Various rumors and odd “news” as heard by the Cruise industry News editorial team at the 2012 Cruise Shipping Asia-Pacific conference and trade show in Singapore:
• On site: start-up cruise line from Hong Kong looking at a newbuild, but in Europe and not Asia.
• Star Cruises will install 800+ security cameras as part of the Norwegian Dream refit project, valued at some $50 million.
• The only profitable Asia-based ships for a mass market cruise line? Star Cruises.
• Singapore Marina Bay Cruise Terminal cost? $350 million. Perhaps the nicest cruise terminal the industry has ever seen.
• Close to half of the Voyager of the Seas sailings out of China in 2013 are charters.
• A small cruise line in Asia is looking to upgrade its tonnage and is “shopping.”
• Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has approached AIDA Cruises about more ship options.
• On site: European shipyards.
• Not seen or heard from at CSA-P: representatives from Samsung and Daewoo, who had previously been trying to get into the cruise ship newbuilding sector.
• A breath of fresh air: the conference schedule, format and speakers.
• Most, if not all of the major cruise lines were represented, with some keeping a seemingly low profile while inquiring with various ports about berthing options, port costs and more.
• Cruise lines going into China might be wise to invest in properly developed Chinese-language websites, Chinese social media and more, which few are actually doing right now.
