Today, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) became the latest cruise company to announce its entry into the Chinese cruise market with a objective built ship for 2017.
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More details about the ship’s new name and its China-centric features, which include Mandarin, Cantonese and Continental dining options, will be announced in coming months. Guests will also be able to benefit from duty-free luxury shopping and be able to participate in various first-at-sea onboard activities.
The company is building a ship designed for the China market which will be the second in its Breakaway Plus line.
Price checks with several large travel sellers in China reveal that “cruise tour products are well liked by Chinese travelers and have good momentum”, says Farley.
“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”, Del Rio said in a statement.
Following Princess Cruises’ successful season in Shanghai, Princess Cruises introduced the Sapphire Princess to Tianjin, a move to further highlight China’s foremost position in the company’s development plans, Anthony Kaufman, executive vice president for global operations, said at a briefing in Tianjin on Friday.
Carnival and rivals including Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. have been racing to serve the Chinese market, where a growing middle class creates a natural fit for the cruise business.
This 3,560-guest ship will be based in Shanghai and offer cruises to Japan and Korea. Royal Caribbean said in March it would have five ships sailing in the region next year, including one its newest vessels, the Ovation of the Seas. With unparalleled entertainment and dining choices, the concept is flawless for China’s younger cruising demographic. NCL’s award-winning fleet also offers a rich stateroom mix, from studios to private suite complexes that are particularly well-suited to China’s multi-generational family vacations.
In 2016, with the expansion to six ships in China, Carnival will see at 58 percent capacity increase and offer an industry-leading four million passenger cruise days in China, substantially more than its closest competitor.
In 2014-2015, Carnival Corporation leads the industry with almost 50% market share in China.
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The ship will be based at a port in China that is still unnamed.
