**9. Conclusions**

Asia has long played a role in worldwide passenger shipping. Prior to the 1980s, Asia was part of international line voyages and seasonal world cruises and circles Asia/Pacific cruises for mostly North American and European sourced passengers. The cruises within the Japanese Islands were mostly corporate charters or targeted to national passengers. International cruise operations can be said to have begun in 1982 when the converted cruise ship ex-*Finnstar* began operations as *Pearl of Scandinavia* (12,456 grt/515 pax). Taking advantage of improvements in the US/China relations, the ship offered a way for Americans to visit several ports in China in comfort during the ship's 4-week round trip itinerary from Japan to Singapore. In 1988, following extensive renovations at Singapore's Sembawang Shipyard, she was renamed *Ocean Pearl*. Sold to Croisieres Paquet in 1994, she ceased Asian operations in 1995.

However, globalization, in terms of the modern cruise industry and transformation of Asia into the industry's third global center, reached Asia in 1993/1994 with the start of Star Cruises. A Malaysian leisure/gaming company, Genting Group, took a North American business model and adapted it to Asian tastes. This was the first indigenous cruise line in Asia with state-of-the-art ships. Marketing itself to the local population in Singapore and Hong Kong with short 2–4-day cruises, Star provided numerous dining venues with a pricing model that unbundled the cruise fare into included and extra-cost specialty dining. As chronicled in this chapter, Star Cruises rapidly expanded through the mid-1990s until the 1998 Asia financial crisis. Star persevered through the downturn maintaining a presence in Hong Kong and Singapore. With the Chinese Government's attention to the cruise industry in the mid-2000s, the industry resumed growth. Meanwhile, to the south, the Australia-South Pacific market continued slow but steady growth. In 2004, Italian cruise company, Costa Crociere, establish an office in Hong Kong and in 2006 began operations out of Hong Kong and Shanghai targeting the mainland China market. Growth continued with both Star and Costa increasing their fleets and Royal Caribbean International returning to Asia. The period from 2013 through 2015 marked a turning point in the rate of growth. With the development of cruise ship construction capabilities in China, Asia is poised to move from the cruise industry's third global center to a possible rival for second place or even eventually first place!


**259**

*Globalization of the Cruise Industry: A Tale of Ships Part II - Asia Post 1994*

**Entry GRT PAX Market**

2008 71,545 1814 Asia, Alaska, Australia

1992 2012 19,800 354 China

1962 1996 9842 399 Malaysia

2006 49,900 960 Worldwide

1990 2012 25,441 772 Korea

1983 1997 7200 400 Philippines

China

Japan

**built**

1995 2015

Costa Atlantica 2000 2013 85,700 2112

1990 2006

Bali Sea Dancer ex-Illiria 1962 1996 3852 143 Indonesia ex-UK/EU/AU Carnival Spirit 2001 2012 84,000 2100 Australia Carnival Splendor 2008 2019 113,323 2974 Australia

Celebrity Solstice 2008 2008 121,878 2852 Asia, Alaska, Australia

Club Med II 1992 1992 10,000 450 Tahiti/Western sourced

Costa Allegra 1992 2006 28,430 820 Hong Kong/China

Costa Classica 1992 2011 52,950 1928 Asia Costa Fortuna 2003 2015 102,587 2716 Asia, China Costa NeoRomantica 1993 2017 57,150 1578 Asia Costa Serena 2007 2015 114,147 3000 Asia, China Costa Venezia 2019 2019 132,500 3700 China Costa Venezia sister 2020 2020 132,500 3700 China

Diamond Princess 2004 2008 115,875 2674 Japan Explorer of the Seas 2000 2015 137,308 3114 Australia Fair Princess ex-Fairsea 1956 1989 24,724 890 Australia Fairstar 1957 1986 23,764 976 Australia Fuji Maru 1989 1989 23,340 328 Japan Genting Dream 2016 2016 151,300 3360 China Genting World 2017 2017 151,300 3360 China Golden Princess 2001 2016 108,865 2624 Australia

Henna ex-Jubilee 1986 2012 47,262 1486 China Karellya 1976 1994 15,065 472 Australia Legend of the Seas 1995 2008 69,130 1800 Asia Leisure World ex-Skyward 1969 1994 16,254 1071 Singapore

Majestic Princess 2017 2017 141,000 3600 China Mariner of the Seas 2004 2013 137,276 3114 Asia, China MegaStar Aries 1988 1996 2928 100 Singapore MegaStar Taurus 1988 1996 2928 100 Singapore MSC Splendida 2009 2018 137,936 3274 Asia, China

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.88157*

**Ship Year** 

Celebrity century *Golden Era*

Diamond

Leopoldina

Crystal Harmony *Asuka II*

Harmony Princess ex-Costa

Mabuhay Sunshine ex- Fuji

Marina

Sunshine

China Star ex-Radisson

Coral Princess ex-Princesa
