Business · Companies · 12 hrs ago
Xiamen launches its first cruise trip with no foreign port stop
Xiamen launched its first cruise trip with no destination port on November 1, departing from the city in southeastern China.
The Aida Mediterranea is carrying nearly 2,500 passengers on a three-day, two-night voyage of 328 nautical miles round trip.
The cruise will sail to international waters, stay at sea and return to Xiamen without stopping at a foreign port.
Passengers do not need visas for another country or region because the itinerary has no foreign port calls.
Xiamen is among the Chinese cities newly approved to pilot these cruises, alongside Shenzhen and Guangzhou; Shanghai and Tianjin had already started them.
Taiwanese passengers made up 7% of the first sailing, and the pilot is part of a growing form of domestic cruise tourism.
The cruise is scheduled to return to Xiamen after its two nights at sea.
Xiamen launched its first cruise trip that will sail at sea without stopping at a foreign port.
The Aida Mediterranea left Xiamen International Cruise Center on the evening of November 1.
Nearly 2,500 passengers are taking a three-day, two-night voyage covering 328 nautical miles round trip.
The launch marked the formal start of the cruise-at-sea pilot in Xiamen.
Taiwanese passengers made up 7% of those on the inaugural voyage.
- Who
- Nearly 2,500 passengers are aboard the Aida Mediterranea. Taiwanese passengers made up 7% of the inaugural voyage.
- What
- Xiamen launched its first cruise-at-sea trip with no foreign port stop.
- When
- The voyage departed on the evening of November 1, 2026.
- Where
- It departed from Xiamen International Cruise Center and will return to Xiamen.
- Why
- The launch marked the formal start of the cruise-at-sea pilot in Xiamen.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
China’s Ministry of Transport announced that Xiamen, Shenzhen and Guangzhou were among the newly designated cruise-at-sea pilot cities.
The Aida Mediterranea departed Xiamen on the city’s first cruise-at-sea voyage.
- Ship
- Aida Mediterranea
- Passengers
- Nearly 2,500
- Voyage length
- Three days and two nights
- Round-trip distance
- 328 nautical miles
- Taiwanese passengers
- 7% of the inaugural voyage