US cruise lines are contemplating dropping China port calls from their Asia itineraries.
China has Imposed potentially huge new port fees for calls at China cruise ports, in retaliation to US fees targeting China shipping.
Initially aimed at US cargo operators, it has now been extended to cruise lines.
It means large cruise ships are on the hook for several million dollars in extra fees.
Oceania Cruises’ ship Riviera cancelled a planned port call at Shanghai last week instead of paying the estimated $1,6 million in extra port fees.
“Due to retaliatory regulations, ships can no longer effectively visit mainland Chinese ports. We are therefore revising select itineraries,” an Oceania Cruises spokesperson said.
China has calculated the fees based on net tonnage of ships. It is payable for the first port call in China but homeporting ships like Royal Caribbean’s Spectrum of the Seas are exempt.
Spectrum of the Seas offers roundtrip cruises from Shanghai to Okinawa, Japan
The only other foreign ship currently homeporting in China is MSC Cruises’ Bellissima.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises has just announced the Seven Seas Explorer’s scheduled call to Shanghai next month has been cancelled.
