The Adora Magic City, China’s first large domestically-built cruise ship, departed Shanghai on Tuesday for a six-day, five-night voyage to Incheon and Jeju Island, South Korea, marking a themed “Horse Spring Festival” sailing.
The voyage coincides with a period of expansion for Adora Cruises, which reported reaching one million passenger embarkations aboard the Adora Magic City as of February 9th, according to the company. This milestone reflects growing demand within the Chinese cruise market and confidence in the operator’s services, representatives stated.
Adora Cruises is currently evaluating plans to deploy additional cruise vessels to both domestic and international ports. The company intends to align this growth with China’s Belt and Road Initiative, a national strategy focused on improving trade and connectivity across Asia, Africa, Europe, and other regions, launched in 2013.
The Adora Magic City is scheduled to complete over eighty voyages this season, primarily operating from Shanghai. In August, the vessel will as well be deployed to Shenzhen for a voyage into Southeast Asian waters. Adora Cruises’ fleet also includes the Adora Mediterranea, described as an “art ship,” and the Piano Land, which operates under the Astro Ocean Cruise brand.
The Adora Mediterranea is scheduled to depart fully booked from Guangzhou on February 17th for a six-day, five-night Lunar New Year cruise to Cam Ranh, Hue and Ha Long Bay, Vietnam. Plans for the Adora Mediterranea include utilizing multiple homeports, including Tianjin, Guangzhou, Xiamen, Qingdao, Dalian and Shenzhen, to facilitate flexible routing. A cruise departing from Xiamen International Cruise Home Port on April 10th will call in the Philippines and Vietnam.
Construction of China’s second domestically built large cruise ship, the Adora Flora City, is over 90% complete. The vessel is expected to be delivered by the end of 2026 and will launch from Nansha in Guangzhou city.
Adora Cruises served over 300,000 guests in 2024, and the Adora Magic City completed over 50 sailings and served more than 200,000 guests since its maiden voyage in January. The company will launch a heritage-themed cultural event this autumn and winter, featuring traditional Chinese cuisine, handicrafts, and sports activities onboard both ships, beginning on September 15th.
