COMPETITION HEATING UP IN ASIA
Norwegian cruise line set to make its return to South America, writes Phil Reimer.
While I’m still cruising some of Europe’s historic rivers, it’s time to catch you up on the latest in the cruise industry.
CARNIVAL IN CRUISE CONTROL IN CHINA
Not long ago in this space I indicated the face of cruising as we know it was about to change, with the announcement that Royal Caribbean’s latest and greatest cruise ship, Quantum of the Seas, will stay in North America for a short while before heading to its permanent home in Shanghai.
That being the first shot over the bow, so to speak, Carnival Corporation wasted no time firing back with an announcement that its own brands Costa and Princess were adding to the Chinese market.
In April 2015, Costa will send Costa Serena, a 3,780-passenger ship, to cruise alongside Costa Victoria and Costa Atlantica. Meanwhile, the Sapphire Princess recently arrived in China and will sail there until the fall.
When it comes to numbers, that puts Carnival first, with four vessels in China.
However, Royal Caribbean may be adding more ships to the market. A few weeks ago at the keellaying ceremony for the third Oasis Class ship — scheduled for service in 2016 — Royal Caribbean CEO Adam Goldstein seized the opportunity to announce a fourth 6,000-passenger mega ship has been ordered for 2018.
No announcements have been made about home ports for these Oasis Class ships, but some speculation is that two will be in North America, one in Europe and one in China.
AVALON TARGETS ASIA
For river new-builds for one company, it’s not China that’s the focus but Asia as a whole.
Avalon Waterways has decided not to build ships for the European market next year but instead is going to build two for Asia. Avalon’s two Asia-based vessels in 2015 will be the Avalon Siem Reap and Avalon Myanmar. They will sail itineraries on the Mekong River as well as the increasingly popular Irrawaddy River.
At about one-fifth the capacity of Avalon’s European Suite Ships, the Siem Reap and Myanmar will carry only 36 passengers. Siem Reap’s design will allow it to traverse the entire route from Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam to Siem Reap in Cambodia, eliminating the seven-hour coach trip needed at the end of the current itinerary.
NORWEGIAN SAILS SOUTH
Back in the ocean-ship category, Norwegian as a cruise line is not in the Asian game, at least not right now, and instead is going in a different direction, south. In 2015-16, Norwegian will be going back to South America, a market the cruise line left in 2010.
The return of the Norwegian Sun will feature a traditional cruise from Santiago ( Valparaiso), Chile, to Buenos Aires, Argentina, 14 days around Cape Horn at the bottom of South America. The cruises will start in early November and continue to the end of March.