By
Laura Hyde |
Viking is to operate the first three domestic cruises in China for international guests onboard Viking Yi Dun in 2024. The former Viking Sun ship will offer 10-, 15- and 20-day voyages to “rarely seen destinations and ports to which only Viking has access”, according to the cruise line.
The Chinese-flagged Viking Yi Dun will operate these itineraries from September to November, providing port calls to the cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, as well as a domestic sailing of China’s coast. The ship, which is dedicated specifically to exploring destinations in China, accommodates up to 930 guests in 465 veranda staterooms.
The 20-day ‘Wonders of China’ fully guided roundtrip from Beijing will offer guests the opportunity to meet a Tibetan family at their home, explore Beijing’s Forbidden City, walk on the Great Wall and see the Terra Cotta Warriors. Guests will also sail along China’s eastern coast and stay in hotels in Beijing, Chengdu, Lhasa and Xi’an.
On the 15-day ‘Classic China & the Coast’ itinerary guests will begin with three days in Beijing, before flying to Xi’an for two days. Guests will then fly to Shanghai for a further two days before boarding Viking Yi Dun for an eight-day sailing along China’s east coast, which ends in Hong Kong.
The 10-day ‘China Discovery’ sails from Shanghai to Hong Kong allowing guests to visit the Buddhist shrines of Zhoushan, the cliffs of Dongtou, and Gulangyu Island in Xiamen, or try Cantonese dim sum in Shenzhen.
“We are proud that Viking will be the first to operate domestic sailings in China for international travellers,” said Torstein Hagen, chairman of Viking. “Our guests are curious travellers who are interested in experiences that broaden their mind – and China, with one of the richest cultures in the world, has been inspiring travellers for centuries.”