Cruise liner to launch from Nansha in November

Guangzhou's booming cruise industry will launch World Dream in November, the newest luxury cruise ship operated by Hong Kong-based Dream Cruises, according to local media.

World Dream's maiden voyage will set sail from Nansha Port where it will travel along two routes – one through Manila and Boracay in the Philippines, and the other through Ho Chi Minh City and Nha Trang in Vietnam.  

The cruise ship has a displacement of 150,000 tons and can carry 3,376 passengers. It is equipped with nearly 1,700 rooms as well as business and entertainment facilities. Visitors aboard can not only enjoy distinctive food from across the world, but also take part in fun and exotic parties held on the ship. The vessel is currently under construction at Meyer Werft, Germany's most famous shipyard. 

Dream Cruises is run by Genting Hong Kong, a holding company which operates several cruise and resorts businesses. The company will operate World Dream and fellow cruise ship Gentling Dream to redefine travel and vacations in the area, according to a spokesperson. Each vessel features the comfort of authentic Asian hospitality combined with some of the finest experiences from around the world.

World Dream, the newest luxury cruise liner operated by Dream Cruises will launch its maiden voyage from Guangzhou's Nansha Port in November. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

Nansha Port is now the home port for two of Dream Cruise's luxury cruise ships, the first being Genting Dream which embarked on its maiden trip from Guangzhou's Nansha port in November 2016.

As of May 1, Superstar Virgo, a cruise ship operated by Star Cruises and Genting Dream have embarked on 200 voyages, bringing more than 420,000 visitors to Guangzhou.

In the first half year of 2017, a total of 68 cruises have set off from or made their way to Nansha Port, with inbound and outbound passengers reaching 198,000, an increase of 20.7 percent compared with same time last year.

On July 9, the number of tourists aboard Genting Dream, departing Nansha Port reached nearly 4,500, a record high since the port started hosting cruise ships at the beginning of 2016.

With the amount of visitors on the rise, Nansha customs and border inspection departments have been working hard at improving inspections and have applied a new self-service custom clearance system. Currently, 1,500 cruise ship passengers can pass through Nansha customs per hour.

In order to offset the pressure brought about by increasing passengers numbers, construction began on the Nansha International Cruise Ship Terminal in August last year, and is expected to be put into use by 2019. Costing 17 billion yuan ($2.5 billion), the terminal will be able to process 750,000 passengers annually. 

Guangzhou Nansha tourism bureau signs a strategic cooperation agreement with Dream Cruises on May 12 to launch World Dream. [Photo/Chinanews.com]