Mediterranea Returns to Asia Ahead of Adora Cruises Debut

Mediterranea Returns to Asia Ahead of Adora Cruises Debut

After spending several months out of service in Europe, the former Costa Mediterranea returned to Asia earlier this month.

Set to debut for Adora Cruises in the fourth quarter, the 2003-built vessel is currently undergoing a refit in Singapore. Being prepared to serve the Chinese market starting this fall, the cruise ship entered the drydock of the Tuas Shipyard on August 15.

In addition to regular maintenance and class surveys, the Mediterranea is expected to be upgraded for Adora, receiving new features and also a new livery.

According to the company, the new ship’s new colour scheme was created to blend the Mediterranean’s iconic blue, green, and white tones, recreating the “elegant and artistic temperament” of the European inner sea.

In addition to the unique livery, the 2,100-guest vessel will also offer a new onboard experience tailored to the Chinese market, Adora Cruises added.

Renamed Mediterranea, the cruise ship is scheduled to offer a series of short international cruises from Tianjin later this year.

Originally built for Costa Cruises, the 86,000-ton vessel first entered service in 2003. After nearly 20 years of serving the Italian brand, the vessel was sold to CSSC Carnival – which later became Adora Cruises – in 2021.

Sharing the design of Carnival Cruise Line’s Spirit Class, the vessel features themed interiors that pay homage to Italy’s palaces and castles.

Designed by the hospitality architect Joe Farcus, the public areas include three pool decks, a multi-story atrium, a selection of dining venues and several bars and lounges.

Following the Mediterranea, the Adora Magic City is also scheduled to start service for Adora Cruises later this year. In the final stages of construction, the China-built vessel will offer short cruises from Shanghai.

A joint venture between Carnival Corporation and the China State Shipbuilding Corporation, Adora Cruises also operated the Costa Atlantica. Currently laid-up in Italy, the 2000-built vessel is a sister to the former Costa Mediterranea.

Where Are the Cruise Ships Originally Built for the Chinese Market?

Where Are the Cruise Ships Originally Built for the Chinese Market?

Several cruise ships were specifically built to serve the booming Chinese market in the last decade.

Too much capacity followed by COVID-19, in addition to other factors, changing the course of the local business, all of the vessels are now sailing elsewhere.

Here’s what happened to all of the former China-bound newbuilds:

Ovation of the Seas
Company: Royal Caribbean International
Built: 2016
Capacity: 4,100 guests
Tonnage: 158,000
Current Sailing Region: North America

The Ovation of the Seas became the first Royal Caribbean International new build to debut in China when it arrived in Tianjin in 2016.

With several custom-designed features, the Quantum-class ship continued to serve the local market until 2018.

Beginning in 2019, the ship started to alternate summer seasons in North America – where it is currently sailing – and winter seasons in Australia.

Genting Dream
Company: Dream Cruises (Genting Cruise Lines)
Built: 2016
Capacity: 3,400 guests
Tonnage: 150,000
Current Sailing Region: Southeast Asia

As the first cruise ship to enter service for Dream Cruises, the Genting Dream originally served the Chinese market.

With several features to cater to Chinese guests, the Genting-owned cruise ship had already been repositioned out of China when the pandemic broke in 2020.

The health crisis, however, led to the collapse of Genting Cruise Lines and Dream Cruises. After a few months laid up waiting for a new operator, the 2016-built vessel was chartered by Resorts World Cruises in mid-2022.

Norwegian Joy
Company: Norwegian Cruise Line
Built: 2017
Capacity: 4,200 guests
Tonnage: 163,000
Current Sailing Region: North America

Norwegian Cruise Line made a grand entrance into the Chinese market in 2017 with the Norwegian Joy.

Built at the Meyer Werft shipyard, the vessel was custom designed to serve the local market with exclusive features that include a virtual reality gaming centre, a tearoom and more.

The vessel was pulled out of China in early 2019. Following a refit – that removed all of the ship’s original purposely-designed features – the vessel repositioned to the North American market in time for a summer program in Alaska.

Majestic Princess
Company: Princess Cruises
Built: 2017
Capacity: 3,600 guests
Tonnage: 141,000
Current Sailing Region: North America

Following years of investment into the local market, Princess Cruises decided to send a custom-design new build to China with the Majestic Princess.

The 2017-built vessel was considered the first built specifically for Chinese guests, offering unique features such as a Cantonese restaurant, a VIP casino, a tea bar and karaoke rooms. 

The Chinese venture, however, proved to be short with the brand dropping plans for a year-round deployment in the country just months after the debut of the 3,600-guest ship. Initially redeployed to Taiwan and Australia for most of the year, the Majestic Princess arrived in the North American market – where it’s currently sailing – in 2021.

World Dream
Company: Dream Cruises (Genting Cruise Lines)
Built: 2017
Capacity: 3,400 guests
Tonnage: 150,000
Current Sailing Region: Laid-up

The World Dream entered service for Dream Cruises in 2017. Sporting several features for the local market, the vessel originally offered an upscale product in China.

With Genting Cruise Lines collapsing earlier this year, the ship continues to wait for a decision regarding its future while laid up in Southeast Asia.

 Norwegian Encore
Company: Norwegian Cruise Line
Built: 2019
Capacity: 4,200 guests
Tonnage: 163,000
Current Sailing Region: North America

Norwegian Cruise Line originally planned to send the fourth Breakaway Plus-Class cruise ship to China.

The vessel, which later became the Norwegian Encore, would add capacity to the local market, which was already being serviced by the 2017-built Norwegian Joy.

The plans, however, were scrapped while the ship was still being built at the Meyer Werft shipyard. Instead of China, the Norwegian Encore debuted in the North American market, where it’s still sailing to this day.

The spectrum of the Seas
Company: Royal Caribbean International
Built: 2019
Capacity: 4,200 guests
Tonnage: 168,666
Current Sailing Region: Southeast Asia

Royal Caribbean International sent a second new build to China in 2019 with the Spectrum of the Seas.

As the first Quantum Ultra-Class vessel, the 4,200-guest ship was designed with new features to cater to the local market, including an expanded VIP suite enclave and a set of new Asian speciality restaurants.

With the COVID-19 hitting Asia first, the Spectrum was briefly redeployed to Australia in early 2020 before entering a long lay-up status. Currently, the ship is offering short cruises departing from Singapore’s Marina Bay Cruise Terminal.

Costa Venezia
Company: Costa Cruises
Built: 2019
Capacity: 4,232 guests
Tonnage: 135,500
Current Sailing Region: Mediterranean

The Costa Venezia entered service in 2019 as Costa Cruises’ first designed-for-China new build.

Built-in Italy, the 135,500-ton vessel offers custom-designed features, including a karaoke entertainment complex and larger casino and shopping areas.

With the pandemic, the ship spent most of the last three years laid up in Asia. Currently, in service for Costa Cruises in the Eastern Mediterranean, the ship will be positioned in North America starting in 2023, kicking off a series of cruises from New York City for the new Costa by Carnival concept.

Costa Firenze
Company: Costa Cruises
Built: 2020
Capacity: 4,232 guests
Tonnage: 135,500
Current Sailing Region: Mediterranean

A sister to the Costa Venezia, the Costa Firenze was set to debut in China in late 2020. Also, custom-designed to serve the local market, the 4,232-guest cruise ship was equipped with several unique features.

The pandemic, however, forced Costa Cruises to change plans for the vessel. Unable to sail to Asia, the Firenze debuted in Europe in 2021 and has been serving Western markets ever since.

After a winter season in Brazil, the vessel is now set to debut in the United States in 2024, offering West Coast cruises under the Costa by Carnival concept.

The wonder of the Seas
Company: Royal Caribbean International
Built: 2022
Capacity: 5,448 guests
Tonnage: 227,625
Current Sailing Region: Mediterranean

Currently, the world’s biggest cruise ship, the Wonder of the Seas was originally bound for year-round service in China.

Featuring interior designs and concepts to appeal to the local public, the Royal Caribbean International ship was set to debut in the Chinese market in mid-2021, offering a series of cruises departing from Shanghai.

The pandemic, however, led the company to deploy the Oasis-class vessel in the Western Hemisphere, with a series of Mediterranean and Caribbean itineraries.

Global Dream
Company: Dream Cruises (Genting Cruise Lines)
Built: 2022
Capacity: 5,000 guests
Tonnage: 208,000
Current Sailing Region: Unfinished

Previously set for a 2022 debut, the Global Dream was poised to become one of the biggest ships in the Chinese market.

With custom-designed features and attractions, the 5,000-guest ship was under construction in Germany when Dream Cruises collapsed earlier this year.

Now sitting unfinished at its building dock at the MV Werften, the vessel is looking for a new operator.  

Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas Isn't Going to China in 2021

Royal Caribbean International is postponing Wonder of the Seas’ arrival in China until further notice.

Being built in France, the fifth Oasis-class vessel was scheduled to arrive in Shanghai in mid-2021.

According to the cruise line, the vessel is not going to be delivered next spring as previously planned.

"The coronavirus pandemic has caused an unprecedented impact on the global cruise ship industry and the construction of the new Wonder of the Seas was delayed due to the impact of it in shipyard operations," said the company, in a statement issued in the Chinese market.

While remaining hopeful to see the 5,448-guest ship in Asia "as soon as possible," the cruise line didn’t set an alternative timeline for it.

“We look forward to the arrival of Wonder of the Seas after the epidemic has been brought under control," the company said.

"Royal Caribbean believes that the fundamentals of the Chinese economy have not changed because of the epidemic, and the trend of the cruise ship market will not change. After the public health risks are controlled, people will pursue socialization. The instincts of reunion and leisure will not change and may even be strengthened," said Dr Zinan Liu, Chairman of the Royal Caribbean Cruises Asia, underlining the company's commitment to the market.

“We are fully prepared to show the public that Royal Caribbean ships are a safe place," he said.

Quantum to Join Ovation in Australia for Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean International is boosting its Australian presence in 2021-2022 according to local reports.

The Quantum of the Seas will move from Singapore to the Down Under market, joining the Ovation and giving the brand two Quantum-class ships in the market sailing from Sydney. 

Those two ships are expected to be joined by the Radiance, sailing from Brisbane.

Originally debuting in North America and then moving to the Chinese market, the Quantum was based year-round in China before Royal Caribbean split her season between China and Singapore. Now, the ship will sail in Alaska for the 2021 summer and then move to Australia, moving tonnage out of the Chinese and Asian markets.

Cruise Lines Race to React to Coronavirus

The early 2000s and the SARS virus sent Asia-Pacific operators scrambling to move ships, and the same may be about to play out as a number of brands operating in the Chinese market are reacting to the outbreak of the Coronavirus in China.

In a prepared statement, Astro Ocean Cruises said it is offering full refunds to any passengers that have a fever or have been diagnosed with the virus. In addition, for groups departing from Wuhan, where most cases have been concentrated, refunds are also on the table if guests cannot join the trip due to “pneumonia-related management measures.”

The company also said medical personnel that are unable to travel are also eligible for refunds or have the option to change their sailing to a future date.

Costa also issued a statement, saying it was working with port authorities to strengthen passenger screening procedures for guests that may have a fever.

The Italian brand is also modifying cruise policies to allow for full refunds for guests that have the virus or have a fever; as well as any guest from the Wuhan area; and similar to Astro Ocean, medical staff that cannot travel due to work commitments.

Norwegian Cruise Line follows the money with itinerary optimization

The pier at Icy Strait Point. Alaska is one of Norwegian Cruise Line's most lucrative destinations.

Last winter, the Norwegian Spirit did 11-day runs from Barcelona to the Canary Islands and back, a traditional warm-weather cruise in Europe's colder months.

But on a recent conference call, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings CEO Frank Del Rio described it as "one of the historically lowest-yielding areas" to sail.

Jump forward a year, and the Spirit will emerge in February from a $100 million drydock and head for Asia, where it will sail nine-day cruises around Japan and cruises of 12 days or longer to Japan and China.

Del Rio said it is an example of Norwegian's strategy of itinerary optimization, in which the line looks for the highest-returning itineraries available at a given time and concentrates its ships in those areas.

Asia, Del Rio said, and other exotic itineraries will "take advantage of our huge customer base, our past guests who have never been to those areas because we've never sailed to those areas before."

Norwegian is scouring its deployments to see where customers are willing to pay the most, and it is capitalizing on their extravagance.

One area in which it is loading up on capacity is Alaska, where other lines have traditionally reaped the market premium. Although Norwegian has been sailing to Alaska for 20 years, its interest deepened in 2018 with the success of the 4,000-passenger Norwegian Bliss in its first Alaska season.

Christened in Seattle, the Bliss was a smash hit, according to Norwegian -- so much so that when faced with obstacles in the Chinese market, Norwegian pulled its purpose-built Norwegian Joy out of Shanghai and sent it on short notice to Alaska in 2019.

Norwegian Bliss in Ponta Delgada Photo credit Dave Jones https://flic.kr/g/GZdoW 

Next summer, the line will repeat the feat, while also redeploying the 1,936-passenger Norwegian Sun to Alaska from the Bahamas -- another low-yielding market, according to Del Rio.

In addition, to squeeze in more high-yielding cruise days, Norwegian is pushing the limits of what until now has been considered the cruising season in Alaska.

"Alaska used to be a three-month season -- June, July and August. Now we're getting there in April, and we're not leaving until October," Del Rio said. "It's now a six-month season of very, very high-yielding -- not only on tickets but incredibly high-yielding on onboard [spending]. And so we're going to continue doing that."

One of the keys to high yields in Alaska is to have land infrastructure that maximizes revenue opportunities from shore excursions as well as pre- and post-cruise extensions to lodging in the interior.

Norwegian recently announced a new aerial lift transportation system at Icy Strait Point designed to make its dock there more attractive.

The line is also extending the season in Europe, rather than bringing ships back to the Caribbean in October. Del Rio said he likes Europe because, for Norwegian, it means carrying high-spending guests.

In addition to North Americans, Del Rio said, "Guests for these itineraries do not come from locally sourced Europeans but from the rest of the world, including Australia, Asia and South America."

He added: "And that's a very important differentiator for us because we know that a guest who flies long distances to board the ship is a higher-yielding guest than one who drives their car or takes a bus or train to the port of embarkation." 

Next year, Norwegian is going back to the eastern Mediterranean, another high-yield area that Norwegian was one of the first to drop in 2016 after a spate of terror attacks and a coup attempt in Turkey.

At times, however, the itinerary optimization strategy backfires. The most recent example of that is Cuba. It was a natural destination for itinerary optimization when it opened to cruises from U.S. ports in 2016, and NCLH put more resources, proportionately, into Cuba than some of its rivals did. 

But that also meant that when the Trump administration abruptly shut down U.S. departures to Cuba in June, NCLH was disproportionately hurt. In the third quarter, the withdrawal from Cuba reduced NCLH net income by $53 million from a year earlier. 

"The year-over-year comparisons are night and day, in terms of pricing, because Cuba's demand was at such a high price," Del Rio said.

Literally overnight, twice-weekly Norwegian cruises from Miami and Port Canaveral that had included Havana had to be repriced as "Bahamas-intensive" cruises, said NCLH CFO, Mark Kempa.

Redeployments that will fully take effect in the second quarter of 2020 will finally end the economic penalty that resulted, Kempa said. 

By sending the Norwegian Sun to Alaska next summer from Port Canaveral, Norwegian will halve its Bahamian deployment, "thus reducing capacity from this historically lower-yielding destination," he said.

Cruise cools to China

By Tom Stieghorst
The cruise industry's gold rush to China, if not over, has entered a new phase: For the first time in at least four years, cruise capacity in China will not grow in 2018.

That means that the focus and management attention that has been lavished on the world's most populous country may now be turning elsewhere.

To hear evidence of that, listen to the list of places that Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings CEO Frank Del Rio reeled off when asked if he's ready to put the second ship in China. 

"We have many other either unserved or underserved markets that we would also consider in the mix, should ships become available to us," Del Rio said in response to a question from a Wells Fargo analyst. "We don't have a presence in the mid-Atlantic states. We're not in Baltimore. We're not in Charleston. We don't have a presence at all in the world's second-largest port, which is Fort Lauderdale. We don't have a presence in the Gulf States of Texas or Alabama. We don't have a year-round presence in Tampa or New Orleans or in Los Angeles."

Del Rio went on to say that the Norwegian Cruise Line brand will have three ships in Alaska this summer, where some competitors have as many as eight.

"So, given our fleet size today and the fact that we will only be taking one ship per year, it could be a couple of years before we consider adding more tonnage to China, if the conditions in the rest of the world remain as robust as they are today," Del Rio said.

The Chinese boom really got going in 2014 when Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. announced it would devote its brand-new Quantum of the Seas, the first of a new class of ship, to the Chinese market.

In a world full of supposedly bold moves, that one really was. And it prompted other lines for the first time to put brand new ships in China, as everyone feared being left behind in the scramble to impress the Chinese.

Being the preferred brand in a market that was projected to be the biggest in the world in a decade or so was worth the gamble of putting brand new tonnage in an unproven and opaque market.

So when Princess Cruises sent the Majestic Princess to Shanghai last year and Norwegian sent the Norwegian Joy, in addition to the Quantum and ships from Costa Cruises and others, the result was a crowded field.

Throw into the mix the spat between China and South Korea that limited itineraries out of northern China, and China became a much weaker cruise market last year.

While cruise lines insist that they're in it for the long haul, and even in the short term it has been profitable, the sense that China is going to deliver a big increase in global cruise revenues has been tempered.

Already Norwegian's focus for 2018 has turned to introducing Norwegian Bliss to the North American market, and in particular the U.S. West Coast. Who knows where else in the U.S. Norwegian ships might be coming next?

Norwegian Encore Will Debut in 2019 in Miami, not China

Norwegian Cruise Line marked today the start of construction for its newest ship with a steel cutting ceremony.

Named Norwegian Encore, the latest addition to its fleet will sail the Caribbean from Miami seasonally beginning fall 2019.

No mention was made of the previous announcement that the ship would be designed for the Chinese market.

Norwegian confirmed the ship will begin sailings from Miami in fall 2019 in a prepared statement.

“Norwegian Encore will be the ultimate Breakaway Plus Class vessel and we are thrilled to celebrate the start of construction for this incredible new ship,” said Andy Stuart, president and chief executive officer for Norwegian Cruise Line. “Over 50 years ago the Norwegian brand began creating unforgettable vacation moments with the first inter-island cruise in the Caribbean from Miami. We continue building on our legacy of innovation with this brand-new state-of-the-art vessel perfect for exploring the natural beauty of some of the most remarkable islands in the world.”

At approximately 167,800 gross tons and accommodating 4,000 guests, Norwegian Encore will sail weekly seven-day Caribbean cruises each Sunday from PortMiami.

“We are excited to start production for Norwegian Encore and to create another floating destination for Norwegian Cruise Line," said Stephan Schmees, Executive Board Member Project Management Ships, Meyer Werft.

The Norwegian Encore will be the seventeenth ship in the Norwegian fleet and the line’s fourth and final ship in the Breakaway Plus Class, described as the most successful class in the brand’s history.

In addition, Norwegian recently made changes to its China management team. 

Cruise Fleet to Reach 315 Ships and $35.5 Billion in Revenue in 2016

The cruise industry will reach 315 ships this year, generating an estimated $35.5 billion in ticket and onboard revenue worldwide, up from $33.2 billion last year according to the 2016-2017 Cruise Industry News Annual Report.

The North American market will represent approximately 56 percent of the global industry in terms of passenger sourcing and revenue; Europe 27 percent, and the Asia/Pacific region 17 percent.

Year-over-year, the market shares for North America and Europe have contracted from 59 and 29 percent respectively in 2015, while the Asia/Pacific region has grown from 12 to 17 percent.

The global passenger capacity is estimated at 23.6 million this year, up from 22 million last year.

About the Annual Report:

The Cruise Industry News Annual Report is the only book of its kind, presenting the worldwide cruise industry through 2025 in 350+ pages. Statistics are independently researched. Learn more by clicking here.

The report covers everything from new ships on order to supply-and-demand scenarios from 1987 through 2021+. Plus there is a future outlook, complete growth projections for each cruise line, regional market reports, and detailed ship deployment by region and market, covering all the cruise lines. New for 2016-2017 based on customer feedback are detailed Chinese market statistics and projections.

Norwegian Joy Welcomed to New Shanghai Home Port

PHOTO: Norwegian Cruise Line's new Norwegian Joy docked in Bremerhaven, Germany. (photo by Jason Leppert)

Following maiden calls in Singapore, Qingdao, Shenzhen and Hong Kong, Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship, the Norwegian Joy, was welcomed to its new home port of Shanghai, China.

The Norwegian Joy was engineered in Germany and designed specifically for the Chinese market.

During a preview voyage that departed from Shanghai June 10, the new ship welcomed more than 1,700 VIP members and guests of the Alibaba Group for a four-day preview cruise.

Norwegian Cruise Line’s preview voyage aboard the Norwegian Joy called on the Japanese port of Kochi before returning to Shanghai, and the ship’s christening ceremony will take place on June 27 with its Godfather, ‘King of Chinese Pop,’ Wang Leehom.

Year-round voyages on Norwegian Joy from Shanghai begin June 28, with sailings from Tianjin from August 26 to September 15. The vessel was designed with several major attractions, including the first race track at sea, virtual reality experiences, plus 28 local and international dining options.

“Norwegian Cruise Line is extremely proud to welcome the newest addition to our fleet, Norwegian Joy, to her home port of Shanghai, China,” NCLH China president David Herrera said in a statement.

“Norwegian Joy's arrival demonstrates our commitment to the Chinese cruise market.  She was custom-built with Chinese cruise guests in mind.”

The Norwegian Joy will cater to the modern Chinese family, with amenities that include staterooms designed for multi-generational families, Las Vegas-style performances and a variety of luxury shopping options.

The new features, services and amenities found on the Norwegian Joy will help Norwegian Cruise Line make a massive impact in the Chinese market.

Norwegian Joy's go-carts get Ferrari brand

Norwegian Cruise Line is partnering with Scuderia Ferrari to put the Ferrari name on the go-cart attraction on the Norwegian Joy.

The 3,850-passenger vessel, Norwegian's first purpose-built ship for the Chinese market, is to be christened June 27.

Norwegian had previously disclosed that the two-level track with electric go-carts would be a feature of the ship.

It is the first time that Ferrari has partnered on a branded go-cart track. Scuderia Ferrari watches will be sold in a retail store adjacent to the racetrack, Norwegian said.

Fincantieri delivers China-bound Majestic Princess

Princess Cruises’ first China-market cruise ship Majestic Princess has been delivered by Fincantieri (credit: Fincantieri/Princess Cruises)

Carnival Corp and Princess Cruises have taken delivery of Majestic Princess – their first international luxury cruise ship tailored for the Chinese market.  

The official handover took place at the ship’s builder Fincantieri’s shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy.

“Majestic Princess has arrived and we are thrilled to add this new jewel to our crown representing the newest, most stylish and most luxurious flagship to our fleet," said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises and Carnival Australia group president. "We are ready to deliver an exceptional international cruise vacation experience to our guests."

"Fincantieri proudly delivers Majestic Princess today to our long-term partner, Princess Cruises," said Fincantieri chief executive officer Giuseppe Bono. "The collaboration between Fincantieri, Carnival Corporation & plc and Princess Cruises to tailor Majestic Princess for China makes her special for us. We are proud to deliver this stunningly beautiful luxury cruise liner and highly value the partnership we have with Princess Cruises dating back to the 1980s. We will continue to deliver increasingly sophisticated ships in the future that serve the needs of our partners and their treasured guests."

Majestic Princess will start its inaugural season in Europe until May and then embark on a repositioning cruise themed the Silk Road Sea Route journey to its new homeport in Shanghai where it will begin its first homeport season in July.

MSC Cruises ups its game in China with MSC Splendida

MSC Cruises ups its game in China with MSC Splendida

MSC Splendida in Tunis, Photo Credit Dave Jones

In a substantial boost to its China capacity, MSC Cruises is going to deploy one of its biggest ships there in May 2018. MSC Splendida joins the smaller MSC Lirica, adding the MSC Yacht Club concept and butler service to its China offerings.

The 2009-built MSC Splendida, at 137,936gt, will become one of the largest ships operating in the region. The vessel can carry up to 4,363 passengers in 1,637 staterooms. Some 76% of accommodations have balconies.

MSC Splendida will join MSC Lirica, which has been serving—to great success, MSC Cruises said—the Chinese market since May. The ship recently moved to Tianjin to capture the North China market during the winter season.

Announcing the news in Beijing on Wednesday, MSC Cruises ceo Gianni Onorato said the ship has been one of the most popular in the fleet with Chinese and other Asian passengers cruising the Mediterranean with MSC.

MSC Splendida will undergo significant drydock enhancement in late 2017, ahead of the China deployment, to further improve and customize it for the market.

MSC Splendida also introduces the MSC Yacht Club to the Chinese market. This exclusive 'ship-within-a-ship' concept offers privacy, 24-hour butler service, a dedicated concierge reception and priority boarding and disembarkation.

The move would appear to be a direct competitive response to Dream Cruises' new Genting Dream, which also offers a luxury ship-within-a ship concept, Dream Mansion, served by butlers. That vessel is scheduled to be delivered next month. It will operate from Guangzhou (Nansha) in southern China.

MSC Splendida's itinerary details are to come, but MSC Cruises said the ship will visit destinations in China, Japan and Korea.

The news closely follows the opening of MSC Cruises' Shanghai office with its new management and operations team.

Undocking at Meyer Werft: Genting legend has left the building dock

Undocking at Meyer Werft: Genting legend has left the building dock

The latest cruise giant Meyer Werft, the "Genting Dream" has, II leave the covered building dock in Papenburg today in good weather. Meter by meter of the 335 meter long building for the Asian shipping Dream Cruises pushed ahead slowly.

Photo: Tobuas Bruns

Photo: Tobuas Bruns

PAPENBURG. Extensive testing of security systems, mechanical and plant trials and the completion of the interior had determined in the last few weeks the yard everyday. Due to current weather forecasts undocking was still postponed at short notice, but against 14:15 the time had finally come: the "Genting Dream" made her first meters. Supported by 4 tugs they slid stern first slowly toward sunlight. Hundreds of onlookers had gone on Friday afternoon to the Papenburg shipyard basin to ogle the first new construction. special, brightly colored hull paint particularly caught her eye. 

The ship made finally fixed at the pier in the shipyard harbor where the installation of the chimney is carried out. On the outfitting of the Meyer Werft the final work and tests are carried out to the ship in the following days. Few days later, the first members of the crew then their cabins reflect on the ship and to become familiar with the ship. Already in mid-September will then begin their Emsüberführung direction Eemshaven, the "Genting Dream". This is followed by sea trials and the final final outfitting in Bremerhaven before she is expected to be handed over on 12.10.2016 to the shipping company.

Photo: Tobuas Bruns

Photo: Tobuas Bruns

Even the next boat, the "Norwegian Joy 'that is to follow in the spring of 2017, is making great progress. Already in the morning has a vast 100-meter long swimming part, that was before the "Genting Dream", also left the building dock. One More was already longer on Werftpier. It had to take place and be hauled. Both sections will now be docked again.

Photo: Tobuas Bruns

Photo: Tobuas Bruns

The "Genting Dream", or in Chinese also云顶梦, has to have a length of 335 meters, a width of 39.7 meters and a size of 151,300 GT. The client is the Asian shipping Dream Cruises (Hong Kong), which is part of the Genting Group. Also planned for autumn 2017 sistership called "World Dream". 

It will accommodate 3,360 passengers and 2,000 crew members, suggesting a ship for the premium segment. Of the 1,680 cabins, 1,278 are outside cabins. One thing is certain, according to Tan Sri Lim, CEO of the shipping company: "The ship is ready to hold many special features for the Chinese market."   So is the "Genting Dream" have two small deep-sea submarines, each four passengers up to 200 meters depth can convey. Much aboard similar to Breakaway-class of Norwegian Cruise Line, which also belong to Genting.