T

he Italian-flagged cruise liner Costa Victoria, which traditionally centers around the Caribbean and Mediterranean, has set course for sunny Asia, with Singapore as its first port of call.

The 253-meter-long cruise ship with a passenger capacity of 2,394 is the first Italian lifestyle ship to embark on a cruise vacation to serve both Western and Asian clientele on Asian routes.

“Even though cruise holidays remain relatively new in Asia compared to Europe or the United States, this vacation option is becoming increasingly popular in Asia,” Costa’s vice president of strategy and development for China, Leo Liu, told journalists during a media visit to the Costa Victoria when it was docked in Singapore recently.

With more Asian guests expecting to be onboard along with more experienced Western cruisers, some adjustments will be made by the ship to fulfill Asian holidaymakers’ needs.

“To meet Asian guests’ passion for fashion and shopping, two moveable deck theater catwalks will be built to allow fashionistas to indulge in the seasons’ hottest items,” Liu said.

 “We are going to introduce a Milan fashion show on board because we learned that Asian guests enjoy fashion,” he said, adding, “Fashion shows will attract young people, which are Costa Cruises’ major target market in Asia.”

Four designer fashion boutiques selling luxury brand products at duty-free prices will be available.

The ship will also serve Chinese, Japanese, Korean and other Asian foods to satisfy Asian taste buds.

“To serve Asian cuisines, we have to adapt not only in terms of kitchen equipment but also cooking processes. We will hire professional chefs with expertise in Asian foods,” Liu noted, adding that adjustment that Costa makes also includes new itineraries.

Onboard activities

The 75,000-ton ship’s floating hotel lobby on Deck 5 featuring Concorde Plaza provides a relaxed ambiance for guests. The lobby is the ship’s immediate amenity that guests can savor once they enter the cruise following a tight security check.

Near the hotel’s front office is an elevator in a glass tube that guests can use to go up or down to reach a deck whenever they want. Azzurri or blue, the color of Italian national team, dominates the outer walls of the 904 cabins, which include 246 balconies on decks 9, 10 and 11. It also features 24 suites with ocean views and four with private balconies. The ship has also an extension of the buffet terrace and a promenade on Deck 11.

Programs such as watching sunrise and sunset to sports, cooking arts and crafts classes keep guests occupied. There is also a Kids’ World, especially designed for kids aged three to 17. The Squok Club, the Teen Zone and other clubs organize a variety of onboard activities for younger guests, according to Liu. “Children can also engage in Playstation entertainment,” he said.

To meet guests’ communications need, the ship provides phone connectivity, Internet access and Wi-Fi. “So it will be possible for guests who wish to stay connected with the mainland on their next sea vacation. However, most guests, especially Western travelers, rarely use it because they want to totally relax and do not want to be disturbed by such things,” he said.

There is also a variety of entertainment. “We have a theater where guests can watch performances featuring world-class artists,” said the ship’s hotel director, Oscar Saivi.

“Famous Michael Jackson tribute artist Isaiah ‘Ice’ Mercado will join the Asia Summer Program 2012 to entertain our guests. He has been impersonating the King of Pop for 12 years now,” he said.

The ship also features artist Ezker who will perform a revolutionary magic show that will be a first onboard Costa Cruises. “Both shows will be performed exclusively,” he said.

“As a rule, a group of guests that wish to celebrate a birthday buys a package that includes birthday celebration. The package can be bought before or after guests aboard the ship.”

Not all passengers are accustomed to sea vacations and it’s no surprise to learn that several guests suffer from seasickness, especially in rough seas. “Our doctors are ready to deal with any health problems facing guests,” said Costa Victory captain Mario Moretta.

Setting sail

Apart from the varied activities, amenities and services, passengers have other reasons for taking cruise vacations.

“We like to take cruise vacations because nearly all costs are included. The price of a cruise covers accommodation, meals and a wide variety of entertainment. Costa is worth money,” said 70-year-old R. Demaio from Perth, Australia, when met in the ship’s lobby on Deck 5.

He said he preferred cruise vacations to traditional land-based travel because, “I can visit different countries with the convenience of only unpacking once. If you go by plane, you have to take another flight to reach another country.”

Demaio has taken sea vacation by Costa ships several times but, “this will be the first time for us to cruise in Asia. I flew directly from Perth to Singapore yesterday,” said the retired contractor, one of the passengers who will join the Summer Asia Program 2012.

Cruise holiday officials in Asia are upbeat about the increased interest in sea vacations in Asia, particularly with an expected growing number of Asian cruise holidaymakers.

“We are thrilled to bring Costa Victoria, the largest ship of Costa Cruises ever deployed in the region, with a 40 percent increase in capacity. We strongly believe in Asia’s long-term potential and we will continue to further develop this region to ensure that cruising becomes the number-one vacation choice for travelers,” explained Costa Cruises’ vice president for Asia Pacific and China, Buhdy Bok, during a ceremony to celebrate the deployment of Costa Victoria to Singapore and the deployment of the ship to Asia recently.

The average length of a cruise vacation for Asian travelers is three to four days, much shorter than those on offer for holidaymakers in Europe or the United States, where the duration is customarily two or three weeks.

“Maybe Asian people work too hard. We don’t have such long holidays like in Europe or the United States,” Leo Liu said jokingly.

“The idea for cruise vacations for Asian holidaymakers is relatively new. The maximum length of a cruise in Asia is seven days.”

Costa Victoria is offering 34 short sailings from May to October under its “Summer Asia Program 2012”, with an early bird discount. The cruise departs from Shanghai, China, and will visit some of Asia’s favorite destinations in Japan and Korea.

Indonesia is a country with a big population and is an emerging market in Asia in terms of travel potential.

“For sure, Indonesia will be our next focus. That’s why we selected Singapore as our home port, which is not far from Indonesia,” Leo Liu noted.