First Chinese-built ship’s entry into service could take ten years – Arnold Donald

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines

Published: 25 April 2015 25 April 2015

It can take five years for the first order of cruise ship made from the Chinese shipyard, and another five years for the delivery, predicts Carnival Corporation & plc CEO Arnold Donald. He spoke to Cruise Business after a panel discussion at the Society of American Travel Writers’ Editors Council conference in Miami today.

“Carnival wants to be part of cruise shipbuilding in China,” Donald said. We want to ensure the ships are built on current standards of quality and safety, he explained.

Currently Carnival Corporation & plc has a total of nine ships on order from Italian and Japanese shipyards, and it’s also close to finalizing orders for another nine ships from the German, Finnish and Italian shipyards. These nine ships will be delivered between 2019 and 2022, and will implement new cost efficiencies. The new classes of ships under planning stage will also offer bigger proportion of balcony cabins.

As far as China is concerned, which Donald said could become a largest cruise market in the future, Carnival’s brands (Costa and Princess) are currently the market leaders. “Currently we have 2.5 million cruise days in China compared to our closest competitor Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. with 1.8 million,” he said. Earlier this week Costa Cruises announced it will deploy the 2,720-passenger Costa Fortuna to China next year and this week it also celebrated the arrival of 3,004-passenger Costa Serena to Shanghai.

Costa to continue to invest in China by adding Fortuna in 2016

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines

Published: 24 April 2015 24 April 2015

The long-awaited Costa Serena, elegant and exquisite “Ship of Gods” among the Costa fleet celebrated its maiden call at the Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal today. This eagerly anticipated ship known for her ancient Rome flavor will join Costa Atlantica and Costa Victoria to homeport out of Shanghai year-round. The launch event was attended by Buhdy Bok, President of Costa Asia, Costa Cruises Pacific & China, and distinguished guests from the local government, trade partners and media.

Costa Serena’s arrival impeccably interprets “Italy at Sea” with its distinguished ancient Roman essence and increases capacity in the region by 74%, satisfying the rapidly growing demand and further remaining as a leader in Chinese market. The cruise will set sail on April 24, when her passengers will be able to sample its wide-range of onboard pleasures. This latest embodiment of Costa Serena combines well with the local government’s plan to boost the shipping industry and tourism in the region.

“The addition of Costa Serena reinforces Costa Cruises’ leadership position in China’s fast-growing cruise market. According to the current analysis by the CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association), Costa Cruises occupies the leading position in the cruise market with four out of ten reservations made for Costa ships. After 9 years of successful operations and explicit support and encouragement from the Chinese government, Costa Cruises will continue to expand its offerings and satisfy the demands of the China market. ” said Michael Thamm, CEO of Costa Crociere S.p.A.

The ethereal Miss Gao Yuanyuan, a talented Chinese actress, was onsite to bless the Costa Serena on her vessel debut. She was also named Costa Cruises brand ambassador as she epitomizes the glamour and style of the Costa Serena. “It’s an honor to be named the Godmother of Costa Serena and be a part of her debut in Shanghai. My personal experience with Costa Serena last summer truly left me with enduring memories of its exquisite and gorgeous culture with its bounds of exciting activities, delicate Italian cuisine, and relaxation of a European lifestyle. All my best wishes to this elegant ship and I trust she can present the best of Italy to China.”

The exclusive design of the Costa Serena is matched by the quality and breadth of the facilities aboard, many of which have been customized to better suit Chinese tastes. The interiors are inspired by mythology and ancient Rome, where guests are able to experience a taste of Italy on-board. Its traditional and imaginative magnificence will undoubtedly deliver a satisfying and remarkable experience with its many authentic Italian restaurants that are within the most elegant atmospheres accompanied with delicious food delights along with Chinese cuisine with savory hotpot for the Chinese consumer to have a taste a little closer to home.  

Buhdy Bok, President of Costa Asia, Costa Cruises Pacific & China, stated, “Costa Serena brings a taste of Italy tailored to maximize the luxury for our Chinese guests. Our success in China has come from expanding on the enjoyment of our guests onboard. The support from our prominent partners and local authorities here in Shanghai has been instrumental to our incomparable growth and we are grateful for their invaluable assistance.”

Today's celebration follows Buhdy Bok’s official announcement on the addition of a new cruise ship to the China fleet by April, 2016. Costa Fortuna, spectacular in every detail and successor to the luxurious Italian cruise line, will be the 4th ship of Costa’s investment plan in China, further increasing the capacity by 38% in 2016. Together, the company's move highlights its strategy to strengthen its leadership and position in China, as well as its commitment and confidence to continuously develop China to be one of the leading cruise markets in the world.