Cruising to new heights

Adora Magic City, China's first large, domestically made cruise ship, which completed its first trials in July, will also embark on its maiden voyage from Shanghai next year.

Xue Sasa, vice governor of Shanghai's Baoshan district, where the Wusongkou cruise terminal is located, says that three large cruise ships will begin home port operations at Wusongkou next year. They will offer about 150 routes.

Among them is the MSC Bellissima, which comes with an 80-meter LED canopy, 32 gourmet experiences, a 700-square-meter Lego park, waterslides and a ship-in-ship yacht club. Starting from March next year, tourists will be able to board the ship from Wusongkou in Baoshan district.

The Royal Caribbean's Spectrum of the Seas plans to return to Shanghai in April. This ship, which has the largest indoor sports hall at sea, offers passengers sporting options like surfing, skydiving and rock climbing.

According to Xue, about 1.2 million tourists are expected to depart from the Wusongkou terminal next year. To handle this large volume of passengers, the district has been optimizing customs clearance, and improving the infrastructure of its ports. 

The International Cruise Terminal on the North Bund in Shanghai's Hongkou district is expected to become the home port for at least 18 international cruises next year.

The terminal is currently in the midst of developing a more diverse range of cruises to attract domestic and international tourists, according to the district government.