Two cruise ships bring over 9,000 domestic, foreign tourists to Shanghai

Two cruise ships, the MSC Bellissima and Royal Caribbean's Spectrum of the Seas, returned to the Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal on Thursday, kicking off China's homeport operations for 2025. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Two cruise ships, the MSC Bellissima and Royal Caribbean's Spectrum of the Seas, returned to the Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal on Thursday, with over 9,000 domestic and foreign tourists arriving in Shanghai through the port.

Over 1,000 South Korean tourists arrived in Shanghai on the MSC Bellissima, marking the largest single-entry group from South Korea since China's visa-free policy announcement in November 2024. Baoshan district government hosted a ceremony featuring traditional cultural performances and exhibits of intangible cultural heritage to welcome the tourists.

Huang Ruiling, president of MSC Cruises China, said that starting this year, South Korea is implementing a visa-free policy for cruise companies bringing Chinese tour groups. These measures will promote the Northeast Asia cruise economy, enhance convenience for tourists, and boost regional market competitiveness.

Based on the current berthing schedule, the two cruise ships are notably expanding their operational voyages this year compared to 2024. The Royal Caribbean's Spectrum of the Seas has experienced a 45 percent year-on-year increase in voyages, while the MSC Bellissima has seen a growth of over 30 percent.

During this year's Spring Festival, five international cruise ships - Adora Magic City, MSC Bellissima, Royal Caribbean's Spectrum of the Seas, Astro Ocean Cruise's Piano Land, and Blue Dream Melody - will launch a total of nine voyages at Wusongkou Port. This marks the highest number of cruise voyages during the Spring Festival holiday period since the operation of Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal.

Also, the ticket sales for cruises have surged during the Spring Festival period, with the Adora Magic City and MSC Bellissima already fully booked.

Meanwhile, the MSC Bellissima has introduced various themed voyages for Spring Festival and Lantern Festival, featuring festive cuisine and activities.

Baoshan district is fast-tracking the development of an international tourist resort with a focus on international cruise features centered around the Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal.

Moving forward, the resort will continue to enhance and diversify the activities and unique experiences available to cruise tourists within the resort.