Party at sea: why young Chinese have fallen in love with cruise ship holidays

Convenience, group bonding and affordable fares fuel the latest travel trend, analysts say

Over the past three years, he has organised weeklong round-trip cruises for groups ranging from four to 30 people, with some journeys reaching as far as Japan. Travellers pay between 3,000 (US$418) and 10,000 yuan each, depending on the ship’s level of luxury.

Dong’s venture is part of a growing trend among younger Chinese travellers – particularly high school and university graduates – who are increasingly embracing ocean cruises as a social way to travel, analysts have found.