Cruise market forecast to welcome 14m passengers by 2035

Looking ahead

Encouraged by the strong market recovery and promising outlook, cruise operators are investing in the China market with diversified and tailored offerings this year.

Adora Cruises will continue to explore the Chinese market via a wider range of cruise routes. "The two cruise ships, Adora Magic City and Adora Mediterranea, will operate nearly 170 international cruise routes for both domestic and foreign guests throughout 2025, meeting the diversified travel needs of consumers," Chen said.

Adora Magic City is scheduled to make Shanghai its major home port in 2025 and launch more than 80 sailings lasting from 4 to 7 nights. According to cruise itineraries, the vessel will take guests to an array of destinations in Japan and South Korea this year.

Adora Mediterranea, another cruise ship in operation under Adora Cruises, will leverage the advantage of multiple home ports including Tianjin, Guangzhou of Guangdong province, Xiamen of Fujian province, Qingdao of Shandong province and Dalian of Liaoning province. In its two to five nights of sailings, it will take tourists to popular destinations like Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and the Philippines.

For Royal Caribbean, the Spectrum of the Seas will continue its year-round deployment in Shanghai and Hong Kong in 2025, offering a variety of itineraries that cater to diverse preferences. Guests can choose from short 3-night weekend cruises to immersive 8-night explorations, visiting nearly 20 destinations, including Tokyo, Osaka, Hokkaido, Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Okinawa, Jeju Island, Busan and Nha Trang.

According to Bouldin, Royal Caribbean has curated over 100 premium shore excursions that combine classic attractions with innovative experiences, including whale watching and helicopter tours, in order to ensure that guests can enjoy both thrilling adventures and deep cultural immersion.

"By providing such diverse options, we aim to meet the evolving needs of Chinese travelers while continuing to inspire confidence in the market," said Bouldin.

Deeming China as one of its key strategic markets, MSC Cruises is expected to make steady progress this year with its brand heritage and global capacity deployment set to meet the diverse needs of Chinese guests, according to Huang.

"On Jan 16, we marked the grand return of MSC Bellissima as she brought a total of 25 voyages throughout this year covering the winter and spring season from January to March and the summer season from July to September, taking guests to popular Japanese and Korean destinations including Fukuoka, Sasebo, Kagoshima, Okinawa, Jeju, Busan and Incheon," said Huang.

Additionally, with more Chinese guests choosing our overseas itineraries to enjoy cruise vacations in Europe, the Middle East and other regions, we have announced 127 specially selected 2025-26 overseas cruises in China, covering a total of 8 regions and over 30 countries and territories, offering more global travel options, Huang said.