China Delivers Its Second Large Domestically Built Cruise Ship
China celebrated the official delivery of its second domestically built large cruise ship, the Adora Flower City. It is being highlighted as a milestone achievement as China builds a domestic industry and seeks to enter the international market for cruise ship construction.
Officials highlighted that it is 13 years since President Xi Jinping called for the development of the cruise industry in April 2013. China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) signed a partnership in 2018 with Carnival Corporation and agreed to work with Fincantieri on the construction of the country’s first large cruise ship, Adora Magic City, which was introduced in 2023. Carnival Corporation later sold down and then exited in 2023 its investment in the joint venture.
The new Adora Flora City took five years to design and construct and is based on a Fincantieri-Carnival design but also represents a significant advancement in China’s shipbuilding capabilities. Officials at China State Shipbuilding Corp. highlighted that cruise ships are the most complex shipbuilding project, while saying that, having completed the second ship, they have mastered the core technologies. Construction efficiency was improved with a reduction of four million man-hours and eight months versus the first ship. Critically, they emphasized the development of a domestic supply chain, reporting that more than 80 percent of the interior outfitting materials were supplied domestically.
The design was also adapted from the first ship. The new Adora Flora City, also called Huacheng, a reference to Guangzhou, which will be her home port, is 141,900 gross tons, versus the Adora Magic City, which is 136,201 gross tons. The new ship’s design was lengthened by 17.4 meters to an overall length of 341 meters (1,119 feet). Passenger capacity was increased to 5,232 with a few additional cabins as well as enlarged and reworked areas in the public spaces. Adora Cruises highlights that the Chinese emphasis has been increased in the décor of the ship, which was also influenced by her homeport of Guangzhou, which is known as the flower city and inspired the name of the cruise ship.
Adora Magic City sailing past Adora Flora City while still under construction (Adora Cruises)
Built by Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co., a subsidiary of CSSC, the handover took place with an elaborate ceremony on November 6. The first steel cutting for the ship took place in August 2022, and the first keel block was laid in April 2024. The float-out took place in March 2026.
Among the technical advancements on the second cruise ship, CSSC highlights that it features two new desulfurization systems and five new selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems. They report that it will enhance the ship’s environmental performance. In addition to 2,130 passenger cabins, the ship features 28 restaurants and bars, an 800-seat theatre, and a large shopping complex. It will have approximately 1,300 crew.
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The Adora Flora City is scheduled to arrive at the Guangzhou Nansha International Cruise Home Port on November 12 and will conduct a series of trial voyages before its November 22 maiden voyage. The first approximately 600 crewmembers boarded the ship at the beginning of October for training and to begin preparations. The cruise ship will sail from Guangzhou (former Canton) and also conduct nearly 20 cruises from Hong Kong in three periods beginning in late March 2027. The cruises will visit South Korea and Vietnam, and the ship will also do several short cruises to nowhere.
Officials at the shipyard highlight that they are continuing to improve their capabilities across the entire chain of R&D, construction, and operation for cruise ships. Adora Cruises announced in March 2026 that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with CSSC outlining plans to build two further cruise ships with one optional additional ship. The goal calls for delivering the first new cruise ship by 2030 and using a fully domestically developed design.
