World's biggest cruise firm looks to Asia – and Phuket – for expansion


Just arrived in Asia: the Costa Atlantica, which is scheduled to visit Phuket soon. Photo Vladimir Shelyapin

PHUKET: -- Carnival Corp & plc, the world’s largest cruise ship company with more than 100 ships, has signalled a major drive into Asia, with the arrival in the region of one of its largest ships – which will cruise to Phuket – and the opening of a new Carnival Asia unit in Singapore.

The 2,680-berth Costa Atlantica, the biggest ship in the fleet of Carnival subsidiary Costa Cruises set sail for Asia for the first time this week, joining Costa Victoria and more than doubling Costa’s capacity in Asia.

Costa Atlantica will set sail from Singapore for four-night trips to Phuket and Langkawi, beginning May 18, and three-night journeys to Malacca and Penang.

Princess Cruises, another Carnival subsidiary, will be introducing the largest deployment ever by a premium cruise line in the region when it brings the 2,670-berth Sapphire Princess to Singapore for four months from November next year.

The itineraries, which will vary from three to 11 days, will combine various destinations such as Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Kuala Lumpur, and Ko Samui.

At a ribbon-cutting event to open the new Singapire office, Carnival Asia Chairman and CEO Pier Luigi Foschi said, “The market potential for cruising in Asia is huge as the total potential number of cruise passengers could reach 3.7 million in 2017. This number could double to over seven million by 2020.”

Mr Foschi noted that the benefits to homeport destinations are significant, providing direct and indirect economic impact and employment in providing goods and services to ships, passengers and crew, as well as adding to tourist arrivals.

Carnival Australia CEO Ann Sherry, also in Singapore for the opening, said te new office highlighted Carnival’s commitment to grow the cruising sector in the region and tap potential growth.

She pointed to parallels between Carnival Australia’s growth story and the opportunities in Asia.

“Carnival Australia’s success in the Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific region was built on a multi-brand strategy and an efficient distribution network that has made it easy for passengers to discover cruising as a great holiday option,” Ms Sherry said.

“Our Carnival Asia growth is off to a great start with major centres in Asia such as Singapore, Hong Kong and Shanghai making big investments in port infrastructure to attract cruise ships.

“Asia is emerging as a potential powerhouse of cruise industry growth and … and there are vast numbers of people in Asia itself ready to experience the pleasures of cruise holidays. Carnival Asia will play a very big part in making this a reality.”

Carnival Corp brands include Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn, AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard, Ibero Cruises, and P&O Cruises (Australia and UK).

Together, these brands operate 101 ships with a total of 205,000 berths. Another eight new ships are scheduled to be delivered between this month and April 2016.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/world%E2%80%99s-biggest-cruise-firm-looks-to-asia-and-phuket-for-expansion-39360.php


-- Phuket News 2013-05-15

I bet the taxi mafia is already planning their new pools at home and upgrading the Mercedes.

will they make straight on a deal of monthly fees to be payable to the local maffia organisations to make sure their passenger can acutally get off the ship

will they make straight on a deal of monthly fees to be payable to the local maffia organisations to make sure their passenger can acutally get off the ship

Laem Chabang the cruise port for Bangkok has one of the biggest rip off taxi mafias in asia....I suspect Phuket will attempt to outdo them though...of course the cruise lines sorta like exhorbitant taxi fares as it often forces passengers to buy their equally exhorbitant shore excursions....sadly many passengers at laem chabang just said screw it all and stayed on the ship rather than be fleeced....

Carnival hit the headlines lately on many occasions because of all sorts of accidents. Maybe one of their ships grounded and listing in front of Rawai or so will soon be a new tourist attraction.

If the boat stays overnight and the passangers/crew can stay out late its gonna keep the girls a little busier.