Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings plans to keep a modest presence in China, despite great expectations for the cruise industry within the nation's emerging economy.

The Miami-based cruise major is pulling its 3,883-berth Norwegian Joy (built 2017) out of the promising market this month after announcing in July that the built-for-China ship would redeploy to Alaska.

"We tried China, we were there for 19 months," chief executive Frank del Rio said.