Bookings soar for long-distance cruise trips from Shanghai

China's cruise market has shown robust development momentum with bookings of long-distance voyages surpassing short-distance cruises for the first time, the world's largest cruise line Royal Caribbean International said on Monday.

Spectrum of the Seas, one of Asia's largest cruise ships, resumed international itineraries from Wusongkou International Cruise Port in Baoshan District in late April.

Family suites on some popular routes for the summer vacation have sold out, and bookings for the second quarter are projected to rise by 400 percent compared with pre-pandemic levels, it said.

Ti Gong

For the first time, sales of long-distance voyages surpassed those of a short-distance by 500 percent, reflecting a growing demand by Chinese travelers for in-depth experiences, it said.

"Royal Caribbean International is eager to return to the Chinese market, which fully displays our firm confidence in the development potential of the Chinese market that had experienced explosive growth in a decade before the pandemic," said Liu Zinan, chairman of Royal Caribbean Asia.

Ti Gong

The US$1.25 billion Spectrum, a Quantum Ultra Class flagship, is a 170,000-ton cruise ship customized by Royal Caribbean for the Chinese market in 2019.

With a maximum capacity of 5,622 passengers, it has a number of restaurants with regionally inspired menus and entertainment shows, as well as activities such as skydiving and being hoisted 300 feet above the ocean in an all-glass observation capsule.

"The menus have been upgraded and we have introduced new-style Sichuan cuisines to cater to the appetite of the young generation," said Liu.

Ti Gong

The average age of passengers booking tours of the ship this year is 2.6 years younger compared with the same period in 2019, and the percentage of those aged between 25 and 55 has grown by 20 percent, according to Royal Caribbean.

"More young travelers aged below 30 and between 30 and 40 are booking cruise tours," Liu said. "Moreover, the first sold out suites were balcony suites instead of cheaper inside cabins as seen in the past, which reflects a stronger pursuit of vacation experience among Chinese travelers."

Ti Gong

Bookings from overseas are also very strong since the ship resumed operation, said Liu.

"Each voyage has about five or 10 percent of international tourists who fly to Shanghai and take the ship out, and we found Shanghai is a very alluring destination among many overseas travelers," said Liu. "Our target is to raise the percentage to 30 percent or even more to boost Shanghai's inbound tourism market," he said.

So far this year, nearly 10,000 international tourists have sailed with Royal Caribbean to China.

The ship is scheduled to operate 48 voyages between four and seven nights from Baoshan this year and sail for destinations such as Tokyo, Osaka, Kumamoto and Okinawa.

"China has a very good and international business environment, and Royal Caribbean International will stick to the market," said Liu.

Ti Gong

The Spectrum of the Seas docked with more than 4,000 passengers in late April, setting a new record at the Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal.

With plans to handle more than 1.4 million passengers this year, the terminal plays a crucial role in international travel and economic development, the Baoshan district government said.

Shanghai is Asia's largest cruise home port and the world's fourth-largest. Between 2008 and 2020, the city received around 3,000 cruise liners, resulting in 15 million trips from domestic and international tourists, according to the Shanghai Administration of Culture and Tourism.

The Wusongkou International Cruise Liner Port aims to become a major destination for international cruise ships, targeting 300 ship visits and 2.7 million visitors annually by 2025.

Ti Gong