We are clearly on our way back to full cruise operations with with 50 ships now serving guests as we end the fiscal year, and that's up from just one ship, one short a year ago.
We've already returned over 65,000 crew members to our ships and thus resuming operations, over 1.2 million guests and counting and still we are [Phonetic] Now we've achieved that while delivering an exceptional guest experience with historically high net promoter scores.
In fact, occupancies at our Carnival Cruise Line brand which currently operates and generates that are most similar to its normally [Indecipherable] generates are now approaching 90% and that's after the impact of the variants on near-term book.
Total customer deposits have grown by over $1.2 billion from the prior year alone as our book position continues to build and to strength.
Importantly, we ended the year with $9.4 billion of liquidity and as essentially the same liquidity level as last year, but with significantly improved cash flow generation ahead, as the aforementioned ship operating cash flows and [Indecipherable] continue to build, with 68% of our capacity now in operation and the remainder planned by spring, we are well positioned for our important summer season, where we historically have the lion's share of our operating profit.
And to that end, we've achieved many important milestone along the way in our return service, or events, broadening our commitments to ESG with introduction of our 2030 sustainability goals and our 2050 aspiration, and that's building on the successful achievement of our 2020 goal, increase our ESG disclosure by incorporating SASB be and TCFD framework in our sustainability report, bolstering our compliance efforts with the addition of a new Board member with valuable compliance experience, a strong addition to our Board of Directors and our Board Compliance Committee, improving our culture through emphasizing essential behaviors and incorporating them into our ethos [Phonetic] through training and development and through every day real time feedback, as we are already among the most diverse companies in the world with a global employee base representing over 130 countries.
And of course, there are many more operational milestones, such as reopening our eight owned and operated private destinations and port facilities, Princess [Indecipherable] Mahogany Bay, Amber Cove [Indecipherable] Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Barcelona, all delivering an exceptional experience to over 630,000 of the 1.2 million guests that's resuming.
Now while the utilization of LNG is a positive step with the environment, so LNG is inherently 20% more carbon efficient.
We have announced our net zero aspirations by 2050.
Our decarbonization efforts have enabled us to peak our absolute carbon emissions way back in 2011, and that's despite an approximately 25% capacity growth since that time.
And as a company with a 25% reduction in carbon intensity already under our belt, we are well positioned to achieve our 40% reduction goal by 200 and are working hard to reach that deliverable ahead of schedule.
To name just a few, they include itinerary optimization and technology upgrades to or existing fleet and an investment of over $350 million in areas such as air conditioning, waste management lighting, and of course, the list goes on.
Greater than 45% of our fleet is already equipped to connect the shore power and we plan to reach at least 60% by 2030.
Now we helped develop the first port with show power capability for cruise ships, leading to the development of 21 ports to date and counting.
Also, these efforts combined with the exit of 19 less efficient ships are forecasted to deliver upon return to full operation a 10% reduction in unit fuel consumption on an annualized base.
Our strategic assist to accelerate the exit of 19 ships vessels with a more efficient and a more effective fleet overall and it's lowered our capacity growth to roughly 2.5% compounded annually from 2019 through 2025, now that's down from 4.5% annually pre COVID.
A enjoy a further structural benefit to revenue from these enhanced guest experiences, new ship, due to the richer mix of premium price balcony cabins, which will increase 6 percentage points to 55% of our fleet in 2023.
Now of course, as we mentioned before, we've also achieved a structural benefit to unit costs as we deliver these new, larger, more efficient ships, coupled with the exit of 19 less efficient ships, it will help generate a 4% reduction in ship level unit cost going forward, enabling us to deliver more revenue to the bottom line.
Upon returning to full operation, nearly 50% of our capacity will consist of these newly delivered, larger, more efficient ships, expediting our return to profitability and improving our return on invested capital.
And as we said we would, we maintain price despite the disruption, achieving 4% higher revenue per passenger cruise day in our fourth quarter than in the fourth quarter of 2019.
In fact, the Carnival Cruise Line brand where we as I mentioned are able to offer more comparable itineraries to those in 2019 experienced its second consecutive quarter of double-digit revenue growth for the year, while improving occupancy with nearly 60% of its capacity returned to serve.
I am so happy to report that our cash from operations turned positive in the month of November, ahead of our previous indication, driven by increases in customer deposits and other working capital changes.
Over the next few months, we expect ship level cash contributions to grow as more ships return to service and as we build on our occupancy percentage.
However, cash from operations and EBITDA over the next few months will be impacted by restart related spending and dry-dock expenses as 28 ships, almost a third of our fleet will be in dry-dock during the first half of fiscal 2022.
Given all these factors combined, we expect both monthly cash from operations and monthly EBITDA to consistently turn positive during the second quarter of fiscal 2022.
While we expect the net loss for the first half of 2022, it makes me feel so good to say we expect the profit for the second half of 2022.
During the fourth quarter, we successfully restarted 22 ships.
For the fourth quarter, occupancy was 58% across the ships in service and that was a 4 point improvement over the 54% we achieved last quarter during the peak summer season despite the slowdown in bookings just prior to the fourth quarter from the Delta variant.
During the fourth quarter, we carried over 850,000 guests, which was 2.5 times the number of guests we carried in the third quarter.
Revenue per passenger cruise day for the fourth quarter 2021 increased 4% compared to a strong 2019 despite the current constraints on itinerary offering.
For those of you who are modeling our future results based on our planned restart schedule for fiscal 2022, available lower berth days or ALBDs as they are more commonly called, will be approximately $78 million.
By quarter, the ALBDs will be for the first quarter $14.1 million.
For the second quarter, $17.8 million.
For the third quarter, $23 million even.
And for the fourth quarter, $23.1 million.
Fuel consumption will be approximately 2.9 million metric tons.
The current blended spot price for fuel is $563 per metric ton.
I did want to point out that due to the cost of a portion of our fleet being in pause status during the first half of 2022, restart related expenses, the cost of maintaining enhanced health and safety protocols and inflation, we are projecting net cruise costs without fuel per ALBD in 2022 to be significantly higher than 2019 despite the benefit we get from the 19 smaller less efficient ships leaving the fleet.
In addition, we expect depreciation and amortization to be $2.4 billion for fiscal 2022, while net interest expense without any further refinancings is likely to be around $1.5 billion.
Next, I'll provide a summary of our fourth quarter cash flows.
During the fourth quarter 2021, our liquidity, increased by $1.6 billion to $9.4 billion at the end of the fourth quarter from $7.8 billion at the end of the third quarter.
The increase in liquidity was driven by the $2 billion senior unsecured notes we issued in October to refinance 2022 maturities.
The $360 million customer deposit increase added to the total.
Completion of a loan we previously mentioned, supported by the Italian government, with some debt holiday principal refund payments added another $400 million.
Working capital and other items net contributed $300 million.
All these increases totaled $3.1 billion, which was somewhat offset by our cash burn of $1.5 billion.
Simply, our monthly average cash burn rate of $510 million per month times 3.
Our cumulative advance book position for the second half of 2022 and the first half of 2023 are at the higher end of historical ranges and at higher prices compared to 2019, with or without FCC's, but normalized for bundled packages.
Booking volumes for the same period during the fourth quarter of 2021 were higher than the third quarter.
As Arnold indicated, we entered 2022 with $9.4 billion of liquidity, essentially the same liquidity level as last year, but with significantly improved cash flow generation ahead as ship operating cash flows and customer deposits continue to build.
Through our debt management efforts, we have refinanced $9 billion to date, reducing our future annual interest expense by approximately $400 million per year and extending maturities, optimizing our debt maturity profile.
However, we will pursue refinancings to extend maturities and reduce interest expense at the right time.

Summary:
Now of course, as we mentioned before, we've also achieved a structural benefit to unit costs as we deliver these new, larger, more efficient ships, coupled with the exit of 19 less efficient ships, it will help generate a 4% reduction in ship level unit cost going forward, enabling us to deliver more revenue to the bottom line.
And as we said we would, we maintain price despite the disruption, achieving 4% higher revenue per passenger cruise day in our fourth quarter than in the fourth quarter of 2019.
I am so happy to report that our cash from operations turned positive in the month of November, ahead of our previous indication, driven by increases in customer deposits and other working capital changes.
Over the next few months, we expect ship level cash contributions to grow as more ships return to service and as we build on our occupancy percentage.
Given all these factors combined, we expect both monthly cash from operations and monthly EBITDA to consistently turn positive during the second quarter of fiscal 2022.
While we expect the net loss for the first half of 2022, it makes me feel so good to say we expect the profit for the second half of 2022.
For the fourth quarter, occupancy was 58% across the ships in service and that was a 4 point improvement over the 54% we achieved last quarter during the peak summer season despite the slowdown in bookings just prior to the fourth quarter from the Delta variant.
Revenue per passenger cruise day for the fourth quarter 2021 increased 4% compared to a strong 2019 despite the current constraints on itinerary offering.
Next, I'll provide a summary of our fourth quarter cash flows.
During the fourth quarter 2021, our liquidity, increased by $1.6 billion to $9.4 billion at the end of the fourth quarter from $7.8 billion at the end of the third quarter.
All these increases totaled $3.1 billion, which was somewhat offset by our cash burn of $1.5 billion.
Simply, our monthly average cash burn rate of $510 million per month times 3.
Our cumulative advance book position for the second half of 2022 and the first half of 2023 are at the higher end of historical ranges and at higher prices compared to 2019, with or without FCC's, but normalized for bundled packages.
Booking volumes for the same period during the fourth quarter of 2021 were higher than the third quarter.
However, we will pursue refinancings to extend maturities and reduce interest expense at the right time.