Carnival Corp. To Build Two Ships For China Market

Carnival Vista.

Carnival Corp. is strengthening its commitment to the Asian market by building its first new ships designed for “the specific tastes of Chinese travelers” in China.  

Two new Vista-class ships will be built by Carnival Corp. in a partnership with China State Shipbuilding Corp. and Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri. The first ship will hit the water in 2022.  

The ships will be based on Carnival Vista, currently the largest ship in the Carnival Cruise Line fleet. They will be operated by a new Carnival domestic Chinese brand that has yet to be named.  

Carnival said it expects the Chinese cruise market to “to eventually become the largest cruise market in the world.” 

“Being able to offer cruises on China-built cruise ships represents a new opportunity for us to generate excitement and demand for cruising amongst a broader segment of the Chinese vacation market, which is already the largest in the world and continues to see strong growth every year,” said Carnival Corp. global chief operations officer Alan Buckelew.  

Carnival Corp. has already announced that the new ship from Princess Cruises, the Majestic Princess, will launch in China in 2017, after a brief stint in Europe. Carnival Spirit will be the first Carnival Cruise Line ship in China in 2018. 

Aida Cruises, another Carnival brand, is also scheduled to send new ships to the market.