China Cruises: Best Cruises to China 2024 & 2025

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Award-Winning China Cruises

China is a massive country and planning a trip there can feel overwhelming. How do you narrow down what to see? What if you have trouble navigating the roads and public transportation? What are the best accommodations? Don’t stress. We have the answer: a China cruise vacation.

Exploring China via cruise ship is a stress-free and relaxing way to see the country – from its mainland cities and countryside to the glitz and glam of China’s autonomous territory of Hong Kong. During your cruise, you’ll be able to experience China’s culture and view some of China’s most spectacular sights. We even have ships that cruise from China embarkation ports, giving you the opportunity to explore bucket list worthy destinations like Hong Kong and Shanghai before or after your cruise.

Why A China Cruise Should Be On Your Bucket List

Our China cruise itineraries will give you ample time to explore some of the best sights, sounds, and tastes of China. Whether you’re looking for history and architecture or cosmopolitan views and local culture, your time in China will be full of incredible experiences that create unforgettable memories.

Great Wall of China

Walk on the Great Wall of China and cross off this top China cruise bucket list item. The Great Wall of China stretches for over 13,000 miles about 90 minutes north of Beijing. Visitors will marvel at how old yet still intact the wall is while gazing at the hilly scenery unfolding beyond the wall.

Temples and Palaces

China is dotted with temples and palaces. They are located all around the country and have significant cultural and historical importance. A highlight of these structures is the Forbidden City in Beijing, which dates back to the Ming dynasty and has some of the world’s oldest wooden structures.

City Skylines

A China cruise will take you to two of Asia’s most iconic cities: Hong Kong and Shanghai. Feel the thriving pulse of the cities and experience their dichotomy of high-rise lifestyles located close to beaches and mountain villages. In Hong Kong, one of the best ways to see the skyline is from Victoria Peak.

Food and Art

From ancient Buddha statues and the intricate architecture of China’s temples to the culinary art of dim sum and painstaking craft of Chinese folk art, you’ll be awed by the art history and present day art and food culture in China.

Featured China Cruise Ports

Whether you cruise from Hong Kong or Shanghai, China to start your Asia cruise or are sailing on an itinerary that embarks from a different country and includes ports of call in China, you will have the chance to see many regions of China during your cruise.

Hong kong

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Shanghai (Baoshan)

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Beijing (Tianjin)

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Upcoming China Cruises

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Popular Shore Excursions in China

The shore excursions you can experience on a China cruise range from activities you can do in a few hours to multi-day tours that include overnights in port. No matter which one you choose, shore excursions are designed to give you a deep look into the country and its top things to do.

Multi-Day Adventures to Beijing

Many China cruise stops in Beijing are there long enough to offer one or two-night shore excursion adventures. It will give you extra time in Beijing to see the Great Wall of China, tour the Forbidden City with a knowledgeable guide, and take a detour from Beijing to visit the historic city of Xi’an.

Artisans

Find the best souvenirs when you go on a China cruise excursion that teaches you more about local artisans. Choose an excursion that takes you to the Tian Hou Silk Factory or the Arts and Crafts Research Institute where you’ll meet master Chinese artisans who create incredible Chinese folk art.

City Tours

Our city tours give you a broad scope of China’s exciting cities. Take a panoramic tour in Shanghai that includes a visit to an 88th floor viewing platform, go on the Best of Tianjen tour to become an expert on this less known city, and do a night tour of Hong Kong to experience its frenetic energy.

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Our Award-Winning Cruise Ships in China

Celebrity Eclipse®

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Celebrity Millennium®

EXPLORE MILLENNIUM

Celebrity Solstice®

Explore Solstice

Helpful Tips Before You Go

If you’re familiar with your China geography, you’re probably thinking that Beijing and Shanghai are not right by the coast. And then wondering how a cruise ship gets there. Our ships pull into nearby harbors for those two cities: Tianjen for Beijing and Baoshan for Shanghai.

Tianjen is located about 80 miles from Beijing and ships that go there typically stay overnight, providing you with plenty of time to travel to the city and back. You’ll likely want to partake in an overnight shore excursion that gives you extra time in Beijing as you’ll get to explore the nightlife and stay in modern accommodations in the city.

The Shanghai cruise terminal for our ships is Baoshan Port. This cruise terminal is located about 15 miles north of Shanghai’s city center and is able to easily accommodate large ships. Shuttles are usually available to get into the city, or you can book a convenient shore excursion so you don’t have to stress about getting back to the ship on time.

If you are embarking on a cruise from China that sails roundtrip from Shanghai or Hong Kong, you can finish up your cruise and take off on a shore excursion that conveniently drops you off at the airport or hotel later that day. See the sights of your disembarkation city and then meet your luggage at your next destination point and either fly back home or get ready for your next adventure.

You can also plan into your trip itinerary a City Stay afterward that lets you spend two nights after your cruise exploring the China city where your cruise ends with a stay in a hotel, guided tours, and plenty of free time to do whatever you want.

When you’re figuring out what to pack for your trip to China, keep in mind that most China cruise itineraries sail there in March or the autumn months of October and November. Therefore, you’ll want to pack layers as it may be warmer or cooler depending if you’re in the lowlands or mountains, or the coast or city centers.

When visiting in shoulder season, you’ll also probably want to pack a warm jacket to wear if you’ll be sightseeing in the evening during your trip.