Friday 14 November 2014

SuperStar Aquarius commences 2nd season in Kota Kinabalu

Star Cruises' SuperStar Aquarius has introduced three new itineraries for its second-ever season deployment to Kota Kinabalu that began this month.

Moving from Taiwan’s Keelung port, the ship will be homeported in Malaysia for the winter season spanning November 2014 and March 2015 as the only international cruise line to homeport a ship in Kota Kinabalu.

For this period, SuperStar Aquarius offers one-night weekday and weekend cruises, two-night high seas cruises on alternate weeks, and a 4D3N cruise to Puerto Princesa on Palawan Island, Philippines. SuperStar Aquarius was last stationed at Kota Kinabalu from November 6, 2013 to March 30, 2014.

Ang Moo Lim, executive vice president, sales, marketing and hotels of Genting Hong Kong, the owning company of Star Cruises, said the variety of itineraries provide options to clients with different budgets and schedules.

Star Cruises senior vice president sales, Michael Goh, said he is aiming to have 30 per cent of SuperStar Aquarius’ passengers come from the business events segment and the rest from leisure.

Pang Yuk Ming, assistant minister of tourism, culture and environment, Sabah, said: “The clientele who chooses to cruise are from the middle and upper income brackets, thus their spending power is big.”

Mohd Rafy Atan, manager, corporate account at Popular Express Travel based in Kota Kinabalu, said SuperStar Aquarius would generate more awareness and interest in cruising among the local population, for whom cruising is a new option.  

Ganneesh Ramaa, manager, Luxury Tours Malaysia added that this is a new product for Sabah, which is known for soft adventure and beautiful beaches.

He added: “We will promote the (ship’s) itineraries as well as pre-and post tours in Kota Kinabalu and its surroundings. It is a good product for the Indian market who likes to cruise, but in the past it has always been difficult to persuade them to visit Borneo. This cruise may do that.”
-TTG Asia.

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