China’s first cruise-to-nowhere voyage sets sail from Shanghai
Wire desk byline Sourced from Xinhua, Dawn, Arab News, Anadolu and Minute Mirror. Translated and abridged by the GSRRA Desk.
The Adora Magic City, China’s first homegrown large cruise ship, departed from Shanghai on Saturday, marking the launch of the country’s first-ever cruise-to-nowhere voyage.
Unlike traditional cruises, the new itinerary involves the ship leaving from and returning to its home port, Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal, without making any stops, cruising solely on the high seas.
The three-day, two-night voyage from Saturday to early Monday offers passengers a relaxed, immersive experience without the need to rush from one port to another.
“It feels very relaxing, and I don’t have to take extra days off work. I am really looking forward to experiencing the homegrown large cruise ship,” said a tourist surnamed Hu, a white-collar worker from Shanghai, as she stepped on board.
The operator has enhanced onboard entertainment, including a stand-up comedy show, magic performances, theme parties and late-night dining. To ensure comfort, the passenger load was capped at 80 percent, with an average age of 47, lower than the usual 55 on regular routes.
On Friday, Shanghai issued China’s first entry-exit permit for such cruises. The following day, streamlined customs and border inspection services were in place for travelers.
Tong Danying, an official with the Shanghai Municipal Transportation Commission, said cruises to nowhere are not a simplified version of traditional cruises, but a brand-new product that turns the ship into the destination itself, creating a new consumption scenario.
Figures show that China has seen booming cruise tourism, with total cruise passenger throughput in 2025 surging 25.3 percent year on year.
Reference Link:- https://english.news.cn/20260606/8a4106dcd7b04b099117593e0167b27c/c.html
Zamir Ahmed Awan is the founder and Chair of the Global Silk Route Research Alliance, a think tank in Islamabad. He studied engineering at Shanghai University in the 1980s, and years later he went back to China as Pakistan's science counsellor in Beijing, from 2010 until 2016, working on science and higher education cooperation between the two countries.…
