[Photo/China Daily]

Costa Cruises partnered with Shanghai Airlines Tours International (Group) Co launched a 48-day around-the-world cruise last March to meet Chinese market demand. Long trips usually begin at foreign ports.

High-end cruises usually go to destinations in the Baltic Sea, the polar region and Alaska, Liu Wei, product manager of HHtravel, a luxury travel brand under Ctrip, points out.

"We use only cruise liners of small and medium sizes, which offer passengers butler service and can reach some exotic small places where the larger ships won't be able to," says Liu.

The price of cruise travel to Japan and South Korea ranges from 3,000 to 4,000 yuan ($482-$643) per person, and long-distance trips to areas such as the Mediterranean fetch prices ranging from 10,000 to 40,000 yuan (including international air ticket costs), says Qu Juan, general manager of the cruise business at Ctrip.

Most top-tier luxury cruises offered by HHtravel are priced around 100,000 yuan and set sail from abroad.

Cruise passengers enjoy advantages that land tours don't offer. The journey begins the moment you set foot on the ship, and you don't have to worry about switching hotels or other inconveniences, says Qu.

Some travelers enjoy the amenities on board so much that they don't even bother to get off the ship when it arrives at the port of call, according to Qu.

"Cruise travel allows tourists, including the young, the elderly and newlyweds, to enjoy various leisure and entertainment amenities all along the way," says Yang. "There are gourmet food, show performances and lectures."

Cruise tickets cover board and lodging, as well as entertainment activities, and passengers can also visit duty-free shops on board, according to Yang.

One downside of cruise travel is that the ships are only docked for a short period of time, so travelers won't be able to fully enjoy tourist attractions along the voyage.

"Under most circumstances, a cruise ship is only allowed to dock at the port of call for six to eight hours, such as in the Mediterranean," says Qu.

"Some passengers may also encounter language problems, since most cruise liners are from abroad and don't have many Chinese service personnel," says Yang.