China's cruise industry flourishes as international arrivals surge

The Spectrum of the Seas, a Quantum-Ultra-class cruise ship operated by Royal Caribbean International, docked at the Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal in east China's Shanghai on Friday.

Carrying over 4,000 tourists from regions including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Australia, this event marked the largest influx of international tourists entering China on a single vessel since the port's inauguration in 2011, and the largest group to visit Shanghai ahead of the May Day holiday.

Constructed at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany, the Spectrum of the Seas cost $1.25 billion and has a total tonnage of 168,000 tonnes. Measuring 348 meters in length and 41.5 meters in width, this cruise ship features 16 guest decks and 2,124 guest rooms, offering 33 different room types ranging from single to multi-occupancy options.

The ship, specifically designed for the Asian market, accommodates over 5,000 passengers and features innovative attractions. These include a virtual reality bungee trampoline, an observation capsule known as the North Star that offers 360-degree views, and a variety of dining and entertainment options.

Launched in April 2019, the Spectrum of the Seas is one of the latest additions to Royal Caribbean's fleet, equipped with a variety of amenities for families and solo travelers alike. The ship primarily sails in Asia, focusing on destinations such as China, Japan, and other Southeast Asian countries, with Shanghai, as its home port, catering mainly to the Chinese market.

Since Royal Caribbean launched the Spectrum of the Seas' China route in June last year, 70 percent of the annual cabin capacity has been booked by 100 travel agencies nationwide, according to Liu Zinan, chairman of Royal Caribbean Cruises Asia. Additionally, direct sales channels have seen a significant increase, surpassing the sales target by 120 percent before the end of 2023.

In terms of bookings, Chinese tourists exhibit distinct characteristics: they book much earlier, the demographic is trending younger, there's a greater demand for long-distance itineraries over short-distance ones, and a preference for balcony rooms over interior cabins.

Cruise ships are major players in the international tourism industry, often seen as a highly successful and attractive sector on the water. According to a report by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), cruising remains one of the fastest-growing sectors in tourism. Passenger volumes are expected to surpass the 2019 levels by 2023, reaching 31.5 million, and are projected to increase to 39.5 million by 2027.

China is a crucial market for the global cruise industry. As an emerging form of tourism in China, exclusive cruise travel is gaining wider acceptance. According to the Ministry of Transport, by 2035, China's cruise market is expected to accommodate 14 million passenger trips annually, and the economic scale of the industry is projected to reach 460 billion yuan.

Booming cruise industry

China's cruise industry has witnessed significant growth since the Ministry of Transport fully resumed international cruise ship transport in September 2023. Numerous cities have re-established international routes, leading to a substantial increase in activity at cruise ports across the country. According to Shanghai Customs, since the resumption of international cruise operations a year ago, 157 international cruise ships have entered and exited Shanghai Port, transporting a total of 270,000 passengers.

In the first quarter of this year, Shanghai managed 69 inbound and outbound international cruise ships, carrying a total of 210,000 passengers, an increase of 3.3 times and 15.1 times, respectively, compared to the fourth quarter of 2023. Among these, the first domestically produced large-scale cruise ship, the Adora Magic City, completed 41 trips, transporting 154,000 passengers.

"China's cruise industry has developed rapidly. It has progressed from medium-sized cruise ships, typically 60,000 to 70,000 tons, to large cruise ships," Wang Hong, director of the Shanghai International Cruise Business Institute, told CGTN. "From 2012 to 2017, China quickly became the second-largest source of cruise passengers."

On April 6, the "Mein Schiff," a cruise ship operated by the German company TUI Cruises, docked at Shanghai's Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal. Soon after, the "Silver Shadow," managed by Monaco-based Silversea Cruises, also arrived at the terminal. A group of 291 foreign tourists began their journey, with special experiences that included visiting local markets and making steamed dumplings.

The Tianjin International Cruise Home Port also welcomed three international cruise ships within a week, including the Seabourn Odyssey, operated by Seabourn Cruise Line, which arrived on April 8. According to Dong Zichen, deputy general manager of Tianjin International Cruise Home Port Co., Ltd., the port has hosted 24 cruise ships carrying 74,000 tourists so far this year.

"We are quite optimistic about the recovery of the cruise tourism industry in Tianjin," said Dong. He noted that the port anticipates hosting 100 cruise ships and 300,000 inbound and outbound tourists this year.