Princess Cruises Aim To Grow Malaysia As Its Key Market In Southeast Asia
Princess Cruises, the international cruise line under Carnival Corporation & Plc., included Malaysia in its Southeast Asian expansion plans with the announcement of an extended homeporting season that features Malaysia-focused itineraries in eight out of 16 sailings.
The Sapphire Princess docked recently in Port Klang and we climbed on board for a short tour on board the vessel and we received a first hand experience on the array of dining and entertainment options in addition to the cruise line's signature innovations such as its popular Movies Under the Stars poolside theatre and The Sanctuary top-deck retreat.
In line with Princess Cruises' 50th Anniversary in 2015, Princess Cruises features fleet-wide festivities on board that include commemorative food menus and souvenirs. As such, Princess Cruises will also be offering 'Chocolate Journeys', a new onboard chocolate experience. Guests will enjoy a wide range of chocolate offerings including custom-crafted desserts and chocolate wine pairings created by internationally-acclaimed master chocolatier and pastry designer Norman Love.
Malaysia is primed to benefit from this as Princess Cruises' commitment of bringing 40,000 passengers to the region starting November 2014 will improve the country's economy further.
The economic impact from the extended deployment will be substantial, including passenger and crew spending in each port, travel agent commissions and marketing costs. This is also aligned with the Malaysian government's vision to create a Straits Riveria Cruise Playground, in which cruise tourism is expected to bring in USD480 million in gross national income and create 10,000 jobs by 2020 as well as welcoming 29.4 million tourists in 2015.
For more information about Princess Cruises visit princess.com
Browse the gallery for a sneak peek on what's on board the Sapphire Princess.
