Royal Caribbean has entered into a strategic relationship with the Xiamen municipal government and China World Cruises (CWC) in China.

The deal will see CWC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Beijing-based property and theme park developer Shan-Hai-Shu, chartering Legend of the Seas for a total of four months in 2012.

During the four months, Royal Caribbean will operate and market 21, three-to eight-night sailings from Xiamen, as well as Shanghai, Tianjin and Hong Kong, to ports of call in Taiwan, Vietnam, Japan and Korea. 

The inaugural, five-night charter sailing will depart from Hong Kong on March 20th 2012, while the first departure of guests from Xiamen will be on March 26th.

The time charter agreement is fully supported by the Xiamen Municipal Government as part of the government’s development of Xiamen as the fourth cruise home port for Royal Caribbean International in China, following Shanghai, Tianjin and Hong Kong.

“This is an incredible opportunity for Royal Caribbean, the Xiamen municipal government and China World Cruises, and is truly unique to the fast growing cruise industry in Asia,” said Zinan Liu, group managing director for China and Asia, Royal Caribbean Cruises.

“We are the first cruise brand to bring together the support of the government and local private industry.”

Working with the Xiamen municipal government, Xiamen-based CWC aims to invest around $5 billion in the Xiamen waterfront area and harbour district to develop a Cruise Homeport City, with a theme park, retail units, luxury hotels, apartments, as well as a new, four-berth cruise terminal.

Xiamen is located between Shanghai and Hong Kong, is less than 200 miles from Taipei, Taiwan, and is one of the most important and fastest growing ports along the Chinese coast.

City.Mobi

Also in Asia today, City.Mobi is celebrating the success of its new guide to Shanghai.

City.Mobi offers the most comprehensive mobile travel guides available, with over 800 cities in 200 countries listed. Each is developed by the City.Mobi team to combine into a single global travel directory.

However, each city retains its own mobile identity via a dedicated domain. Already on offer are Brussels.Mobi, Paris.Mobi, Sanfrancisco.Mobi and Sydney.Mobi.

Shanghai.Mobi is the latest in this illustrious line up, offering click to call functionality – which means no scribbling down telephone numbers.

Most entries are also linked to websites where users can quickly access more detailed information if needed.

Other key features include information on accommodation, restaurants, attractions, entertainment, nightlife, shopping, and transport.

City.Mobi guides include user reviews and traveller utilities such as a translation guide, currency converter, news and local weather guide.