Sapphire Princess to Debut for Asian Cruisers in 2014

Princess Cruises is introducing its popular brand to the Asian market for the first time in 2014 with the positioning of its 2,670-passenger Sapphire Princess in Shanghai as the homeport.

Image Source: Princess Cruises

The Sapphire Princess will operate a four-month season out of Shanghai cruising four unique itineraries ranging from three to seven day trips that will bring passengers to various popular Korean destinations such as Seoul, Jeju, and Busan. 

"We're excited to bring a new premium cruise travel experience to China's shores," said Alan Buckelew, CEO of Princess Cruises. "Though we have carried thousands of Chinese travellers on our ships over many years, we think the time is right for a new premium cruise experience that offers a new type of vacation experience for the Chinese consumer, sailing from China."

The premium cruise experience on board Princess Cruises is affectionately known as "Princess Class" offering a range of special on board services and amenities including wine excursions, traditional English high-tea, tai chi sessions and shopping experiences among several other luxurious amenities.

In November, the Sapphire Princess will make Singapore its new homeport. The ship will dock at the Marina Bay Cruise Centre where it will embark on a wide range of 3 to 21 night itineraries taking guests to an array of unique and interesting ports in Cambodia, Thailand, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Indonesia.  

During its first season in Singapore, the Sapphire Princess is expected to carry an estimated 40,000 passengers between November 2014 and February 2015. The positioning of the Sapphire Princess in Asia for the 2014 cruise season is just another example of the strong growth presently happening in the Asian cruise industry. In Singapore alone, the number of cruise passengers has steadily risen since 2003 with a compounded annual growth rate of 6.5 percent. 

Image Source: Princess Cruises

Princess Cruises continues to rapidly expand in Asia operating a range of itineraries around the region. The 18-deck Sapphire Princess features a number of popular amenities for guests including a range of duty-free shops, a wedding chapel, casino, golf putting course, spa, and a giant poolside movie screen among many other amenities.