Singapore-based cruise management company Oceanic Group and partner Turner Asia Pacific are billing their new cruise line as Asia's first family-oriented brand in the vein of Disney Cruise Line.
Cartoon Network Wave is being rolled out in alliance with the Asian arm of the global media giant behind the popular Cartoon Network television channel.
Asian cruise industry veteran and Oceanic chief executive Daniel Chui told TradeWinds the cruise line is in the process of acquiring its first ship, which will carry the venture's name.
He said the vessel is an existing cruiseship but declined to reveal its identity as he is bound by confidentiality agreements. Chui also stressed a recently released rendering of a cruiseship featuring several Cartoon Network animal characters, including Jake the Dog, did not relate to a specific ship.
He said once the company has taken delivery of the ship, it will undergo an extensive refit to transform it into a family-friendly, cartooned-themed vessel.
Unique features will include triplex suites with dedicated areas for children, a Tooniverse adventure park, circus performance venues, and an indoor herb garden.
Full details about which shipyard will handle the transformation will be revealed at a later date, he added.
The ship will operate throughout Asia and will be aimed at a pan-Asian clientele.
Strong demand
“This is a cruise product for which we think there will be a strong demand for in Asia.
We regard other cruise lines in Asia as being our compatriots, but we are benchmarking ourselves against the Disney cruise product that has proven to be very popular in North America,” Chui explained.
Oceanic has been working with Turner Asia Pacific on the project for more than a year. The venture hopes to add one ship per year as the brand becomes established.
The launch sees Oceanic transition itself from a cruise management company to a fully-fledged cruise operator. However, Chui said the company will continue to develop its third-party cruiseship management arm, hinting that expansion is imminent.
