A five-star cruise ship Merchants Yi Dun docks at Zhoushan Port in East China's Zhejiang province on March 24. [Photo/WeChat account: zjzsrbs] 

The five-star cruise ship Merchants Yi Dun arrived at Zhoushan Port in East China's Zhejiang province on March 24. 

The cruise ship, which is on its maiden voyage - an eight-day tour of the coastlines of Southeast China - departed Shenzhen on March 19 and passed by Xiamen in Fujian province and Zhoushan before ending the voyage in Shanghai.

During the stop in Zhoushan, more than 400 tourists from the ship got to experience the city's Buddhist culture at Putuo Mountain Scenic Spot and savor the local seafood.

Dubbed "a floating five-star hotel", the cruise ship was built by China Merchants Group and Viking Cruises Ltd. It is the first luxury cruise ship that is independently operated in China. 

The cruise ship is equipped with facilities including a banquet hall that serves Chinese, French, Italian and Japanese cuisines, a gallery where passengers can appreciate more than 400 pieces of artworks, and a theater that hosts opera performances. 

The nine-story cruise ship, which plies the Zhoushan-Xiamen line, has 465 sea-view guest rooms that can accommodate 930 passengers. 

The cruise ship will play a significant role in bolstering the city's tourism sector, which will in turn aid its common prosperity drive, said local authorities.