Shanghai sets sail at cruise ship port, resumes intl direct flights

Starting from Shanghai on Sunday, China Merchants-Yidun, the first Chinese-flagged luxury cruise ship, would bring passengers onboard a five-day journey of sightseeing and cultural experience in sailing to Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, and return to Shanghai afterwards. [Photo/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

After a break of 1,152 days, Shanghai's international cruise terminal greeted its first batch of cruise passengers in preparation for a cruise trip on Sunday, marking the resumption of the city's cruise terminal as a home port for cruise traveling, according to official sources.

It's been more than three years since the last home port cruise voyage returned to Shanghai on January 29, 2020.

"Despite the huge impact of the pandemic, all parties of the cruise traveling industry maintained confidence and never stopped their hard work. We are delighted to see passengers still hold strong enthusiasm for cruise traveling," said Gu Jinshan, chairman of Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG) during the ceremony held for the relaunch of cruise life in the city at the North Bund international cruise terminal in Shanghai's Hongkou district, which is the first cruise home-port in Chinese mainland.

"Lots of arrangements and upgradation have been made to support the safe operation of every single cruise trip and ensure the best experience for passengers' departures and arrivals," said Xu Juehui, managing director of Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal Development Co Ltd.

Starting from Shanghai on Sunday, China Merchants-Yidun, the first Chinese-flagged luxury cruise ship, would bring passengers onboard a five-day journey of sightseeing and cultural experience in sailing to Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, and return to Shanghai afterwards, according to Zhang Shukai, deputy general manager of China Merchants Viking Cruises.

An eight-day coastal cruise trip along China's southeast coastline will be offered from May 7, which covers multiple ports and destinations including Zhoushan, Xiamen, Fujian province and Shenzhen, Zhang added.

In addition to the domestic voyages, the relaunch of international cruise trips is also under planning, Xu added.

Chinese-flagged ship China Merchants-Yidun is under a joint-venture between China Merchants Shekou and Switzerland-based cruise line operator Viking Cruises. It is also the first high-end cruise ship operated and managed independently by the China Merchants Viking Cruises.

Before its maiden voyage in October 2021, the cruise vessel had gone through 453 emergency rehearsals, and another 972 emergency exercises have been completed since then. A pandemic prevention and controlling system has also been established on the ship, so as to ensure the health and safety of guests and crew members on board, while ensuring the comfortability of the cruise traveling experience, according to Liu Fei, staff captain of the China Merchants-Yidun.

Likewise, direct flights to outbound destinations have resumed at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport on Sunday, the first day of the summer-autumn aviation season in China that lasts from March 26 to October 28 this year.

The Hongqiao airport plans to carry out 314 outbound flights on a weekly basis during the new aviation season, 22 flights more from the same period of 2019, said Tang Yichen, a deputy-general manager with Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport's flight area.

Flights to domestic destinations including Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Xi'an of Shaanxi province, Chengdu of Sichuan province and Kunming of Yunnan province were at high frequency, Tang added.

In the summer-autumn aviation season, there will be a total of 2,225 take-offs or landings at Shanghai's two airports per day, reaching about 80 percent the level of 2019. To be more specific, there are 92 domestic and foreign airlines operating outbound flights between Shanghai and 79 destinations in 42 nations at the Shanghai Pudong International Airport and the Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport.