By
Rebecca Gibson |
Norwegian Cruise Line is to introduce its first purpose-built ship customised for the China market in 2017.
To be delivered in spring 2017, the new ship will feature accommodations, cuisine and onboard experiences that cater specifically to the preferences of Chinese guests.
Designed as the second ship in Norwegian’s Breakaway Plus class, the newbuild will have capacity for 4,200 guests and offer world-class entertainment and Mandarin, Cantonese and Continental dining options. Guests will also be able to benefit from duty-free luxury shopping and be able to participate in various first-at-sea onboard activities.
“Our new purpose-built ship for China will have characteristics that are authentic to Norwegian Cruise Line and yet distinctively Chinese in all of its sensibility,” said Frank Del Rio, CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. “With this new ship, Norwegian will unquestionably offer our Chinese guests a superior product and introduce a new standard of innovation and excellence into the marketplace, with an unrivalled level of customisation for the Chinese consumer. It will perfectly suit what modern Chinese travellers value from an upscale cruise experience.”
To better support the company’s expansion efforts in China, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings has opened offices in Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong. The offices will support all three brands in the company’s portfolio – Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
“Our China offices house a dedicated leadership team uniquely focused on ensuring the success of our local travel agent partners, which is crucial to the success of our expansion in what will soon be the world’s second largest cruise market,” said Del Rio. “These offices will provide sales and marketing support to our travel partners whose customers not only wish to sail on our new China-based ship, but also on any of the incredible voyages around the world offered across our portfolio of brands.”
Additional details, including the ship’s name, homeport, accommodations, dining and entertainment will be shared in the coming months.