Carnival Corp. to build two Vista-class ships in China

The fast-growing China cruise market will soon have its first new ships built locally for Chinese passengers, and they may look a whole lot like the 3,954-passenger Carnival Vista.

Industry giant Carnival Corp. (CCL), together with its Chinese joint venture partners, announced a non-binding memorandum of agreement to build two Vista-class ships in China, the first of which would launch in 2022. There is also an option for two additional ships.

Based on the same platform as Carnival Vista, Carnival Cruise Line's largest ship, the new ships would be tailored for "the specific tastes of Chinese travelers," officials said in a press release.

Carnival Corp. and its Chinese partners announced a new, as-yet-unnamed domestic Chinese brand last October, and the new ships will be operated by that brand.

The ships will be built by a newly formed joint venture between China’s largest shipbuilder, China State Shipbuilding Corp. (CSSC), and Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri.

"We are excited about the potential for the first new cruise ships to be built and deployed in China for the enjoyment of Chinese travelers, which will be an important milestone in the development of the Chinese cruise market,” said Alan Buckelew, global chief operations officer for Carnival Corp.

Plans are for the Chinese brand to launch with existing ships in the Carnival Corp. fleet that would be purchased by the joint venture and homeported in China, officials said. A spokesman declined to say which ships might be involved.

Carnival Corp. has been a pioneer in cruises aimed at the Chinese market with its Costa Cruises and Princess Cruises brands. The new Majestic Princess will launch in China next year after a brief debut in Europe. The company's Aida Cruises has plans to send ships, as does Carnival Cruise Line, beginning with the Carnival Spirit in 2018.

Carnival Corp. and its Chinese partners, CSSC and China Investment Capital Corporation (CIC Capital) also announced their joint venture would be incorporated in Hong Kong.