Jancruz
November 16th, 2004, 11:46 PM
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
(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.]
Go to Top
© Copyright 2004 Seatrade Communications Limited. Replication or
redistribution in whole or in part is expressly prohibited without
the prior written consent of Seatrade Communications Limited.
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
*************
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
(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.]
Go to Top
© Copyright 2004 Seatrade Communications Limited. Replication or
redistribution in whole or in part is expressly prohibited without
the prior written consent of Seatrade Communications Limited.
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
*************