Tag Archives: Asia

Hong Kong to Focus on Increasing Cruise Ship Arrivals

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After reopening for cruise ships in January, Hong Kong is expecting to receive a total of 160 calls from 16 cruise lines through the end of 2023.

“We are still doing a lot of engagement, so, hopefully, towards the end of the year we’ll be able to receive even more ship calls,” Kenneth Wong, Hong Kong Tourism Board General Manager for MICE and Cruise, told Cruise Industry News during an exclusive interview.

Enlarging the number of arrivals is currently one of the priorities of Wong, who noted the city has had a strong return to the cruise scene.

“I now look forward to receiving more cruise ships in Hong Kong. That’s the number one priority,” he added.

To do that, the city came up with a “total package” that includes funding support, marketing cooperation and help with itinerary planning along with neighbouring ports, Wong explained.

“I also look forward to creating more interesting itineraries because, during the pandemic, all ports in the world and in Asia closed. Now, some of the destinations and ports are trying to reopen and pick up a bit,” he noted.

The scenario gives Hong Kong an opportunity to work with other ports to create new itineraries, Wong added.

According to him, the city currently offers a mix of deployment with not only ports of call but also homeport operations.

“We want to bring in more homeporting, which could actually give a very sustainable business for Hong Kong. We welcome those turnaround calls as well as ports of calls,” he explained.

Reasons for the transit visits include the new developments and attractions introduced by the city, Wong said.

“I think the cruise line as well as their customer would like to see the new happenings in Hong Kong through their excursion programs.”

Explora Announces Winter 2024-25 Program for Explora I

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Explora Journeys today announced its itineraries for the autumn and winter 2024-25 season of Explora I, according to a press release.

Featuring 23 journeys and two grand journeys between September 2024 and April 2025, the itineraries will encompass 73 different destinations in 24 countries, the company said in a statement.

Eight of them will be a first for Explora Journeys, including Macapá, Alter-do-Chaõ and Manaus in the Amazon, and the Devil’s Island in French Guiana.

Sacha Rougier, Head of Itinerary Planning and Destination Experiences, at Explora Journeys, said: “Guests will have the chance to delve into an exhilarating celebration of diversity: From private tours of MoMA in New York City to thrilling boat expeditions up the Amazon; discovering new shades of blue on a hidden Caribbean island or being fully immersed in the biggest show on earth with our exclusive Explora Journeys carnival experience in Rio, where they’ll be granted insider access to join the vibrant performers.”

The voyages start in the far north of North America’s East Coast, then sail to the Caribbean and South America before crossing the Atlantic to Europe.

Highlights include an 8-night Journey to Trailing Whales and Falling Leaves, sailing from New York City on Oct. 8 2024 for Boston, Portland and Halifax, the mystical Whale Corridors and the Gulf of St Lawrence, and finishing in Quebec City.

The ship will offer journeys up the Amazon River and into the Brazilian rainforest, complete with torchlit kayak tours and forest trails to hidden tribal villages.  In Manaus, guests will witness the confluence of where the Rio Negro joins the Rio Solimoes and in Santarem where the Amazon meets the waters of the Tapajos.

Journey into Wild and Wonderful Amazonia will depart Bridgetown, Barbados, on November 22 2024, and sail to French Guiana’s Devil’s Island before heading to Macapá, Alter-do-Chaõ and Manaus in Brazil.

A Journey to the Meeting Waters on the Almighty Amazon will set off on November 29 2024 and travel up the Amazon to Macapá and Bequia before returning to Bridgetown.

A Journey of Tantalising Transatlantic Adventures sails on April 3 2025 from Bridgetown on a 14-night transatlantic crossing. Guests can enjoy leisurely days at sea before exploring Cape Verde, the 10-island Creole-Portuguese archipelago.  EXPLORA I will stop to take in the natural attractions of the Canary Islands, followed by Madeira, before arriving in Lisbon, Portugal on April 18, 2025.

The ship’s grand journeys, A Grand Journey to Amazonia & Tropical Isles (28 nights) and A Grand Transatlantic Odyssey in the Atlantic (32 nights), give guests the opportunity to visit the Caribbean, the Amazon and the vastness of the ocean beyond.

Carnival to Sell Three More Ships, Two From Costa

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As part of its fourth quarter business update, Carnival Corporation confirmed it would sell off three more ships, including two from its Costa fleet.

Carnival did not say which ships it was offloading.

“The company expects to remove three additional smaller-less efficient ships from its fleet,” Carnival said in a statement issued on Wednesday morning. “Two of these three ships are from Costa Cruises’ fleet as part of the company’s strategy to right-size the brand in light of the continued closure of cruise operations in China, and Costa’s significant presence there prior to the pause in the company’s guest cruise operations. Once completed in spring 2024, the company’s fleet optimization strategy will have reduced Costa’s capacity so that it approximates the 2019 capacity Costa dedicated outside of Asia to its core markets in Continental Europe.”

With the sale of the ships, Carnival said it now expects total capacity growth of 3 per cent for 2023 compared to 2019, at the lower end of the previous guidance range of 3 to 5 per cent.

The prudent capacity growth rate includes the benefit that newly delivered ships will represent nearly a quarter of the company’s capacity.

With three more ships set to leave, Carnival has divested approximately 26 cruise ships since the start of the pandemic.