Various rumors and odd “news” as heard by the Cruise industry News editorial team at the 2012 Cruise Shipping Asia-Pacific conference and trade show in Singapore:

•  On site: start-up cruise line from Hong Kong looking at a newbuild, but in Europe and not Asia.

•  Star Cruises will install 800+ security cameras as part of the Norwegian Dream refit project, valued at some $50 million.

•  The only profitable Asia-based ships for a mass market cruise line?  Star Cruises.

•  Singapore Marina Bay Cruise Terminal cost? $350 million. Perhaps the nicest cruise terminal the industry has ever seen.

•  Close to half of the Voyager of the Seas sailings out of China in 2013 are charters.

•  A small cruise line in Asia is looking to upgrade its tonnage and is “shopping.”

•  Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has approached AIDA Cruises about more ship options.

•  On site: European shipyards.

•  Not seen or heard from at CSA-P: representatives from Samsung and Daewoo, who had previously been trying to get into the cruise ship newbuilding sector.

•  A breath of fresh air: the conference schedule, format and speakers.

•  Most, if not all of the major cruise lines were represented, with some keeping a seemingly low profile while inquiring with various ports about berthing options, port costs and more.

•  Cruise lines going into China might be wise to invest in properly developed Chinese-language websites, Chinese social media and more, which few are actually doing right now.