HO CHI MINH CITY, 23 January, 2018: Princess Cruises will boost its guest capacity in Vietnam by over 40% this year, as demand for Vietnam cruises grows.
In 2017, Princess Cruises carried over 58,000 guests on 22 sailings to Vietnamese ports such as Phu My, Nha Trang, Danang and Cai Lan.
This year, Princess Cruises’ six ships – Majestic Princess, Sapphire Princess, Diamond Princess, Golden Princess, Sun Princess and Coral Princess – will be deployed for 31 voyages, bringing over 80,000 guests to Vietnam throughout the year.
“Vietnam has become an increasingly popular destination for our guests from USA, Australia, and Europe as well as Asian countries, and cruising is one of the best ways to explore this magnificent part of the world. In response to demand, we have significantly expanded our itineraries to offer passengers a choice of sailings and exciting itinerary options,” said Princess Cruises director of Southeast Asia, Farriek Tawfik.
According to Cruise Line International Association, Vietnam received more than 400 ship calls across all its ports, which is the sixth largest number of calls for Asian countries
CLIA notes cruise bookings made by Vietnamese travellers increased by 126% from 2012 to 2016, the largest increase in any Asian country. In 2012, there were only 158 Vietnamese cruise passengers, and in 2016 this number increased to over 4,100, demonstrating the huge potential of Vietnam as a source market for cruise travel.
Vietnam’s middle class population is growing the fastest in Southeast Asia and will double to 33 million people, about a third of the population by 2020, which makes it an attractive market for consumer brands. (source: Boston Consulting Group)
With the rise of the middle class, the demand for holidays abroad will also increase among Vietnamese opting for cruise travel to destinations such as Europe and around Asia.
Since 2014, Princess has been offering Southeast Asia voyages that homeport in Singapore. These voyages are popular for first-time cruisers who wish to sail close to home and enjoy the signature onboard experiences that Princess Cruises has to offer.
