The former Viking Sun is scheduled to return to Europe in 2026 after four years sailing exclusively in China.
According to Viking’s Chinese website, the ship will operate cruises in the Mediterranean that are geared to Chinese guests.
Currently sailing in Asia as the Zhao Shang Yi Dun, the 2017-built vessel is set to offer a series of eight- to 13-day itineraries covering nine countries.
Covering destinations in both the Western and Eastern Mediterranean, the cruises sail from Venice and Civitavecchia, Italy; Barcelona, Spain; Athens, Greece; and Istanbul, Türkiye.
Viking said that the itineraries will feature all-Chinese service with Chinese signage across the ship and services provided in Mandarin.
Restaurant services are operated in line with Chinese traditions, the company added, with meals that feature national options.
The sailings start in early August and run through the end of the year, with over a dozen departures scheduled during the timeframe.
Countries set to be visited include France, Monaco, Croatia, Montenegro and Slovenia, in addition to Italy, Spain, Greece and Türkiye.
The Zhao Shang Yi Dun is the former Viking Sun and debuted in 2021 as part of a joint venture between Viking Cruises and China Merchants.
Flying the Chinese flag, the 930-guest vessel was deployed on domestic itineraries departing from main homeports in the country.
According to the company, the itineraries were “the first of their kind” and featured destinations that could only be visited by the Zhao Shang Yi Dun.
The operation was repeated this year, with sailings that also added ports of call in Japan running between September and November.
In late 2023, China Merchants Viking Cruises also launched new winter itineraries to Southeast Asia and Hong Kong sailing roundtrip from Shenzhen.
