Freeing up ports of call

People take photographs in front of blooming cherry blossom trees in Ueno Park in Tokyo. Photo provided to China Daily

Last year, 739,606 Chinese tourists took cruises abroad.

Xiamen C&D International Travel Service Co's Hong Huochun says 50-60 percent of cruises from the Port of Xiamen currently head to Japan and South Korea.

Xiamen Airlines International Travel Service Co's deputy general manager Hong Yongjin says the new policy will spare Chinese tourists to Japan the hassle of providing proof-of-income to apply for visas.

Individual travelers can save more than 1,000 yuan ($161) on visa applications. Group visitors can save 250 yuan, Hong adds.

He believes outbound-travel agencies and chartered-ship providers can develop more routes and offer lower prices.

"Many countries relax visa policies for cruise travelers," Yang says.

"Short-distance cruises, especially those to Japan and South Korea under seven days, remain a favorite of Chinese tourists."

She believes more operators will run visa-free trips to Japan, and more than 90 percent of short-distance cruises from China will be visa free.

The new policy will not only save tourists' time and money when getting visas but also buy them more time to make better decisions. And it will make cruise tickets cheaper, Yang says.

Chinese can now book cruises to Japan three days before departures on Ctrip. They previously needed to book 15 days ahead.

Yang says many Japan travel products are currently sold out, since the island nation's sakura (Japanese Cherry) trees are blossoming and the yuan has risen against the yen.

Visa-free cruises to Japan give Chinese travelers another "smart" option, she says.