Resorts World adding China's Sanya to Hong Kong cruises

The 1,856-passenger Resorts World One (ex Explorer Dream) will visit what the line called 'the most popular winter destination in China for Chinese and overseas tourists, with the largest increase in tourists this year versus 2019 due to its sunshine, beaches, sceneries, culture, food and duty-free as key attractions.'

First back

'We welcome Resorts World One as the first international cruise ship to Hainan since the restart of cruises,' said Li Huiwei, director general, Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports of Hainan Province.

'This is in line with China’s economic policy that is conducive to Hainan’s efforts in strengthening its ties and cooperation with the Greater Bay Area and is vital towards the development of the Hainan Free Trade Port as a main consumption area for the international tourism sector and the high-quality development of Hainan's tourism industry.'

Two- and three-night cruises, optional hotel stays

Beginning Sept. 24, the ship will offer Sanya cruises of three nights departing Sundays and two nights departing Wednesdays and Fridays. Travelers may also sail one way to or from Sanya and fly in the other direction.

The cruises are also packaged with land stays for a five-night program Sundays to Fridays with three nights in a Sanya hotel, and one week departing and returning on Wednesdays with a four-night hotel stay.

Easier access to Hong Kong for mainland Chinese

With the opening of the West Kowloon High Speed Rail and the future Shenzhen-Zhongshan bridge, almost all Guangdong Province residents can reach Hong Kong within two hours. Resorts World passengers can stay in Hong Kong pre- and post-cruise, making for two duty-free shopping destinations: Hong Kong and Sanya.

Visa-free cruises for 59 nationalities

Hainan is also the only Chinese province that may be visited by citizens of 59 countries without a Chinese visa. The only condition is to register with a local Hainan travel agency, which will be handled by Resorts World Cruises. The 59 countries include Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand, among others.

Duty-free rules eased

China’s General Administration of Customs, Ministry of Finance and State Administration of Taxation now allows immediate pick-up of purchased duty-free goods, so tourists can use them while in Hainan. Alternatively, duty-free goods may be picked up on departure from Hainan or sent directly to visitors' home addresses.

Resorts World Cruises is offering mainland cruise passengers HK$100 in on-board credit per person for interior and ocean-view staterooms and HK$200 for balcony staterooms and Palace Suites as a transport subsidy to Hong Kong. As an additional benefit, passengers will have free baggage allowance of 50 kilograms per person for interior and ocean-view staterooms and 100 kg per person for balcony staterooms and Palace Suites.