Silk Road cruise stimulates interest in China

A series of programs featuring traditional Chinese culture, such as tea, painting, calligraphy, opera and sculpture were hosted on the cruise Majestic Princess.[Photo by Yang Feiyue/China Daily]

Bonnie Ender is a veteran cruise traveler.

The American from Arizona has been on roughly 30 cruise holidays before, but the trip she took in June was different.

She embarked in Barcelona, Spain, on the brand-new cruise ship Majestic Princess with her husband in late May and would spend 49 days sailing to multiple countries before reaching the final destination, Shanghai, in early July.

The route took her across key ancient Maritime Silk Road points, including Greece, the United Arab Emirates, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand and China's Xiamen.

"My understanding of the Silk Road has deepened during the trip," she says.

She and her husband even made a point of studying Marco Polo and the Silk Road before climbing aboard.

At the same time, a series of programs featuring traditional Chinese culture, such as tea, painting, calligraphy, opera and sculpture were hosted on the ship.

Those programs were arranged by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and part of the cooperation between the association and Princess Cruises.