Port city witnessing revival of cruise ship sector

TIANJIN — Baesch David Rudolph, 65, who hails from the United States, was excited as he wheeled his suitcase into the lobby of Tianjin International Cruise Home Port in North China.

Rudolph was among more than 1,800 tourists from 50 countries and regions aboard the cruise ship Serenade of the Seas, which arrived at the port city of Tianjin on April 7.

Rudolph decided to visit the Forbidden City and the Great Wall in Beijing. "I'm looking forward to this trip in China," he said.

Sailing from Incheon, the Republic of Korea, on April 5, the cruise ship docked in Tianjin for two days and one night. Most of the tourists went sightseeing in Tianjin and Beijing, experiencing local customs and traditions.

The 275-day cruise on the ship, which is registered in the Bahamas and operated by Royal Caribbean Group, is currently the longest round-the-world route. Tianjin is its one stop on the Chinese mainland, according to the company.

Bi Linlin, an immigration inspection officer in Tianjin, said that with the rapid recovery of China's cruise industry, demand from foreign tourists to visit China's scenic spots and historic sites is growing.

"The immigration authorities are working with the cruise line and the port company to streamline passenger clearance procedures and let them have more time to travel in China," Bi said.

Since the Ministry of Transport announced the full resumption of international cruise ships to and from ports in China in September 2023, some international cruise companies have expressed their confidence in the nation's cruise market.

About 2,000 tourists and staff members aboard the Zuiderdam cruise ship, operated by the Holland America Line, visited the port city of Dalian in Northeast China and Tianjin on March 10 and 11 respectively.

The Silver Shadow cruise ship, operated by Royal Caribbean Group, docked in Shanghai on April 7. It was the ship's first visit to Shanghai in the past five years, according to the company.

About 300 passengers visited Shanghai's famous tourist attractions, including the Oriental Pearl, the Bund and Yuyuan Garden.

"We always stick to the Chinese market and we are committed to creating value for Chinese consumers, society and economic development and inbound and outbound travel. We have full confidence in the resilience of the Chinese economy," said Liu Zinan, chairman of Royal Caribbean Cruises, Asia.

Moreover, Royal Caribbean International announced its new China route plan in March, with two cruises deployed in the ports of Shanghai, Tianjin and Hong Kong. The plan's sailing time frame ranges from February 2025 to April 2026.

"In terms of the number of cruise ships, the Chinese cruise industry is experiencing significant growth in 2024," said Ye Xinliang, deputy dean of the School of Management at Shanghai University of Engineering Science.

As the largest in North China, Tianjin International Cruise Home Port has welcomed 22 cruise ships and seen 68,000 tourist visits so far this year, according to Dong Zichen, its deputy general manager.

"We are quite optimistic about the recovery of the cruise tourism industry in Tianjin," Dong said, adding that Tianjin International Cruise Home Port is projected to receive 100 cruise ships and 300,000 inbound and outbound tourist visits this year.

Xinhua