The Star Voyager departs from Xiamen International Cruise Home Port. [Photo/Xiamen Daily]

The Star Voyager departed from Xiamen International Cruise Home Port, wrapping up the city's 2026 summer cruise season.

The cruise industry gave a significant boost to Xiamen's cultural tourism market this summer, with Xiamen Port recording 15 cruise ship calls and more than 50,000 passenger visits by August. Port-of-call visits accounted for 11 of those, up 83.3 percent year-on-year, with passenger volumes nearly eight times higher than in the same period last year, reflecting the rising profile of Xiamen as a cruise destination.

Xiamen has also launched short sightseeing routes connecting landmarks such as Gulangyu Island, Nanputuo Temple, and Zhongshan Road.

The city has also built a "cruise-plus" system that integrates cruise arrivals with cultural heritage sites, ferry services, and waterfront leisure facilities, offering passengers immediate access to Minnan (southern Fujian) culture as soon as they step ashore.

Travelers can enjoy immersive cultural performances and creative local markets right at the port, experiencing the distinctive culture from the moment they disembark.

These initiatives have helped extend the city's tourism value chain and maximize the economic impact of the cruise sector.

Starting in November, the Adora Mediterranea will begin homeport operations in Xiamen, offering long-haul cruise routes to five Southeast Asian countries and strengthening cultural and tourism ties across the region.