China has taken delivery of its second domestically built large cruise ship, Adora Flora City, ahead of the original schedule. Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding handed the ship over to operator Adora Cruises in Shanghai on 6 November, according to Xinhua.
The ship
- Size: 141,900 gross tonnes and 341 metres long, 17.4 metres longer than sister ship Adora Magic City
- Capacity: 2,130 cabins for up to 5,232 passengers
- On board: 28 restaurants and bars and a 200-metre circular running track on deck
- Trials: a 12-day sea trial in the East China Sea in May
Faster, more local
A deputy general manager at the yard said building efficiency improved by 20% compared with the first ship and construction time was eight months shorter. About 80% of the interior outfitting materials were sourced in China. The yard’s chairman said concept design has already started on a third large cruise ship, as the programme moves from a one-off breakthrough to series production.
Into service
Adora Cruises is a joint venture between China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) and Carnival Corporation. Its first ship, Adora Magic City, began sailing on 1 January 2024 and completed its 200th commercial voyage in May 2026.
- Adora Flora City is due at its Guangzhou base, Nansha cruise port, on 12 November.
- Its first voyage, on 22 November, is a six-day trip calling at Hong Kong and Hue in Vietnam.
- The ship will be based in Hong Kong in 2027, with nearly 20 sailings planned, and a New Year’s Eve cruise leaves Hong Kong on 30 December.
Based on reporting by Marine Insight, 6 November 2026, citing Xinhua and Global Times.
Photo: Representative image: a shipyard in Dalian, China (not the Waigaoqiao yard or the cruise ship). Tyg728 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
