Major milestone: ‘Adora Magic City’ seen on its second sea trial from a port in Shanghai. — China Daily/ANN
China’s first domestically built cruise ship is set to begin its maiden voyage on Jan 1, offering travellers from the mainland a way of getting overseas while still not entirely leaving the comforts of home.
The Adora Magic City will depart from its home port of Shanghai on Monday for a six-day trip that will take in South Korea’s Jeju island and the Japanese cities of Nagasaki and Fukuoka.
The cruise ship is 323.6m long and can accommodate up to 5,246 passengers in 2,125 guest rooms.
The 16-deck liner boasts 22 restaurants and bars – including a mahjong lounge, beer brewery and hotpot outlet, duty-free shops and theatres showing musicals.
State media have touted the ship as a major milestone, evidence the country’s shipbuilders can handle the most challenging of projects, along with aircraft carriers and large liquefied natural gas carriers.
But it’s also a way to ease Chinese into venturing abroad again, while still allowing for food, experiences and surroundings that are intimate and familiar.
Despite steps by authorities to get people flying overseas, such as resuming group tours, appetite for international travel is limited.
Investment banking company Morgan Stanley doesn’t expect China’s international air travel to fully recover until 2025. — Bloomberg
