China's 2nd homegrown large cruise ship to be delivered by 2026

SHANGHAI, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- China's second domestically-built large cruise ship has been under structure construction and is expected to be delivered by the end of 2026, according to the Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited.

The schedule unveiled by the shipbuilder on Wednesday showed that the cruise ship is set to depart from the dock by late March 2026, with trial sailing commencing in June 2026. The naming and delivery of the cruise ship will be made before the end of 2026.

Compared with the country's first domestically-built large cruise ship, the Adora Magic City, the new ship is larger in size, with a total tonnage of approximately 142,000 tonnes, a total length of 341 meters, a width of 37.2 meters and 2,144 cabins, an increase of 0.67 million tonnes in tonnage, an extension of 17.4 meters in length, and 19 additional cabins.

Despite a higher construction volume than the Adora Magic City, the total construction hours of the new ship is expected to be reduced by 20 percent from its predecessor, according to the country's top shipbuilder.

Additionally, the ship's outfitting work commenced on Monday. The smooth progress of this crucial phase lays the foundation for ensuring the overall construction and delivery schedule of the ship, said the company.

In January this year, the Adora Magic City completed its maiden commercial voyage after traveling 1,119 nautical miles on a seven days and six nights trip, garnering significant interest from tourists.