<img src=' alt='A new ultra-luxury cruise ship made its first visit to the Chinese mainland, docking along the illuminated banks of the Huangpu River in Shanghai on March 11, 2026. /VCG'
A new ultra-luxury cruise ship made its first visit to the Chinese mainland this week, docking along the illuminated banks of the Huangpu River in Shanghai.
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2026-03-13/Visa-free-entry-boosts-cruise-tourism-in-Shanghai-as-Luminara-arrives-1LtLX9HQz28/img/9a57c0bf1e0143259f7f12f740187eea/9a57c0bf1e0143259f7f12f740187eea.jpeg'Outdoor dining lounge on the Luminara cruise ship /VCG
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2026-03-13/Visa-free-entry-boosts-cruise-tourism-in-Shanghai-as-Luminara-arrives-1LtLX9HQz28/img/9a57c0bf1e0143259f7f12f740187eea/9a57c0bf1e0143259f7f12f740187eea.jpeg'Outdoor dining lounge on the Luminara cruise ship /VCG
On the evening of March 11, the Luminara, a super-luxury cruise ship operated by The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, arrived at the Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal. Nearly 500 people were on board, including passengers and crew. About 84% of the travelers entered China using visa-free policies.
<img src=' alt='Passengers from the Luminara cruise ship complete immigration procedures on March 11, 2026. /VCG'
Shanghai is one of the main entry ports where these policies apply. The easier entry rules have lowered the threshold for foreign visitors and are helping draw more international cruise ships to the city.
