Norwegian cruise lines’ next ship is a bet on Chinese cruisers, Norwegian Bliss to sail in China

Norwegian Cruise Line recently joined the list of cruise companies sending their newest and hottest ships to China. The line was allegedly in a rush to sell cruises to Chinese vacationers after alteration in the construction and design of an upcoming ship to serve China.

The Miami-based line just revealed that a 4,200-passenger vessel it has on order for delivery in 2017 will be committed to Chinese travelers instead of North Americans. It is under construction at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany. The 164,400-ton vessel will feature accommodations, cuisine and on-board experiences that cater specifically to the preferences of Chinese travelers.

A Norwegian spokesperson claimed to Skift that the ship will be marketed only to Chinese cruisers, and not the traditional North American and European cruisers that have the largest cruise source markets in the world today. But the company line also has expectations that these Western cruisers will consider sailing to Asia on its second Breakaway Plus-class vessel. Frank Del Rio, CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings stated, " Our new purpose-built ship for China will have characteristics that are authentic to Norwegian Cruise Line and yet distinctively Chinese in all of its sensibility."

He added, "With this new ship, Norwegian will unquestionably offer our Chinese guests a superior product and introduce a new standard of innovation and excellence into the marketplace, with an unrivaled level of customization for the Chinese consumer. It will perfectly suit what modern Chinese travelers value from an upscale cruise experience."

And just last week Princess Cruises, a Carnival Corporation brand, launched its newest ship with two different names. The Majestic Princess, or Sheng Shi Gong Zhu Hao as it's called in Asia, will begin travelling in Shanghai in 2017. The Chinese name translates to Grand Spirit or Grand World.

"Majestic Princess will allow us to bring the best the world has to offer to more Chinese guests, for an unparalleled premium and international vacation," mentioned the Princess Cruises president Jan Swartz. Carnival Corporation has also spoken out its interest in China's appealing emerging cruise market. "We'll have six ships home-ported in China next year," Carnival Corp. CEO Arnold Donald told Skift. "We do very well there. Higher than the average fleet overall financially." It was also announced that the line and Germany-based sister line Aida would enter the Chinese market. 

Meanwhile, the Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings is the parent company of Norwegian as well as Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. The broadcast of the new ship comes as rivals Royal Caribbean and Princess are in the midst of deploying their latest ships to China.

As for the name of the Norwegian's latest ship, it is expected to be called Norwegian Bliss. But it will also be given a Chinese title as part of its new identity.