Carnival Cruise Line has announced plans to commit two ships to the China cruise market: Carnival Miracle and Carnival Splendor. Both ships will be based in China year-round, with Carnival Miracle to begin China sailings in spring 2017 and Carnival Splendor to begin in spring 2018.
Specific details on the company's China itineraries will be announced at a later time, Carnival said.
With a capacity of 2,124 guests, Carnival Miracle has a guest to crew ratio of nearly two to one. More than 60 percent of the ship's accommodations have a private balcony.
There are also four swimming pools with a magrodome over the main pool area, as well as an outdoor area to enjoy a wide variety of activities and entertainment in all weather conditions. Carnival Miracle's two promenade decks offer multiple types of locations for gathering with friends and family, playing games or enjoying other activities and entertainment options.
The ship underwent a slate of updates earlier this year, with the addition of the Caribbean-themed RedFrog Pub and The Alchemy Bar, which serves custom cocktails based on guests' individual preferences.
Carnival Miracle offers multiple dedicated facilities for children, including a water park. For the adults, Serenity is a private and comfortable outdoor area restricted to guests age 18 and older. The ship also has a steakhouse, offering cuts of dry aged beef and seafood, along with views of the ocean. Several areas of the ship, including the casino, shopping and dining offerings, will be enhanced prior to the start of China service to cater to Asian tastes.
Carnival Splendor, which enters the China market in 2018, is a larger vessel, which carries just over 3,000 passengers. The ship also has four swimming pools, one of which can be covered by a glass magrodome, seven whirlpools, a Serenity area and a variety of dedicated facilities for children in different age groups.
Carnival will be establishing operations in China in partnership with sister company Costa Asia, which has operated in the Chinese market for the past nine years.
Reservations for voyages on Carnival Miracle are expected to open in 2016.
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