SkySea Cruise Line Announces Most Expansive Deployment to Date
SkySea Cruise Line Announces Most Expansive Deployment to Date. SkySea Golden Era deployed to record five seasonal home ports in 2018 including marquee homeport of Taiwan and offers new SkySea Nights program
SkySea Cruise Line, the first contemporary cruise line specifically created for the Chinese market, is proving once again that a vision based on unique hardware, flexibility and customization has its advantages as the brand officially released its 2018 deployment schedule, its most expansive to date.
In its ongoing commitment to offer guests new and exciting opportunities, the company announced that 2018 will mark the first year SkySea will visit Taiwan, and SkySea Golden Era will operate from a record five seasonal homeports – Shanghai, Xiamen, Qingdao, Keelung (Taiwan) and Shenzhen. More than ten destination ports in four countries and regions will be visited throughout the year, catering to the markets of eastern, southern and northern China as well as Taiwan.
While operating out of five home ports, SkySea plans to increase the number of overnight and late night stays and has established new themed evening shore excursions and unique activities named SkySea Nights. In addition, the brand will host six repositioning cruises throughout the year building on a Cruise+ concept where guests can take advantage of the best that sea and land have to offer by departing from one home port, enjoying a specialized theme cruise which will be offered on each repositioning, and ending at a different home port that offers outstanding land options providing the ability for guests to extend their vacation.
Bookings for 2018 sailings open on Tuesday, August 8th. From August 8, 2017 thru December 31, 2017, guests can take advantage of early bird discounts on 2018 cruises by calling SkySea at 400-920-6666, visiting SkySea.com or contacting their travel agent.
Operating from Five Seasonal Home Ports, SkySea will Visit Four Countries and Regions
Since its maiden voyage in May 2015, SkySea Cruise Line has operated nearly 200 cruises, established two home ports in Shanghai and Xiamen, served hundreds of thousands of guests, and become the most well-known local cruise brand in China.
In 2018, SkySea will set a new record with Shanghai, Xiamen, Qingdao, Keelung and Shenzhen all serving as seasonal home ports. More than 80 cruises will be run during the full year, visiting more than ten destination ports in four countries and regions throughout east and southeast Asia. SkySea will also visit Vietnam for the first time, docking at Halong Bay, Da Nang and other destinations. Other popular cruises to places such as Sasebo, Okinawa, Manila and Boracay will continue to be offered by the line.
Ken Muskat, CEO of SkySea Cruise Line, said operating from 5 seasonal home ports in 2018 is a great indication that SkySea Golden Era has been well received by Chinese cruise guests. Among the 5 seasonal home ports, the inclusions of Qingdao, Shenzhen and Keelung demonstrate SkySea’s expansion into new markets, which now covers eastern, southern and northern China as well as Taiwan.
“A number of cruises in Keelung will be mainly aimed at Taiwan guests, it is a solid step forward in the implementation of the greater China strategy of local cruise brands.”
New SkySea Nights to highlight 2018 Season
Overnight cruises and SkySea Nights evening shore excursions are additional highlights for the 2018 season. According to industry experts, cruise shore excursions currently face two main problems, insufficient time and a lack of unique features and activities. As an industry leader, SkySea will further optimize its routes in 2018, with even some short voyages (5 Days/4 Nights or 4 Days/3 Nights) docking overnight to ensure guests have plenty of time to enjoy their onshore excursions. Guests aboard the Golden Era to Okinawa for example, will have time to stroll through the local commercial streets on the first day, and then visit Okinawa Aquarium and Shuri Castle the following day, with enough time to enjoy the delicious food and beautiful scenery in between.
In addition, SkySea will extend its late night stays at some ports, launching themed evening shore excursions known as SkySea Nights. According to the 2018 schedule, SkySea will launch more than 10 cruises which dock until 10:00 PM or later. Guests can enjoy dinner and sunsets from the shore before heading back aboard. The result is that guests visiting Kagoshima, Japan will have enough time to climb the hill overlooking the city at night for a spectacular view unlike anywhere else in the country.
SkySea will continue to promote its Cruise+ strategy through its best of sea and land programs focused on repositioning cruises to accommodate the increasing number of cruise guests in central and western China. This will perfectly complement the already established SkySea Forum onboard activities. Repositioning cruises are already very popular with guests and travel agencies. The six repositioning cruises complete with themes and unique activities are expected to be highlights for SkySea in 2018.
To facilitate guests arranging their travel plans as soon as possible, from August 8th thru December 31st, SkySea will run its Early Bird promotional activities, where guests can reserve 2018 cruises from both SkySea and major Chinese travel agencies at fantastic prices.
(SkySea Cruise Line)
