CHINA. China Duty Free Cruise Services Ltd (CDFCS), a wholly owned subsidiary of China Duty Free Group (CDFG), has struck an agreement with CSSC Carnival Shipping to introduce a premium duty free shopping centre onboard Adora Cruises’ first Chinese-built large cruise ship.
The vesel, now under construction in Shanghai’s Waigaoqiao shipyard, will feature what CDFG called a trendy and state-of-the-art 2,000sq m shopping centre, the country’s largest onboard retail complex.
CSSC Carnival Cruises Co CEO Chen Ranfeng said: “Shopping is a critical part of the cruise holiday experience, especially for our Chinese guests. This new partnership will help realise our shared ambition to create a premium and exciting shopping experience at sea tailor-made for our guests.”
CDFCS said, “Being at the vanguard of domestic duty free retailing on cruises, CDFCS has put a lot of effort into the cruise industry in recent years. The winning of the tender is not merely an expansion of our maritime network, but is also a recognition of our capability in operating duty free services on cruise ships. We will continue to expand our cruise retail horizon, and work closely with Adora Cruises to strengthen China’s duty free business on cruises.”
The shopping centre will present all popular categories, including world-renowned designer brands, fine watches & jewellery, fashion jewellery, high fashion, beauty & fragrance, art collections and more. CDFCS will also create a special shopping zone showcasing unique China-chic brands, popular and creative art and cultural products.
The new partnership between Adora Cruises and CDFCS will bring together resources from two innovative enterprises and their respective parent companies, to create a new benchmark in cruise duty free shopping and retail operations, CDFG pledged.
Adora Cruises aims to create ‘A Voyage in Love’ during which Chinese guests can enjoy an inspiring cruise holiday experience with authentic Chinese and international gourmet food, entertaining shows and a world-class shopping expeirence. The first 135,500-tonne GT Adora cruise ship, scheduled to set sail at the end of 2023, is 323.6m long and 37.2m wide with maximum capacity for 5,246 passengers across 2,125 guest rooms.
CDFG, a subsidiary of China Tourism Group, has been devoted to cruise business for years. “The new partnership will further expand our market share, enhance our leveld of international competence and operational professionalism as well as enriching our customers’ experience,” the group said. “We believe this will contribute to the long term development of China’s cruise industry.”
The Adora Cruises success follows other moves by CDFG into the cruise market recently. Earlier this year, CDF Cruise Services Co was awarded an exclusive three-year duty free retail contract onboard the CSSC Carnival Cruise Shipping-owned Costa Mediterranea. That contract was CDF Cruise Services’ second (after the Costa Atlantica) with Carnival Cruise Shipping (a joint venture established in 2018 between Carnival Corporation and China State Shipbuilding Corporation).
New Hainan, part of Hainan Hinews Media Co, The Moodie Davitt Report’s strategic partner in Hainan province, devoted extensive coverage to the story this week.
Its report quoted Wang Xingbin, a tourism expert from Beijing International Studies University, who said that CDFG’s unrivalled understanding of the Chinese consumer will help it adapt the offer to their needs. “China Duty Free Group is the largest duty free group in China,” Wang commented. “It understands the purchasing needs of Chinese consumers better than international duty free groups. It is very beneficial to add duty free products that can meet the needs of Chinese consumers to cruise ships in a timely manner.”
Wang noted that CDFG’s wide membership (24 million), notable for its high spending power, will boost the duty free business onboard. He added that visitors to Hainan Island, where CDFG is the dominant retail force in the offshore duty free channel, could also be converted into cruise users.
“Opening duty free shops on cruise ships can further expand CDFG’s sales and influence,” Wang said.
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