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Tag: cruises

  • SES Networks to provide connectivity luxury cruise ships

    SES Networks to provide connectivity luxury cruise ships

    SES Networks has won a deal to provide high-speed satellite broadband services for a fleet of luxury cruise ships in the Asian market.

    The Luxembourg-based satellite operator has signed a contract to provide its Signature Cruise Solution to Dream Cruises, a subsidiary of Hong Kong’s Genting Cruise Lines.

    Dream Cruises will use the connectivity solution for its cruise ship fleet, consisting of the World Dream, Genting Dream and newly-launched Explorer Dream.

    The solution has already been implemented onboard World Dream and Explorer Dream, and will be introduced on Genting Dream in September.

    It uses SES Networks’ O3b constellation of medium earth orbit (MEO) satellites, with backup from its geostationary fleet for added network resilience, as well as a suite of managed services.

    “Today’s cruise passengers demand excellent connectivity even when they are traveling on the high seas,” Dream Cruises president Thatcher Brown said.

    “As part of our efforts to provide our guests with the best possible services and amenities on board our ships, we partnered with SES Networks because of their high-speed capability to deliver a terrestrial broadband-like internet experience in some of the most challenging of conditions.”

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  • MSC cruises prepares ‘ambitious retail project’

    MSC cruises prepares ‘ambitious retail project’

    Swiss-based MSC Cruises, part of the MSC Group, is preparing its MSC Splendida ship for an ‘exciting and ambitious retail project’ later this year after which it will set sail on routes to South Korea and Japan from Shanghai in April 2018.

    Adrian Pittaway, Head of Corporate Retail for MSC Cruises tells that following the successful launch of the company’s first ship in China– the MSC Lirica – it plans to offer an equally ‘elevated retail offer with top luxury brands’ onboard the Splendida.

    MSC Splendida – targeting the Chinese market – will start sailing from Shanghai to destinations in Korea and Japan from April 2018 after being refurbished in November 2017.

    There will be nine shops onboard MSC Splendida offering perfumes, cosmetics, Korean products (especially Korean cosmetics), luxury watches & jewellery, fashion accessories, liquor, tobacco and confectionery alongside some MSC exclusive ranges.

    PASSENGER CAPACITY OF 4,000

    The total retail footprint, the cost of building the new shops and the selection of luxury brands on offer are all still to be confirmed.

    MSC-Lirica-watches

    Adrian Pittaway, Head of Corporate Retail for MSC Cruises tells TRBusiness that following the successful launch of the company’s first ship in China– the MSC Lirica – it plans to offer an equally ‘elevated retail offer with top luxury brands’ onboard the Splendida.

    MSC Lirica has a passenger capacity of 2000, but the MSC Splendida has double that at 4,000.

    The ‘No 1 cruise line in Europe, South America and South Africa’ commenced a 10-year $10bn investment programme last year, which includes 11 news ships, four extended ships and a private resort island in the Caribbean.

    Founded in 2003, the company currently operates 12 ships carrying 1.6m passengers a year, from 45 different countries.

    IN-HOUSE RETAIL OPERATION

    “From a retail perspective we are really unique in cruise-ship travel retailing,” Pittaway tells TRBusiness. “Unlike most other cruise lines who operate with third party concessions we operate all of the retailing on-board ourselves as an in-house operation.

    Gucci-MSC-Lirica

    Gucci boutique onboard the MSC Lirica.

    “We currently operate 110 boutiques across our 12 ships selling watches, jewellery, liquor, tobacco & confections, P&C as well as own brand and luxury goods.”

    MSC started operating in the Chinese cruise market in Tianjin, China from May 2016 with the MSC Lirica, which currently sails to South Korea and Japan.

    “It has been a really positive first 10 months for us from a retail perspective with a unique and adapted offering…[It is run by] an entirely Chinese team and offers unique product ranges only requested by Chinese passengers, such as Korean cosmetics and Japanese Rice Cookers.

    Bulgari-MS-Lirica

    Watches and jewellery brands on display onboard the MSC Lirica.

    “Alongside the many firsts we have seen we were also the first cruise line to offer Bally accessories and Tudor watches onboard. Alongside these unique elements we have over 150 brands such as Omega, Salvatore Ferragamo, Chopard, Lacoste, Coccinelle, Furla, Swarovski, Bvlgari and Longines.”

    Pittaway says the company was awarded the ‘Best Cruise Ship Shopping Environment’ and the China Cruise Awards in winter 2016 presented by the CCYIA.

  • Singapore Cruise contract award expected in January

    Singapore Cruise contract award expected in January

    The SCCPL invited interested companies to tender for the development and operation of the duty free and general merchandise concession contract at the Harbourfront and Tanah Merah terminals for a period of five years (with an option to extend for another two years).

    The SCC is investing in the redesign and upgrade of its commercial offer at both terminals, with expansion and reconfiguration of the main retail space in the departures and arrivals areas.

    The SCC also decided to consolidate several separate contracts for the existing duty free concessions (including liquor & tobacco, perfumes & cosmetics, fashion & travel accessories and confectionery), into a single contract, to run for five years with a two-year extension option, commencing 1st April 2017.

    The contract, for which the RFQ deadline was 30 June, will govern 542sq m of retail space, serving over 6.3m ferry passengers and 560,000 cruise passenger annually.

    SCC RECEIVE TWO TOP AWARDS

    As previously reported, the latter incumbent operator, Heinemann opened its third (157sq m) Ocean Duty Free store in Singapore’s HarbourFront Ferry Terminal in January 2015.

    This follows the earlier opening of its first two outlets at the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal in March 2014.

    “SCCPL does not bind itself to accept any tender nor the highest bid,” the SCC states on its website.

    Singapore received the top cruise destination award at the 10th Seatrade Cruise Awards for the second time in three years in October – following on from September’s separate accolade where it was voted the leading Asian port of call at the Cruise Critic Cruisers’ Choice Destination Awards.

    In March earlier this year, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) reported that the country witnessed encouraged growth in the cruise and business segments as the Singapore Cruise Centre (SCC) was named the number one cruise port in Asia in 2015.

    Singapore-Cruise-Centre-large

    “SCCPL does not bind itself to accept any tender nor the highest bid,” the SCC states on its website.

    Interestingly, the cruise industry saw a 14% year-on-year increase in cruise passenger throughput last year to more than one million.

    In addition, the country welcomed a total of 385 cruise ships, including international cruise brands such as TUI cruises, and Royal Caribbean, as well as nine maiden calls – new to Singapore and Southeast Asia.

  • Indonesia to promote cruise, yacht destinations in Korea

    Indonesia to promote cruise, yacht destinations in Korea

    The Ministry of Tourism will promote Indonesian tourism destinations, especially for cruising and yachting, at the Seatrade Cruise Asia 2016 to be held on May 12-14 in Busan, South Korea.

    During the cruise industry exhibition, the government will introduce Indonesias best cruising and yachting destinations, Deputy of International Marketing Development of the Ministry of Tourism I Gede Pitana stated in a press release here on Thursday.

    The ministry will inform the international companies and yacht owners of the governments step to increase tourist arrivals by simplifying the approval procedure for yachts entering Indonesian waters through the Clearance Approval for Indonesian Territory system.

    “The process to issue an entry permit will take only one hour,” Pitana noted.

    The government is prioritizing 10 yachting destinations, such as Tanjung Kayang Belitung, Tanjung Lesung, Seribu Islands, Mandalika Lombok, Labuhan Bajo, Wakatobi, and Morotai, in which marinas have been built to accommodate yachters.

    For cruise tourism, the five major ports of Belawan in Medan, Tanjung Priok in Jakarta, Tanjung Perak in Surabaya, Benoa in Bali, and Soekarno-Hatta in Makassar will serve as the entry gates to Indonesia.

    Eight marine tourism companies of Indonesia are also participating in the Seatrade Cruise Asia 2016.

    Moreover, the government is promoting its visa-free policy for Korean citizens by advertising its campaigns in the local media and through catalogs placed in Korean high-speed trains.

    The guests at the exhibition will be able to enjoy the performances of Indonesian dancers and several varieties of Indonesian coffee at the Wonderful Indonesia booth at the Seatrade Cruise Asia 2016.

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  • Starboard brings luxury pro on board in Asia

    Starboard brings luxury pro on board in Asia

    LVMH-owned Starboard Cruise Services has hired a seasoned luxury goods executive, Emily Wong, to the new role of Vice President/General Manager for Asia – signalling the possible direction its on-board cruise retail offer will take in the region.

    Wong joins from sister Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton company, the fashion label Marc Jacobs, where she was the Managing Director for Asia Pacific for just over three years until August 2015.

    Before that she worked at Nike for almost five years, Timberland for two years, and Swiss leather goods house bally for 17 years.

    In her new role based in Hong Kong and also Shanghai, Wong will report to David Goubert, Senior Vice President, Luxury Cruise Retail & Asia Office.

    CRUISELINES PLACE FAITH IN CHINA

    Earlier this year at the TFWA show in Singapore, Goubert was very upbeat about cruise prospects in Asia.

    He said that large cruise lines were committing strongly to the region and that, for example, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s new ship Quantum of the Seas is based out of Shanghai. He said that sister newcomer Ovation was also set to be placed in the region from Q2 2016. RCCL is a partner of Starboard.

    “On board it’s about the brands,” says Goubert. “The ships are a global destination and our mission is to give our guests an unforgettable experience and create a memory of their vacation.”

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