Carnival Corporation which is the parent company for cruise lines such as Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, and Costa has agreed to order two Vista class cruise ships in China.
As long as the finances go through the cruise company will order two cruise ships which will be built in China for the first time ever. China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), and Italy-based Fincantieri S.p.A. will construct the ships as part of a joint venture and there is also an option for another two ships to be built in the future.
Alan Buckelew, global chief operations officer for Carnival Corporation said:
“We are excited about the potential for the first new cruise ships to be built and deployed in China for the enjoyment of Chinese travelers, which will be an important milestone in the development of the Chinese cruise market.”
“As we work with our Chinese partners to launch the first domestic Chinese cruise brand in the next few years, being able to offer cruises on China-built cruise ships represents a new opportunity for us to generate excitement and demand for cruising amongst a broader segment of the Chinese vacation market, which is already the largest in the world and continues to see strong growth every year.”
The Chinese constructed ships will be the same as the Carnival Vista which is a 133,500 gross ton vessel and currently operated by Carnival Cruise Line. The new ships will be similar but will cater towards the Chinese market. Expect to see more shopping, entertainment, and Casino services onboard along with some new added features not seen before. The first ship is scheduled to arrive in 2022.
The new Chinese venture will be Carnivals 11th cruise brand and will cater for the Chinese market. further details will be released about the new brand in the future. This will be a totally new brand which will take on rival cruise companies now trying to expand in the region.
Cruise Hive will keep readers updated on any future cruise ships and cruise brands, especially when there is still a lot more details to come.
