Luxury Blue Dream Melody cruise sets sail from Shekou

The Blue Dream Melody cruise set sail from Shenzhen International Cruise Homeport in Shekou on Thursday afternoon, embarking on a five-day-four-night journey to Japan’s Ishigaki-jima with approximately 1,200 travelers onboard.

This voyage also marked the beginning of Blue Dream Cruises’ Shenzhen Season that will last for two months. During this period, the Blue Dream Melody cruises will travel from Shekou homeport to various destinations such as Naha, Ishigaki and Miyako-jima in Japan, Chan May in Vietnam and China’s Hong Kong.

The Blue Dream Melody cruise berths at Shenzhen International Cruise Homeport in Shekou. Photos from sznews.com

A grand ceremony was held at the Shekou cruise homeport to mark the inauguration of the Blue Dream cruises’ operations in Shenzhen, which promises to further boost the growth of the city’s cruise industry.

Tong Jianfeng, general manager of Shanghai-based Blue Dream International Cruises Co. Ltd., said at the ceremony that the maiden voyage of Blue Dream Melody from Shenzhen represented a shift for the company towards South China. “This is a strategic response to market demand, as well as a way to pursue product innovation and service enhancements.”

Tong said that Shenzhen’s policy support for the cruise industry has fostered a favorable business environment. Official statistics from Shenzhen Municipal Transportation Bureau showed that the city is projected to handle a total of 116,500 cruise passengers this year, representing a remarkable 550% year-on-year increase from 2023. The Shenzhen Cruise Homeport is slated to host 27 cruises setting sail from Shekou this year, and host three overseas cruises.

The Blue Dream Melody cruise.

In June, an MSC Bellissima cruise, operated by Switzerland-based Mediterranean Shipping Co., commenced its maiden voyage in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) from Shekou. Earlier this year in March, the Pacific World cruise of Japan-based Peace Boat made its first-ever visit to the Shekou cruise homeport.

Since its inception in 2016, the Shekou cruise homeport has received a total of 31.8 million cruise tourists as of July 31 this year, according to Wang Xiaochen, general manager of Shekou International Cruise Homeport.