Princess Cruises partners with Yao Ming

Princess Cruises has partnered with former NBA basketball star Yao Ming to offer five wines from his Napa winery, Yao Family Wines, as the cruise company rolls out a star-studded campaign to attract more Chinese travellers.

Chinese celebrities at the Princess Cruise launch event in Shanghai

All the wines – Yao Ming Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Crest red wine, Napa Crest Sauvignon Blanc and Yao Ming Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – will be paired with specially designed dishes for guests on board.

The cruise ship company, dubbing itself as “the world’s first international luxury cruise tailored for [the] Chinese market”, has enlisted a slew of Chinese celebrities including TV personalities, a former Olympic champion and fashion designers as its advisors to drum up interest among affluent Chinese for, what is for them, a relatively new form of travel. 

The cruise company, one of the brands under Carnival Corp., first tapped in the market in 2014 and has since reinvented itself to cater to Chinese tastes including adding various Chinese teas on its drinks menu. 

The boat is currently undergoing final touch-up at shipbuilding company Fincantieri in Italy. A new ‘Maritime Silk Road’ route from Rome to Shanghai, passing through 22 ports will be available from 21 May. Another southeastern Asian route starting from Shanghai to countries like Japan and Korea will start on 11 July.