China is looking to restart and grow its domestic cruise market after a long pause caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Against this backdrop, Tianjin Orient International Cruises, founded two years ago to serve the Tianjin market, is preparing to add a second and larger cruise ship to its fleet.
According to Chinese travel agencies, the company is acquiring the former Costa Magica, which was sold in 2023 to Greek operator Seajets. The 102,780 GT vessel has been largely idle since the start of the pandemic.
Originally, Carnival Corporation put the ship up for sale as part of its pandemic-driven fleet reduction, after which it was acquired by Seajets, owned by Marios Iliopoulos, a Greek inter-island ferry operator. During the pandemic Iliopoulos actively speculated on cruise tonnage, and this vessel became the 24th cruise ship sold by Carnival Corporation in that restructuring.
Neonyx Cruises: a stalled launch
Seajets attempted to enter the cruise market under the Neonyx Cruises brand. The ship, renamed Mykonos Magic, was to be marketed as “Goddess of the Night”, offering short party-style cruises around the Greek islands in summer 2024.
The vessel underwent refitting, but shortly before the planned launch in June 2024 it was chartered as accommodation for security personnel during the G7 summit in Italy. Local media at the time reported very poor onboard conditions, including:
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dirty and damaged cabins,
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unusable toilets,
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dilapidated showers,
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flooded accommodation areas.
Following this episode, Neonyx cancelled its inaugural cruises, saying that operations would be postponed to 2025.
Vision heads to China for a full refit
Recent reports indicate that the ship has been renamed Vision. Media sources say it is being prepared for a voyage to China, where it will undergo a full refurbishment.
After the refit, Vision is expected to enter service in 2026 for Tianjin Orient International Cruises.
The company already has experience operating former Carnival Corporation tonnage. Its first cruise ship, now sailing as Dream, was acquired in early 2023 from Sanya International Cruise Development Co.
Sanya had previously purchased the 77,500 GT vessel from Carnival and renamed it Charming for deployment in the Chinese market. The project was a joint venture between Cosco Shipping, China National Travel Service (HK) Group and China Communications Construction Co., set up to capitalise on the restart of China’s cruise industry.
The ship, built in 1998 by Fincantieri and originally operated by Princess Cruises, had already worked in the Chinese market in the past. In July 2023 it successfully resumed cruises from Tianjin in northern China, now under Tianjin Orient’s operation.
Seajets’ role in the second-hand cruise market
Beyond Vision, Seajets still owns several former mainstream cruise vessels, including:
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the former Oceana of P&O, a sister ship to Dream now operating for Tianjin Orient,
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the former Majesty of the Seas of Royal Caribbean,
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the former Veendam of Holland America Line.
The company has previously stated its intention to add more ships to the Neonyx business, although the timing and deployment of these vessels remain closely tied to developments in the European — and now also Asian — cruise markets.
Against this backdrop, the apparent transfer of Vision to Tianjin Orient International Cruises is another strong signal that China’s cruise sector is gradually returning to growth after the pandemic-induced standstill.
