Boosted Local Industrial Development Demonstrates Ambition to Cultivate Taiwan’s Home Port

Customized Cruise Themes Bring Premium Travel Experiences

 Princess Cruises, the leading cruise line of the world’s largest cruise company, Carnival Corporation & plc, today (Apr 8) announced the launch of the 2018 Taiwan homeport season featuring Asia’s Best Cruise Ship, the “Majestic Princess.” Beginning this year, Princess Cruises will deploy three of its international level and luxurious cruise ships to Taiwan, demonstrating its continuous efforts to provide more cruise departures and refined onboard experience and service. In addition, it endeavors to cooperate with industry and public sectors to further develop the cruise industry chain in Taiwan. Princess Cruises shares its vast experiences in cruise ship management with port operators across Taiwan and shows its ambition to cultivate the Taiwanese market, all with the expectation of bringing a phenomenal and new on-board experience!

On the day of the first departure, Anthony (Tony) Kaufman the CFO and Executive Vice President of Princess Cruises, along with Stuart Allison, the new senior vice president of Asia Pacific Commercial and Operations, visited Taiwan to witness this critical moment, highlighting the cruise line’s expectation and high regard for the Taiwanese market.

First Deployment of Three Luxury Cruise Lines to Taiwan will Boost the Soft and Hard Power of the Cruise Industry in Taiwan

Princess Cruises has now cultivated the Taiwanese market for five years, each year delivering top-notch innovation and performance! Following the completion of 49 departures last year, Princess Cruises will for the first time lodge three luxury ships in Taiwan in 2018. With 52 departures, which translates into almost 140,000 Taiwanese guests and 14,000 Fly-In international tourists to Japan throughout the cruise season, the Majestic Princess is the largest, newest, and the most sophisticated international premium cruise line in the 2018 Taiwan cruise season, accounting for half of the season’s voyages.

“Princess Cruises has long been committed to continuously providing a brand-new cruise vacation experience for its distinguished guests. It pays constant attention to refining itineraries, travel experiences, and on-board services,” said Stuart Allison the Senior Vice President of Asia Pacific Commercial and Operations of Princess Cruises.    “We hold a high regard for the Taiwanese market, and so we immediately set out to plan the 2018 Taiwan cruise season following the completion of the Majestic Princess last year, offering Taiwanese guests the newest and most luxurious onboard services.” ”Princess Cruises also encourages cooperation with industrial, public, and academic sectors to assist with the development of the cruise industry in Taiwan. This year, we even engaged with Port of Keelung Ports Cooperation to discuss upgrades to the port’s software and hardware facilities to enable the port to accommodate the massive business opportunities and crowds of tourists brought about by Princess Cruises, which could, in turn, boost the development of peripheral industries and lead to spectacular performance in the tourism industry.”

In addition to attracting considerable tourist businesses, Princess Cruises also works closely with the industry, public, and academic sectors such as the Taiwan International Ports Cooperation, National Taiwan Ocean University, and local agricultural companies in Taiwan to continuously enhance the cruise industry in Taiwan. The 143,000-ton Majestic Princess with a capacity of 3,560 is expected to attract a flow of over 8,000 visitors to the Port of Keelung in a single day. In response to the massive traffic flow brought by the Majestic Princess, the Port of Keelung has made necessary adjustments to its facilities, including adding more counters in the office of the National Immigration Agency, expanding luggage storage space, and optimizing the entry/exit movement lines to increase the efficiency of the port facilities and access control, as well as to further refine transition and services for tourists.

The First Itinerary of the Majestic Princess 2018 Taiwan Cruise Season: A Luxurious Trip to the Seasonal Flower Festivals in Japan

The Majestic Princess is Princess Cruises’ first flagship cruise line designed exclusively for the Asian market. With thoughtful signage in Chinese and increased proportion of Chinese-speaking service personnel, the Majestic Princess promises a no-language-barrier experience for guests. The ship itself is also infused with Chinese culture and culinary experiences, including specialty restaurant Harmony with dinner menus crafted by a Michelin-star chef, the “star of Taiwan” teashop Gong Cha, the Vista Gaming Lounge representing the essence of Chinese culture, and Sing on the Sea Karaoke, a much-loved activity in the Chinese population.

“Princess Cruises is fully aware of Taiwanese consumers’ habits and preferences. In addition to itineraries and facilities planned and arranged for guests of the Asian market, the Majestic Princess employs spring and summer flower themes as the first sound of the 2018 Taiwan cruise season, taking guests on a journey of Japan’s flower festivals in Hiroshima and Kyushu to create a theme-oriented cruise vacation experience,” said Mr. Hsing-Te Chen, Taiwan Marketing Director for Princess Cruises.

Apart from oriental features, the Majestic Princess also features flagship facilities characteristic of Princess Cruises: an over-the-ocean glass walkway, a perfect spot for check-ins on social media; a mesmerizing spectacle of water dancing to music; the largest onboard duty-free boutique space; and La Mer French Bistro with menus designed by three-star Michelin chef; as well as classic facilities such as Broadway-equivalent musical theatrical shows, memorable movies under the sky, and the Princess Luxury Bed developed exclusively by a sleep expert. This wide array of classics is the key for Majestic Princess winning “Asia’s Best Cruise Ship” in 2017 immediately after its release, further highlighting that this is definitely this year’s most worthwhile cruise vacation.

Princess Cruises Offers Diverse Themed Itineraries, Debuting a Voyage of Michelin Star Feasts and Autumn Leaves in Japan

Constantly reinterpreting a new benchmark and milestone of premium cruise vacation experience for Taiwan, the Princess Cruises not only offers spring and summer flower festival voyages but also a diversity of themed events designed specifically for different passengers. For example, food connoisseurs in pursuit of unparalleled indulgence cannot miss this year’s exclusive debut of “Feast Crafted by Michelin Star Chefs on the Majestic” from May 5 to 8. Diners will be graced with the presence of two Michelin Star awarded chefs on the Majestic Princess, Richard Chen and Emmanuel Renaut, and the chance to indulge in the chefs’ culinary debut, as well as the opportunity to enjoy hand-tossed pizzas made from our Italian master chef’s secret recipe. No matter if you meet the chefs in person or just savor their culinary delights, the Majestic Princess redefines cruise cuisine and services onboard. Furthermore, the beginning of May is best time to spoil and pamper our mothers. This special voyage is definitely the best choice for Mother’s Day gift.

Renowned for its family-friendly itineraries, the Sun Princess offers short summer vacation itineraries suitable for a flexible family trip. In addition to the standard facilities of Princess Cruises, Chef Curtis Stone’s restaurant at sea gives passengers an exclusive opportunity to enjoy his exquisite cuisine and have more memorable experiences on summer vacation. The Diamond Princess debuts departures from Taiwan for a voyage around Japan in a series of fall foliage itineraries to the four major cities of Japan: Tokyo (Yokohama), Osaka, Nagoya, and Okinawa. With exclusive facilities, such as the largest Japanese bath on sea and a restaurant that leaves our guests stunned with culinary delight, passengers will be even more immersed in an atmosphere of Japanese culture. With a diversity of themes and multiple departures this year, our consumers can find the best at-sea entertainment while planning their trip with greater flexibility!