V.Ships Leisure, cruise start up specialist and the leading provider of independent management services for the cruise, ferry and yacht industries, and sister hospitality company Oceanic Catering have been selected by Sanya International Cruise Development Co., Ltd for ship and hotel management of Charming, the former Sea Princess.

The successful handover of the 2,222 berth vessel took place in Manila this week. The process which was mainly remote due to Covid-19 travel restrictions and preventative measures, involved close cooperation between V.Ships Leisure’s shore side team, Officers and Crew, Sanya International Cruise Development, Princess Cruises and the relevant authorities including Class and Flag.

Following the handover, implementation of V.Ships Leisure’s innovative plug-and-play platforms has begun including installation of the electronic Safety Management System and the cutting-edge digital platform ShipSure 2.0.  This system will provide class leading data allowing for flawless service delivery to Sanya International Cruise Development.

The handover will also provide the new operator with access to V.Ships Leisure’s significant global crew network enabling the mobilisation of crew, even during the pandemic, to facilitate the handover, underscoring V.Ships Leisure’s capability and resilience.

In preparation for the launch of operations in 2021, V.Ships Leisure and Oceanic Catering will be working closely with the client to develop all aspects of the operation including the on-board hospitality concept and guest experience journey.

Per Bjornsen, CEO V.Ships Leisure, commented, “Being selected once again to manage the start-up of a cruise line in China highlights our unique capability to manage vessels locally with our highly experienced cruise dedicated team in China. Our integrated ship and hotel management partnership model is proving ever more popular as it enables delivery of a unified ship and shore side approach to safety culture and Covid-19 secure operations.”