ONBOARD THE YI DUN -- The last time Viking sailed a ship full of English speakers in China, it was on the Yangtze River while a pandemic was brewing.
Four years later, Viking launched its first ocean cruises for English speakers here, calling at ports along the coasts of the East and South China Seas.
The Zhao Shang Yi Dun's inaugural 10-day sailing in mid-September went from Shanghai to Shenzhen (Hong Kong), with overnights in both ports, and called at Zhoushan, Dongtou, Pingtan Island and Xiamen.
Many food options on the Yi Dun showcase Chinese cuisine, like this station with sweet coconut milk and several accompaniments, like melon, beans and sago pearls. Photo Credit: Andrea Zelinski
The itinerary was born from Viking's launch three years ago of ocean cruises for the domestic China market. A joint venture between Viking and state-owned China Merchants Group that was announced in 2019 led to the purchase of the Viking Sun in 2021.
The renamed ship, which Viking calls the Yi Dun, was also reflagged to enable it to visit an array of Chinese ports beyond the marquee ones like Shanghai, Hong Kong and Beijing, where cruise lines including Silversea, Celebrity, Princess and Holland America Line call during multi-country sailings. As such, many of the ports on Yi Dun sailings are places where Viking has exclusive access.
Viking's English-speaking cruises will sail from September until November, when the Yi Dun shifts to the Japanese market, before resuming domestic cruises in China for the local market from June to September 2025. Viking will again offer cruises for English speakers in China from September through November 2025, offering longer cruises, some including calls in Japan.
This type of product is new territory for the cruise industry.
Mike Estill, COO of the Western Association of Travel Agencies, cannot recall any English-speaking cruise line offering a China-only itinerary. Nor can he recall a ship serving a crossover product for both American and Chinese audiences, due to their varied tastes. For example, the Chinese market tends to favor casinos over lounging and swimming in the sun, but this ship has three pools and no casino.
"In the grand scheme of things, this is an experiment whose success remains to be seen," Estill said.
Joost Ouendag, Viking's vice president of product development, said the shipboard experience for North Americans feels like any other Viking cruise. The only major change the adults-only brand made for Chinese cruisers was to allow kids because they tend to travel as a family.
"What you see, what you experience, is largely Viking," Ouendag said. "All that we had to do hosting North Americans is tweak the menus, tweak the signage."
Viking chairman and CEO Torstein Hagen, onboard the Yi Dun, said that bookings for its ocean cruises in China for both markets are "fine," adding, "It will take some time before we have a full breakthrough in China."
Asked if the brand plans to restart its river cruises for Westerners in China, he would only say, "It would not be illogical."
The return of inbound tourism to China has been sluggish. In 2023, the country became one of the last major tourist destinations to reopen its borders from the pandemic. Inbound tourism that year was little more than half that of 2019, according to Statista, a market research provider. That's in line with what Alex Sharpe, CEO of Signature Travel Network, has noticed: increased demand for China but still well below 2019 levels. He said Viking's strategy eases Westerners back into the market.
"Being able to capitalize on having a ship there for the U.S. market in what is perceived as our high season in Asia, but then leaning into the local market as that begins to come back for the remainder of the season, certainly appears to be a smart move," he said.
The Yi Dun experience
The 930-guest Yi Dun, which had 650 passengers on this inaugural sailing, retains the signature Nordic design for which Viking is known, like cozy faux fireplaces and hot and cold spa features.
More than 200 Buddhas line the interior wall of the the Guanyin Altar in Zhoushan, China. Photo Credit: Andrea Zelinski
Chinese touches are easy to find, such as a two-deck-high projection of Chinese art in the atrium that changes throughout the day.
And many food choices showcase Chinese influences, such as dim sum in The Restaurant for breakfast; a Taste of China selection for lunch; and one night, an array of Chinese street food for dinner. Room service and almost all restaurants offer several Chinese-influenced options, although traditional Western fare is always available.
Almost every crew member on the ship is Chinese, and their cheerful demeanor and eagerness made up for a language barrier that was difficult to ignore. While they studied English for months in preparation for our arrival, the crew struggled to communicate with some guests, such as when they made complicated food or drink orders or asked for direction on exploring a port on their own.
Off-ship, Viking operates all the excursions using tour guides with strong English skills. Complimentary tours included an acrobatic show and a theatrical performance about Buddha. Tours include visiting temples and taking a long ride to the mountain homeland of oolong tea, both of which include lunch.