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10 | www.travelweekly-asia.com PRODUCT: CRUises South-eaSt aSia in cruiSe control By natalie chen could South-east asia be the "carib- bean of the east"? Boasting a climate that makes it ideal for year-round cruising, this could be a possibility. the region features culturally diverse destinations, ancient and ultra-mod- ern attractions, with more than 30 uneSco World heritage Sites. the global cruise industry contin- ues to expand rapidly as economies reeling from the 2008/9 financial crisis recover. according to the Singapore cruise centre, the cruise industry is at an exciting phase as traveller interest rises and offerings of cruise lines cater to the rising demand for cruises. Globally it has been projected that the average annual passenger growth rate of 7.9% per annum over the last 10 years outstripped the growth of the overall travel industry. For 2014, cruise lines interna- tional association (clia), the world's largest cruise association, projects global estimated sales revenue at uS$33.8 Bn and passenger num- bers at 21.7 M. Asia/Pacific ac- counts for 9.1% of the market share of passenger capacity. clia has 63 member lines in 2014 and to meet demand, these member lines will introduce 24 new ships in 2014-2015 adding a total passenger capacity of 37,546, representing a capital investment of approximately $8 Bn in ocean going and river cruise categories. Cruise lines make a beeline for Singapore in Singapore, cruise industry perfor- mance has grown. in 2013, cruise passenger throughput saw a year- on-year growth of 13%, reaching 1.03 M passengers with 391 ship calls. Ships that made their maiden call in 2012 continued to return to Singapore, while other cruise lines are working to include the republic into their itineraries. For asia and Singapore, there is an exciting line-up of cruises that include celebrity cruises' celebrity century and celebrity Millennium that will see multiple deployments in 2015/16. MSc cruises will also make its maiden call in 2015/16. royal caribbean's newest Quantum of the Seas will arrive in Singapore in 2015. cruise lines making their first call in Singapore in 2014/15 include european cruise vessels such as the Paul Gauguin, insignia, the aiDasol and aiDabella, which will begin their South-east asian voyages in 2014/2015, according to the Singapore cruise centre (Scc). Star cruises is also tapping on the exotic by venturing to a new destination Puerto Princesa city, located at Palawan island province in the Philippines. SuperStar aquar- ius will homeport in the city of Kota Kinabalu from 8th november 2014 till 1st March 2015. the cruise line is constantly reinventing to keep its itineraries fresh. (See side-bar story) With recently expanded berthing capacities and infrastructure, Scc is looking to tap onto the region's burgeoning cruise industry. Said ceo christina Siaw, "We are continuously innovating and improving our infra- structure and processes to serve the growing cruise industry in Singapore. "over the past few years, we have made numerous enhancements to improve the user experience at our various terminals. We have, for example, invested S$14 M in upgrading our harbourFront cruise terminal by expanding our passenger holding areas, and streamlined immigration and baggage check-in infrastructure." christina Siaw: continuously innovating. Star cruises captures the glamour of cruising AgenTs whO lOve sTAR CRUises Why did you choose to partner Star Cruises? Star cruises is a well-estab- lished global cruise brand. Be- sides owning a combined fleet of 20 ships visiting over 130 destinations in the world, they strategically homeport ship in Asia Pacific all year round. With Star cruises, we have exciting cruise packages to offer to our valued customers. the Star cruises' dedicated team ex- tends unwavering support and provides good incentives for travel agents to promote these product offerings. What are your expectations of a cruise holiday? an all-inclusive cruise should offers asian & international cui- sine, captivating entertainment ChRis TAy, AssisTAnT geneRAl MAnAgeR (TOUR DivisiOn), new shAn TRAvel seRviCe, singAPORe and pampering recreational services for customers' enjoy- ment. What do you like about Star Cruises i.e. food, entertain- ment, destination there is a good selection of cuisine to choose from, ranging from exotic asian and chinese specialities, continental, Japa- nese, indian and many more. there is also excellent world- class entertainment onboard to keep me entertained. How do you recommend Star Cruises packages to your val- ued customers? Based on my own experiences, i would say, a hassle-free expe- rience with top-notch F&B and entertainment. vOO wei KeOng, wTs TRAvel & TOURs, singAPORe Why did you choose to partner Star Cruises? Star cruises is the leading cruise company in Asia/Pacific which is constantly innovating and reinventing to keep pace with ever-changing consum- ers' needs and preferences. in addition, it designs cruises that appeal to regional customers and provides good support to their travel partners. What are your expectations of a cruise holiday? Fun-filled atmosphere, diverse cruise itineraries and exotic destinations, hassle-free and relaxing experience at sea. What do you like about Star Cruises ie food, entertainment, destination? Wide variety of good food and exciting entertainment for all ages, especially with the launch of new exciting theme events and programmes all the time. How do you recommend Star Cruises packages to your val- ued customers? We portray Star cruises packages as "Great Value for Money" holiday options. cruise lines rely on travel agents to sell their products and it helps if the travel agent is a fan. here, we talk to travel agent fans of Star cruises.