Shanghai Guoke Center International Cruise Line Restarts! The first Chinese luxury cruise ship "China Merchants Yidun" embarks on an outbound journey with high quality | international | cruise ship
Today, the first international route of China Merchants Viking cruise ship departed from the Shanghai Port International Passenger Transport Center on the North Bund, carrying more than 600 tourists for a 15 day and 14 night outbound cruise. This is the first international cruise route opened by the Shanghai Port International Passenger Transport Center since the announcement of the "orderly pilot resumption plan for international cruise transportation" by the Ministry of Transport. This route is operated by the luxury Chinese cruise ship "China Merchants Iton", which will stop at 9 destination ports in Japan, including Osaka, Kochi, Kagoshima, and Nagoya, creating a convenient and worry free high-end cruise ship "Freedom Travel" for Chinese passengers.
Although it is a small and medium-sized cruise ship with a total tonnage of 47800, the "China Merchants Yidun" has the ability to sail around the world, and its software and hardware services benchmark against international high-end cruise ships, making it one of the "small and beautiful" sea vessels. As the first luxury cruise ship in China to fly a five-star red flag, the "China Merchants Yidun" has 465 guest rooms, a passenger capacity of 930, and all leisure facilities on board. In addition to 7 restaurants, cafes, and bars offering cuisine from multiple countries, there are also well-equipped fitness centers, outdoor sports decks, spa centers, heated swimming pools, theaters, cinemas, and book reading areas.
The "15th Hefeng Yayun Japan Loop Line" departing from Shanghai Port International Guest Center will eventually return to Shanghai. After the cruise ship arrives at the destination port, passengers can freely arrange their itinerary or purchase valuable basic tour packages and unique experiences from overseas tourism companies on board, enriching the exploration time of "free travel". Unlike previous cruise ships that operated domestic routes to and from Japan, the China Merchants Iton focuses on a "maritime cultural experience", with no casinos or children under the age of 8, creating a peaceful atmosphere. In addition, meticulously customized theater performances, ubiquitous art collections and books, and specially invited humanities lectures will create a comfortable "slow travel" for travelers.
It is reported that after today's international maiden voyage departs, there will be 9 more voyages for passengers to choose from on the same route from July to October. Early bird tourists will enjoy a discount on the basis of a ticket of 29988 yuan per person. Previously, the "China Merchants Yidun" had flown multiple domestic voyages. In October 2021, the "China Merchants Yidun" departed from Shenzhen and passed through Sanya, embarking on an 8-day and 7-night "Charming South China Sea Journey" maiden voyage. Afterwards, the cruise ship departed from Shanghai multiple times, stopping at Zhoushan and Xiamen along the way and arriving in Shenzhen, leading over 100 tourists on a cultural journey along the Chinese coast.
"China Merchants Idun" docked at the North Bund National Guest Center. Information picture
![Shanghai Guoke Center International Cruise Line Restarts! The first Chinese luxury cruise ship "China Merchants Yidun" embarks on an outbound journey with high quality | international | cruise ship](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/4f03a4d2f85d8f26c3f29c4ab5602664.jpg)
Ms. Xu Juehui, General Manager of Shanghai Port International Passenger Transport Center Development Co., Ltd., stated that as China's first international cruise home port, Shanghai Port International Passenger Transport Center has always been committed to building an international cruise port that showcases Shanghai's urban image, continuously optimizing port facilities, ensuring cruise berthing, improving port service levels, and supporting the development of cruise business. The Shanghai Port International Passenger Transport Center attaches great importance to this pilot work, fully prepares for the preliminary work, actively carries out comprehensive exercises for international cruise ship resumption, upgrades single window functions, and communicates fully with relevant units, aiming to provide more convenient and smooth waiting and customs clearance experiences for outbound passengers, and ensure the smooth operation of international cruise routes.
Mr. Wu Wei, Chairman of China Merchants Viking Cruises Co., Ltd., stated, "China Merchants Viking Cruises attaches great importance to it, actively organizes and promotes the deployment of international routes, focuses on improving the internationalization level of cruise operation, and strives to provide diversified and high-quality cruise travel experiences for Chinese passengers. It actively leverages the geographical advantages of Shanghai's cruise economy development, promotes the integration of cruise operation services and ticket marketing models with international standards, creates high-quality cruise travel experiences, helps the domestic cruise economy recover, and promotes the high-quality development of the cruise industry."
Shanghai has always relied on its unique geographical conditions to vigorously develop its shipping economy. The executive meeting of the Shanghai Municipal Government requires: "We must firmly grasp the opportunity for Shanghai to take the lead in carrying out international cruise ship pilot resumption, promote the comprehensive transformation and upgrading of Shanghai's cruise economy. We should strive to provide a 'Shanghai example' for the resumption of operation of national cruise ports, make passengers feel the 'Shanghai temperature' during cruise travel, and strive to build the cruise industry into a 'Shanghai highlight' that drives the economy." This trial voyage marks a new chapter in the first Chinese luxury cruise ship sailing to overseas destinations, marking the steady recovery of Shanghai's international cruise ship operation and helping to promote the high-quality development of Shanghai's cruise economy.