Carnival Cruise Line and AIDA Cruises to base ships in China - report
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- Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen
- Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines
- Published: 13 October 2015 13 October 2015
Carnival Cruise Line and AIDA Cruises, US and Germany focused contemporary market brands of Carnival Corp & plc, the world's largest cruise shipping group, will base vessels in China, Travel Weekly reports on its website.
Both would enter the Chinese market next year and bring to four the number of Carnival group brands that operate in the country - Costa Crociere and Princess Cruises are already well established in China.
The vessels to be employed and itineraries together with further details would be disclosed later.
Norwegian to enter China market 2017 with customised second Breakaway Plus unit
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- Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen
- Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines
- Published: 12 October 2015 12 October 2015
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), the contemporary market unit in the Norwegian Cruise line Holdings group, will introduce the first purpose-built ship customised for the China market in 2017, CEO Frank Del Rio announced today during the CruiseWorld China summit in Shanghai.
The new ship will be the second of Norwegian Cruise Line’s 164,600 gross ton Breakaway Plus class and features the line’s unique style of cruising known as Freestyle Cruising. “Aboard NCL ships, Chinese guests will indulge in a resort-style vacation experience, with the freedom and flexibility to joyfully spend time doing whatever they wish, from enjoying world-class entertainment to fine Mandarin, Cantonese and Continental dining; from duty-free luxury shopping to participating in any number of incredible first-at-sea activities onboard; all on their own time schedule,” the company said in a statement.
The ship is currently under construction, at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany. “Our new purpose-built ship for China will have characteristics that are authentic to Norwegian Cruise Line and yet distinctively Chinese in all of its sensibility,” said Del Rio.
“With this new ship, Norwegian will unquestionably offer our Chinese guests a superior product and introduce a new standard of innovation and excellence into the marketplace, with an unrivalled level of customisation for the Chinese consumer. It will perfectly suit what modern Chinese travellers value from an upscale cruise experience.”
Norwegian Cruise Line is widely recognised as the leading innovator in the cruise industry. Not only will Norwegian Cruise Line’s new ship offer the highest-level of purpose-built customisation, it will clearly be the most innovative ship ever built exclusively for the China market. With a capacity of 4,200 guests, this new Breakaway Plus-class vessel will provide the same sense of freedom and flexibility found on all Norwegian Cruise Line ships, but with experiences and amenities designed specifically with Chinese guests in mind, the company stated.
The level of customisation will go beyond the physical design of the ship. Working with partners in China and local experts on the subtleties of Chinese culture, Chinese guests who sail on this new ship will be provided with an unmatched quality-level for service, cuisine, entertainment and overall experience that is simply not available in the China market today. Additional details, including the ship’s name, homeport, accommodation, dining and entertainment will be shared in the coming months.
To better support the company’s expansion efforts in China, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings has opened offices in Beijing (Guomao CBD) and Hong Kong (Quarry Bay) and today opens its Shanghai office in Xintiandi. These China-based offices support all three brands in the company’s portfolio – Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises which span the upper end of the contemporary, premium, and luxury cruise categories and relevant to each segment and each stage in the Chinese consumer life cycle.
“Our China offices house a dedicated leadership team uniquely focused on ensuring the success of our local travel agent partners, which is crucial to the success of our expansion in what will soon be the world’s second largest cruise market,” said Del Rio. “These offices will provide sales and marketing support to our travel partners whose customers not only wish to sail on our new China-based ship, but also on any of the incredible voyages around the world offered across our portfolio of brands.”
The new ship will be delivered in Spring 2017. Norwegian will take delivery of the line’s first Breakaway Plus class ship, Norwegian Escape, next week on 22 October. Two additional ships in this class are on order for delivery in 2018 and 2019
Princess Cruises to name new China-based ship Majestic Princess
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- Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä
- Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines
- Published: 09 October 2015 09 October 2015
Princess Cruises has announced that its ship now under construction, a sister ship to Royal Princess and Regal Princess, will be named Majestic Princess. The new ship will be based in China year-round beginning in summer 2017 and become the first vessel built specifically for Chinese guests incorporating a unique blend of international and Chinese features.
“Royal Princess and Regal Princess were named after iconic previous vessels, while Majestic Princess will carry a name that was chosen by our global employees,” said Jan Swartz, president of Princess Cruises. “The name Majestic Princess is well suited to the Princess Cruises experience in China, and she will offer a truly magnificent experience to our Chinese guests,” added Swartz.
Befitting her dedication to the Chinese market, Majestic Princess will also carry a Chinese name on the hull, 盛世公主号 (Shèng Shì Gōng Zhǔ Haò) – an interpretation selected by Carnival plc’s China employees, which has the suggestive meaning of “Grand World” or “Grand Spirit.”
The 143,000-ton vessel, Majestic Princess, is being built at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy. She will be home-ported in Shanghai, carrying 3,560 guests for cruises to Japan and Korea, and will offer many of the special features that have made Royal Princess and Regal Princess so popular and distinctive. These include a dramatic multi-story atrium serving as the social hub of the ship; the unique over-the-ocean SeaWalk - a glass-floor walkway extending 8 meters (28 feet) beyond the edge of the ship; the Princess Live! interactive studio; and the special Chef’s Table Lumiere, a private dining experience that surrounds guests in a curtain of light.
“We’re excited that Shanghai will be welcoming this newest, most advanced addition to the Princess fleet, as it represents our brand’s long-term commitment to the continuing growth of the China market,” said Swartz.
Majestic Princess will offer the international flavor of cruising with Princess, drawn from the brand’s award-winning expertise as the world’s leader in premium destination cruising. The cruise ship’s cuisine will span the globe, serving authentic dishes from Italy, France, North and South America, Southeast Asia, Japan and China – all freshly prepared onboard. Guests will enjoy a festival celebrating dance, music and crafts of exotic cultures; an array of international guest entertainers; and Las Vegas-style production shows starring a cast of singers and dancers from around the world.
“Every day, around the world, our guests create lifelong memories from authentic experiences while enjoying freshly made cuisine designed to bring each destination to life,” added Swartz. “Majestic Princess will allow us to bring the best the world has to offer to more Chinese guests, for an unparalleled premium and international vacation, inspired by our passion for the many places we sail.”
Like all Princess cruises in China, Majestic Princess will showcase the brand’s exclusive Princess Class experience, designed specifically for the Chinese market. Delivered by the ship’s extensively trained international crew, these Princess Class enhancements enrich the travel experience of each cruise guest: authentic, classic events like the World Leaders Dinner and Traditional English Afternoon Tea; special culinary experiences such as the Lobster Grill, Ultimate Balcony Dining, and an ocean-view hot pot dinner option; and an unparalleled duty-free shopping experience, featuring leading designer brands.
The cruise ship will also offer Princess’ signature Movies Under the Stars, with the largest outdoor screen at sea, and the exciting Princess WaterColor Fantasy fountain and light show. Accommodations will be configured to appeal to families and multi-generational travelers; all outside staterooms will have private balconies. Additional details about the new ship’s features and deployment schedule will be announced over the coming months.
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