After having berthed in Xiamen for more than two weeks, Princess Cruises' Sapphire Princess cruise ship departed the Dongdu cruise home port on July 3.
More than 85,000 tourists arrived in Xiamen via cruise liners so far this year, with Saphire Princess' latest visit bringing 20,000 visitors alone.
Star Cruises' SuperStar Libra and Royal Caribbean International's Legends of the Seas will arrive at the coastal city during this year's summer holiday season.
Convinced of the service capability of Xiamen's cruise port, Costa Cruise Lines has included Xiamen as a destination in its cruise routes.
Xiamen cruise port links famous tourism destinations across Japan, South Korean and Southeastern Asian countries, such as Vietnam and the Philippines. It plans to build three or four cruise berths for cruise liners with a minimum capacity of 100,000 tons.
Sapphire Princess cruise liner departs Dongdu cruise port in Xiamen, Fujian province on July 3. [Photo from xmnn.cn]
China announced and implemented on May 15 a policy allowing visa-free entry of foreign tourist groups aboard cruise ships via all cruise ship ports along the country's coastline.
China and Georgia are set to waive visa requirements for travelers starting May 28.
