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Sign of the times? Next Princess Cruises ship to be called 盛世公主号

Gene Sloan
USA TODAY
Princess Cruises' next ship will feature both English and Chinese names on its hull.

In a sign of the cruise industry's growing reliance on Asia for growth, Princess Cruises' next ship will have two names -- one in English and one in Chinese characters.

Currently under construction at a shipyard in Italy, the 3,560-passenger vessel will feature both the names Majestic Princess and 盛世公主号 (Shèng Shì Gōng Zhǔ Haò) on its hull, Princess announced Friday.

As previously announced, in a first for the California-based line, the ship will be based year-round in Shanghai and cater to a local Chinese market when it debuts in the summer of 2017. In scheduling the deployment, Princess is following industry giant Royal Caribbean, which is in the midst of sending two of its hottest new ships to China. Several other lines also are expanding in the region.

Princess says the new vessel's Chinese name was chosen by China-based employees of the line's parent company, Carnival Corp. It has the suggestive meaning of “Grand World” or “Grand Spirit,” the company says.

Royal Caribbean to send another hot new ship to China

Based on the design of the recently unveiled Royal Princess and Regal Princess, the Majestic Princess will be the first international luxury vessel designed and built specifically for Chinese passengers, Princess says (click through the carousel at the bottom of this story for a deck-by-deck look at the Regal Princess).

Princess says the ship will feature a number of new innovations customized for Chinese cruisers.

Princess began basing a ship in China on a seasonal basis just last year with the deployment of the 2,670-passenger Sapphire Princess in Shanghai. The vessel returned to the city in June for a second season of sailings that continue through this month.

Among other lines shifting capacity to Asia to target local markets is Costa Cruises, which has been expanding rapidly in China. Princess also has been expanding in Japan with cruises aimed at the local market.

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