China Approves Major Initiative: Cruises to Nowhere

China’s Ministry of Transport has approved a landmark deal that will allow cruises to nowhere from Sanya and Haikou in Hainan Province.

After years of lobbying, new guidelines were released on May 8 that said cruises can operate from Sanya and Haikou and not visit a foreign port.

Among the requirements: the cruise line must include a majority Chinese investor and the ship has to be less than 30 years old. Gambling will not be permitted on these sailings.

Once Chinese-flagged cruise ship become available, it is expected the regulations will shift to accommodate Chinese-flagged vessels on an exclusive basis.

Under the pilot program, boarding documents and clearance will be simplified, requiring only national identification cards or entry/exit documents, and travel agents can submit documents on behalf of their groups.

There are also specific guidelines for itinerary planning, ticketing, food safety and compliance reporting.

Cruise Industry News Email Alerts

Cruise Industry News Email Alerts

 

ABInBev
EMAIL NEWSLETTER

Get the latest breaking cruise newsSign up.

CRUISE SHIP ORDERBOOK

51 Ships | 109,838 Berths | $35 Billion | View

New 2024 Drydock REPORT

Highlights:

  • Mkt. Overview
  • Record Year
  • Refit Schedule
  • 120 Pages
  • PDF Download
  • Order Today
New 2024 Annual Report

Highlights:

  • 2033 Industry Outlook 
  • All Operators
  • Easy to Use
  • Pre-Order Offer
  • Order Today