On the 1st of October, 2021, Viking announced the first voyage of “CM-Yidun” under a joint-venture with China Merchants Shekou, from Shenzhen Shekou Port on an 8- day cruise to Sanya in Hainan. 

Torsten Hagen, the Chairman of Viking expressed the excitement of launching this innovative product, the first of its kind in China. He also recommends the Chinese guests to feel the opportunity to enjoy this new way of experiencing their own area in a new way, enriched with the Nordic hospitality.

The ship is Chinese-flagged, with Viking’s Nordic style interiors, as well as spa featuring traditional Scandinavian bath rituals, book libraries, original Viking restaurant concepts like the Mamsen’s Norwegian Deli, Manfredi’s Italian Restaurant etc. 

"The experience that we set out to create is one built on what has made Viking a success around the world and popular with our Chinese guests. We then added locally relevant elements to complement it," said  Wee-Hoon Tan, Vice President of Product Development & Marketing, the architect of this new product. 

The novelties, such as the guqin-an elegant classical Chinese instrument, connected to the live music mix gives passengers a homey ambiance, together with the renovation of the restaurants and bars. Speaking of the innovations, there are the ultra-violet light disinfecting robots, face-recognition temperature scanners etc., which give the passengers the necessary traveling safety and reliability.

"We hope every guest onboard CM-Yidun will appreciate the details that went into the design of this product and continue to feel the same vibe that Viking has come to be known for in China – warm feeling of 'home,' a 'thinking person's cruise'," Tan concluded.

It took 12 months to prepare the ship for the new cruises.