【邮轮英语008】 new joint venture cruise line

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2020年这一年，国际邮轮产业链受疫情打击，整个市场基本趋于停滞状态。2021年已然到来，欧美国家依然未能控制住疫情的蔓延态势，这让邮轮的复苏之路蒙上了一层迷雾，甚至部分邮轮公司已经将目光瞄准了2022年和2023年，邮轮市场距离常态化运行还有许多艰难的路要走。不过，中国的邮轮产业在今年这个艰难的环境下，积极探索中国邮轮发展的新方向和新课题，包括试点开放国内邮轮（目前是南海之梦，长乐公主和鼓浪屿号）在三亚沿海巡游的运营，以及成立合资的邮轮公司，创建五星红旗船队，为邮轮的产业复苏提前部署。今天要讲的这这篇文章，关于招商蛇口与维京邮轮成立合资公司的新闻，算是业界最近讨论比较热烈的话题之一。

Viking Cruises and China Merchants Shekou Industrial Zone Holdings announced a joint venture cruise line that is focused on mid-sized luxury cruise products and will be the first entry of China into high-end upmarket cruising.

The new brand company is scheduled to launch in 2021 offering high-end domestic sea cruises with destination experiences. Under the new agreement, the 928-passenger Viking Sun will be transferred to the joint venture. The vessel will be registered/flagged in China to qualify for the Chinese coasting trade.

Viking Sun will be transformed to “organically integrate simple Nordic style with Chinese culture, to provide a high-end cruise travel experience and exclusive services.” The new cruise line plans to provide in-depth cruisetours themed on China's history, nature, traditions, food.

Viking Cruises first introduced river cruises in Europe on boats dedicated to Chinese travellers. Several Chinese institutions have helped fund the company's growth.

Popular as one of the pioneers that developed the river cruise shipping in Europe, in 2015 Viking launched its first ocean ship (Viking Star) and since then has a fleet of 6 ocean liners and another 12 on order. In November 2020, Viking Cruises announced additional investments from its minority shareholders (TPG Capital and CPP Investments /Canada Pension Plan Investment Board) that will result in ~USD 500 million of net proceeds being available to support Viking in its continued development.