120,000 employees and its stock is traded on the New York and London stock exchanges. Its U.S.-based brands include Carnival, Princess, Holland America Line, Seabourn, and Fathom. Overseas, it owns Costa, AIDA, P&O Cruises-U.K., P&O Cruises-Australia, and Cunard, which has its U.S. base in Valencia.
