Tianjin Oriental Cruises’ Visio will be offering two three-day cruises without port calls from Tianjin, departing on August 29 and August 31. The ship will then return to its regular South Korea routes from the Chinese homeports.
The announcement follows China’s “nowhere cruise” pilot launch.
Both sailings will depart from Tianjin International Cruise Homeport at 3:00 p.m. and are roundtrip cruises to nowhere.
Pre-sale fares range from RMB 500-1,200 ($75 to $200) per person, depending on the stateroom category.
The Chinese Ministry of Transport said the “nowhere cruise” route is a special international voyage, as exit-entry management for staff and crew is consistent with international sailings.
The Visio is eligible for bonded provisions and supplies policies, and travelers can board using either a passport or an entry-exit permit based on a resident identity card. This eliminates the need for foreign visas.
The Tianjin pilot represents the first commercial deployment of the product model in northern China, and follows prior regulatory innovations at Tianjin’s International Cruise Homeport, including the nation’s first static cruise trial.
The Visio has been operating six-day round-trip itineraries to Busan, Jeju and Incheon, with the two August sailings added to its regular schedule.
The Tianjin Port Group stated that although the voyages are short weekend products, the ship’s offerings will be benchmarked against international standards.
Tianjin’s port, which recorded its 100th cruise call of the year in August, and stated that the nowhere-cruise product adds a new option to its product mix that complements its existing itineraries.
