Former Viking Sun to Become First Cruise Ship to Visit Xiamen in 2023

Former Viking Sun to Become First Cruise Ship to Visit Xiamen in 2023

The former Viking Sun will become the first cruise ship to dock in Xiamen in 2023 when it arrives at the Chinese port on March 22.

Now named Zhao Shang Yi Dun, the vessel currently offers domestic cruising in China for China Merchants Viking Cruises, a joint venture between China Merchants Shekou and Viking Cruises.

According to the local media, the visit to Xiamen is part of a new cruise in Southern China named “Southeast Coast Cultural Journey.”

Linking Shenzhen to Shanghai, the one-way itinerary includes three days docked at the port, as well as a visit to Zhoushan and three days at sea.

Also operating on the opposite way, the eight-day cruise is said to offer guests the opportunity to discover the art, culture and scenery of the region.

In Xiamen, passengers can participate on an included excursion that visits the Huihe Stone Cultural Park, where a stone sculpture museum is located. Guests are also able to use a free shuttle bus service offered by China Merchants Viking Cruises, linking the ship to the city’s main attractions.

Designed to offer luxury cruising, the Zhao Shang Yi Dun was formerly operated by Viking Ocean Cruises and originally entered service in 2017.

After being acquired by China Merchants Viking Cruises in 2021, the 930-guest vessel was adapted to offer an adjusted experience, focusing on the Chinese guests.

According to the company, the entertainment and enrichment content, as well as food and beverage experiences onboard were customized to cater to the local public.

In 2022, the Zhao Shang Yi Dun also became the first cruise ship to operate in Xiamen after the COVID-19 operational pause. After a 900-day gap, the vessel opened the local port for domestic cruising on July 2.

Sailing under the Chinese flag, the 930-guest vessel continues to be the only cruise ship in revenue service in China.

Ovation of the Seas Drydocks in Zhoushan

The Ovation of the Seas is in Zhoushan, China, for an unscheduled drydock at a COSCO-run facility, prompting the cancellation of the ship's the Sept. 21 and Sept. 26 cruises from Tianjin, China.

"We must conduct unscheduled maintenance on Ovation of the Seas," Royal Caribbean said in a statement released to Cruise Industry News.

"Unfortunately, this means our September 21 and September 26 cruises from Beijing, China must be cancelled," the company said. "Our booked guests will have the option to choose another sailing date on Quantum of the Seas or request a full refund of their cruise fare. The unscheduled work will help ensure guests continue to enjoy their time on board Ovation; there is no issue or concern with the seaworthiness of the ship. The decision was not taken lightly, and Royal Caribbean apologizes for the effect this adjustment will have on our guests’ vacation plans."

In April of 2017, Royal Caribbean was also forced to cancel sailings on the ship for “maintenance on components of the ship's propulsion system."

Tianjin Targeting 800,000 Passengers in 2017

Tianjin Targeting 800,000 Passengers in 2017

With four berths, Tianjin expects around 800,000 passengers this year, and through the first six months of 2017, traffic was up some 102.4 percent.

Customs and border protection has been further refined, reducing clearance times to 10 seconds in some instances with automated terminals.

Earlier this year, the port signed a MOU with Costa to build a supply and distribution center, with Costa committing to year-round voyages from Tianjin through 2019.

Also of note, the MSC Lirica sailed from Tianjin in February, offering a new “Around China” itinerary with interporting in Zhoushan, Hong Kong and Xiamen, as well as calls to South Korea and Japan, according to Da Wu, vice general manager of Tianjin International Cruise Terminal.

Wu hopes his port will offer more diversified products, including cruises to nowhere, to attract new passengers

Zhengdong Zhang, general manager, added: “Similar to MSC’s model, we are exploring opening domestic routes to Dalian, Yantai, Qingdao, Rongcheng and Weihai, creating a product in which passengers only need their national identification card to travel.”