Carnival Cruise Line has announced that it will deploy its Sydney-based ship Carnival Spirit to China for the Australian winter season in 2018.
The seasonal deployment will follow the ship’s scheduled dry dock in Singapore in autumn 2018, with the ship returning home to Australia in spring 2018.
The 88,500-tonne, 2680-guest Carnival Spirit will be the first Carnival ship to operate cruises from China and will cruise from Shanghai.
Announcing the move, Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy said Carnival Spirit’s selection for the 2018 China season was based on its availability and proximity, given its planned Singapore dry dock.
“It is important for the Carnival brand to establish a presence in the Asia cruise market and after evaluating many different options we decided that the seasonal deployment of Carnival Spirit in 2018 was the best opportunity for us,” Ms Duffy said.
Carnival Miracle, the ship initially announced for entry to China, will continue to sail from North America in 2018.
Ms Duffy said Carnival remained committed to the growing Australian cruise market.
“Carnival Spirit has performed strongly in its home market of Australia since its Sydney debut in 2012 and it will continue to be based there, with Carnival Legend again joining her sister ship Down Under over the 2017-18 and 2018-19 Australian summers.
“The two ships have proven extremely popular and we look forward to continuing to deliver Carnival’s fun holiday experience to existing and new Australasian guests over the coming years,” she said.
Ms Duffy said the decision for Carnival Spirit to cruise from Shanghai for a season related to 2018 only, with plans remaining in place for Carnival Splendor to be positioned in China full-time, starting in 2019.
She said the 2018 Australian program for Carnival Spirit and Carnival Legend would be announced in May, featuring some exciting itineraries to and from Asia as a result of Carnival Spirit’s China season, as well as other new local holiday options.
Details of Carnival Spirit’s China itineraries will be released at a later date.
SOURCE: Carnival Cruise Line