| Viking Sun arrives in China

VIKING’S new joint venture with China Merchants Shekou (CW 30 Nov 2020) has taken a major step forward this week, with arrival of Viking Sun in Shenzhen.

Under the agreement, the ship will be transferred to the joint venture and become Chinese-flagged, thus being allowed to operate coastal voyages under local cabotage regulations.

Viking Sun, which launched in 2017, was the fourth ship to be constructed as part of Viking’s ocean-going fleet, and visited Australia early last year during her mammoth 245-day world cruise which was ultimately disrupted due to the pandemic.

The ship will undergo a makeover before debuting in the Chinese market, including changes to catering and entertainment to “organically integrate simple Nordic style with Chinese culture, to provide a high-end cruise travel experience and exclusive services”.

China Merchants Viking Cruises will be the “world’s first five-star cruise operation sailing under the Chinese flag,” the JV said.

The move means Sun is no longer listed on the Viking website, with the line’s founder, Torstein Hagen, saying last year the initiative is an “important milestone in the development of China’s cruise industry”.

China Merchants Shekou Chairman & Party Secretary, Xu Yongjun, said “the impact of the pandemic on the cruise industry is temporary and the fundamentals of the cruise industry long-term improvement remains unchanged”.

In 2019, the Chinese group also signed a MoU with MSC Cruises to cooperate on developing cruising in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.