The first large new cruise ship delivered by a Chinese shipyard has now entered service after construction began in fall 2019.
The newbuild “Adora Magic City” has departed from Shanghai and will call at Jeju in South Korea as well as Nagasaki and Fukuoka in Jaüan before returning to Shanghai, according to Chinese media reports.
This is the first large cruise ship to be built in China – specifically at the Waigaoqiao Shipyard, which belongs to the CSSC Group. With a length of 323.6 m, the 13,3500 GT ship offers space for a maximum of 5,246 guests.
New build to emphasize China’s capabilities
In November 2018, CSSC signed a cooperation agreement with the US cruise group Carnival Corp. and the Italian shipbuilding group Fincantieri for the design and construction of two 135,500-ton Vista-class cruise ships. Construction of the “Adora Magic City” began in October 2019, with the construction of a sister ship also starting in August 2022.
“The importance of the project lies in its role as a symbol of China’s shipbuilding capabilities,” Zhou Qi, project manager at Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding, recently emphasized.
The ships will be operated by Adora Cruises, an American-Chinese joint venture between Carnival and CSSC. The concept of Adora Cruises is tailored to the travel needs of Chinese passengers, both in “domestic” waters and on international routes.
