Carnival
Corporation & plc detailed a substantially expanded 2014 Japan
cruise program for the Princess
Cruisesbrand, which brings a second ship to the
market, features sailings from three homeports and plans to
significantly expand the size of the cruise market in Japan to
approximately 100,000 passengers.
The
Japan-built Diamond Princess will join Sun Princess for a cruise
program from three homeports – Tokyo (Yokohama), Kobe, and an
industry first, Otaru near Sapporo on Hokkaido. Sailing between April
and October in 2014, the two ships will offer 42 departures featuring
nine unique itineraries ranging from seven to nine days. The two
ships will visit more than 20 ports in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and
Russia.
“We
were the first international cruise
line brand
to offer a full
season of
cruises designed specifically for passengers from Japan, and we
continue to believe there is substantial untapped demand for cruise
vacations here,”
said Alan Buckelew, president and CEO of Princess Cruises. “With
a second, larger ship and our ground-breaking itineraries in 2014 we
look forward to continuing to help develop the full potential of the
cruise market in Japan.”
Buckelew
added that the economic impact from this deployment will be notable,
with a total contribution for the 2014 season estimated to be in
excess of 11 billion yen. This includes passenger and crew spending
in each port, plus the port and other local costs Princess
Cruises pays to bring its ships to Japan.
Diamond
Princess will homeport in Tokyo (Yokohama) for an extended season of
9-day cruises that include visits to Taiwan, South Korea, Hokkaido,
Russia and 15 Japanese ports, including five new itineraries created
especially for the ship. During the popular holiday period of Golden
Week, Diamond Princess will feature a special 10-day itinerary that
includes opportunities to visit several festivals plus enjoy a
special call to Nagasaki, home to Mitsubishi
HeavyIndustries where the ship was built, to
celebrate Diamond Princess’ 10-year anniversary.
Sun
Princess will debut several industry firsts for the Japanese market –
including innovative 7-day cruises from the northern coastal town of
Otaru, located outside of Sapporo, as well as two new 8-day
itineraries from Kobe. These itineraries will offer cruise options to
appeal to passengers looking for a week-long cruise
vacation, and the northern Hokkaido itinerary will
offer a refreshing summer destination. The ship will also make maiden
calls in the Japanese islands of Ishigaki, and Amami Oshima, as well
as Abashiri and Hualien, Taiwan.
On
these sailings, passengers will find the cruise experience
substantially the same as that offered by Princess
Cruises around the world, providing an impressive array of
dining and entertainment options in addition to
the line’s signature innovations such as its popular Movies Under
the Stars poolside theater and The Sanctuary, an exclusive top-deck
retreat.
However
some changes and enhancements are being made to appeal to the local
market such as Japanese-speaking crew members
in key passenger-facing positions. Dining room menus will offer
international Princess cuisine while additional offerings will cater
to Japanese tastes, such as an a la carte sushi bar, Japanese
breakfast, noodle bar,
regional tea tastings, and special sake menu. A traditional
kagamiwari ceremony will be held during the captain’s welcome.
Specially designed enrichment programs will include an expert lecture
series on art, culture and history. Other amenities such as the
shopping selection and spa
treatments will also be tailored to Japanese
preferences, and onboard collateral items and stateroom information
will be translated into Japanese.
An
extensive array of shore
excursions will be available to complement the
itineraries so passengers can experience all the ports have to offer.
The
2,670-passenger Diamond Princess was built by Mitsubishi
Heavy Industries in Nagasaki, Japan – the first of two
Princess ships built in Japan. Diamond Princess and the
2,022-passenger Sun Princess offer passengers a wealth of amenities
including Movies Under the Stars and The Sanctuary. The ships feature
multiple dining rooms andentertainment
venues, many staterooms with private balconies,
Lotus Spa, boutiques, and an internet café among other amenities.
