Asia and Nautica

[Jancruz]

Oceania Cruises' third ship, Nautica, will be christened in Istanbul

on Nov. 22, 2005, before striking out for an inaugural season in

Asia, Seatrade Insider has learned. The maiden voyage sails Nov. 27

from Piraeus to Singapore.

 

Nautica will operate a series of 15- to 35-day Asia cruises, sailing

from homeports including Singapore, Hong Kong, Laem Chabang (Bangkok)

and Tianjin (Beijing). As with Oceania's European itineraries, the

Asia series will feature a high percentage of overnight port calls.

Overnights are scheduled at destinations including Bangkok, Ho Chi

Minh City, Hanoi, Hong Kong, Safaga (for Luxor), Dubai and Bombay.

 

With the arrival of its third ship, Oceania had considered

introducing Australia/New Zealand cruises or perhaps an Australasia

season, but research with past guests and top-producing agents

showed `overwhelming' interest in Asia, spokesman Tim Rubacky told

Seatrade Insider. The region has been largely off the cruise charts

since consumers shunned long flights following the Sept. 11 terrorist

attacks, and then came the SARS outbreak in 2003. `Now, people are

starting to go back,' Rubacky said.

 

Bookings for Oceania's Asia program open next month. `Dec. 1 is when

we flip the switch and itineraries will be on the website

(http://www.oceaniacruises.com) and we'll begin taking bookings,' Rubacky

said. A brochure detailing the entire three-ship fleet's winter

2005/06 program will be available in mid-January. [see also next

story.]

 

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Oceania bulks up

 

15/11/2004

 

Oceania Cruises is doubling the size of its Miami headquarters and

will start occupying the expanded space in December. At the same

time, the company is staffing up, boosting its reservationists by a

third to more than 50, and adding front line and support personnel in

several areas.

 

The actions are partly in preparation for Oceania's third ship,

Nautica, which begins sailing in Asia next November [see earlier

story]. But the line is also gearing up for what is expected to be a

strong wave season.

 

Already Oceania's 2005 Europe program is 55%-60% sold, according to

spokesman Tim Rubacky. That is well ahead of last year at this time.

(The 2004 Europe season closed with 99% occupancies on all sailings

and yields on target or higher than expected, Rubacky said.) Oceania

traditionally opens seasonal sales with two-for-one rates and free

air from North American gateways. `On a lot of (2005 Europe)

sailings, we've removed the two-for-ones and free air so we're up to

an early booking rate of 44% to 47% versus 50% off and we've removed

the free air on many dates,' Rubacky noted.

 

Some April and May Mediterranean departures for Regatta and Insignia

are sold out, along with some September and October dates. A few June

and July Baltic cruises on Regatta are overbooked. Group rates were

not offered in the Baltic, the line's strongest performing

destination.

 

Next winter, Regatta will return to Miami in late November instead of

mid-month and kick off its Caribbean season with a 25-day Caribbean-

South America-Amazon sailing. Regatta will then settle into Eastern

Caribbean routes but with shorter 10- and 12-day departures instead

of 12- and 14-day. Insignia will again sail South America on a

program similar to this season's but with more Brazilian coastal

cruises, which Rubacky said have sold well this year.

 

Then, in summer 2006, all three Oceania ships will ply European

waters when the new Nautica joins Insignia and Regatta following its

maiden season in Asia.

 

Jan

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