Recognising the importance of Southeast Asia’s growing cruise market, Royal Caribbean will position its 2,435-passenger cruise ship, Rhapsody of the Seas, in Asia from early December for cruises ranging in length from three to 12 nights. Itineraries will cover Singapore, Hong Kong and Shanghai, with longer cruises calling at Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Korea, Japan and Taiwan.This vessel’s attractions range from casinos to outdoor-indoor pools, a shopping arcade in the open atrium, rock-climbing wall, spa and fitness centre, themed bars and lounges.Rhapsody of the Sea’s two-night Malaysian Getaway cruise will start and finish in
Singapore, and call in at Port Klang in Malaysia.
SHANGHAI BASEFor two months in 2008, the vessel will call Shanghai home port. The seven-night Pearls of the Orient cruise, aimed at the Chinese market, will call at Seoul, the island of Jeju, Pusan and Kagoshima. With a view to helping Royal Caribbean grow into a major player in China, Clockwise from above: dining aboard the Freedom of the Seas; sailing away on Rhapsody of the Seas; spa facilities aboard a cruise liner Shanghai-based Hung & Kit Travel Services and Consultants have been appointed international representative for Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean, says Rama Rebbapragada, director of international sales and marketing, Royal Caribbean Cruises.Short cruises have strong appeal in Asia, says Melvyn Yap, Silversea Cruises regionaldirector Asia. Silversea has introduced what it calls “personalised voyages”, that allow “busy people to segment and tailor-make their own holiday, to a minimum of five nights,” says Yap.Singapore-based Star Cruises offers a wide range of cruises from weekend packages to a 21-night Asian Odyssey.Cunard has no plans for any of its big cruisers to visit Asia Pacific before next January, when the Queen Elizabeth 2 will sail from Singapore to Sydney and back between January and March.The Princess Cruise Line, sister-line to P&O, has announced a 16-day Southeast Asiaand China itinerary for its Sapphire Princess, sailing from Beijing to Bangkok via
Shanghai, Okinawa, Keelung, Nha-Trang, Ho Chi Minh City and Singapore, from October to December. The vessel will follow seven-day Southeast Asia itineraries from May-September 2008.
LARGE VESSELSWith accommodation for 3,643 passengers, Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seaswas the largest passenger vessel afloat when she came into service last spring. Recreational options include an open-air nightclub, whirlpools cantilevered off the side of the ship, a full-size boxing ring, a surfing pool, an ice-skating rink and rock-climbing wall.A virtually identical ship, Liberty of the Seas, makes its maiden voyage this month.The Queen Mary 2, launched in January 2004, is 345 metres long and can carry 2,620passengers. Freedom of the Seas is six metres shorter, but she is 15 metres wider and in terms of Gross Registered Tonnage, or GRT – a measure of the internal space of a vessel – she is bigger than the Queen Mary 2, at 160,000 tonnes compared to 151,000 GRT.Royal Caribbean is yet to release details of its ship currently on order, referred to as Project Genesis. What is known is it will dwarf everything afloat when she makes her maiden voyage in late 2009.Able to accommodate 5,400 passengers, she will have a GRT of 220,000 tonnes. Miami is home port for these ships, which mainly cruise the Caribbean.
