Earlier today in London, Carnival Corporation announced a joint venture with China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) and China Investment Corporation (CIC) to launch a dedicated cruise line for the Chinese cruise market.
The three companies came together earlier today in London for a signing ceremony with British Prime Minister David Cameron and Chinese President Xi Jinping, officially marking the beginning of the major partnership.
As the new cruise line is still in the planning stages, specific details of the new cruise line have not yet been released by Carnival Corporation. The agreement signed today states that Carnival Corporation is to purchase and operate a number of cruise ships for a multi-ship fleet for the Chinese market. New build ships are also stated to be an option for the new cruise line.
“This cruising joint venture is a significant step forward for the cruise industry in China and a tremendous opportunity for us to work together with CSSC and CIC to grow awareness, interest and demand for cruise vacations amongst domestic Chinese travelers,” said Buckelew, global chief operations officer for Carnival Corporation & plc. “Cruising is a relatively new vacation experience in China, and we believe this collaborative approach with our partners is critical to not only developing the country’s domestic cruise business, but also supporting China’s goal to become one of the world’s leading cruise markets in coming years. We are excited about using our scale and decades of experience as the world’s largest cruise company to help launch a multi-ship domestic cruise brand that will help spread the enjoyment of cruising to millions more Chinese vacationers.”
Carnival Corporation has already staked a significant presence in the Chinese cruise market, operating at least six ships from Costa and Princess Cruises during 2016. By 2017, Carnival Corporation will have four brands sailing in the Chinese market, including the addition of Carnival Cruise Line and AIDA Cruises.
