Hardly a day goes by nowadays without China being in the news in some way or the other. The country’s economy is growing in leaps and bounds, despite the economic turmoil most Western countries are going through.

With the growing economy comes bigger spending power. The average Chinese family today has vastly more discretionary income than their parents had 20 years ago. This is, of course, a vast untapped market for cruise lines. With a population more than four times that of the United States, China could well eventually become a major cruise market.

Royal Caribbean International seems to realise this. The company has just announced that it will employ Voyager of the Seas in the Chinese market during 2012.

The 3,114-passenger cruise liner will be based in Shanghai from June 2012 and embark from there on a series of cruises ranging from four nights to ten nights.

The company says it wants to offer new cruise opportunities to the Chinese and also attract travellers from around the world to Chinese shores.

Adam Goldstein, the President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, says “There are clear opportunities in the China market, a key area for Royal Caribbean International’s global development.”

The biggest size cruise ship currently operating in China and the Asia-Pacific region is less than half the size of Voyager of the Seas. The mere size of the cruise liner is bound to attract a lot of attention from Chinese holidaymakers who up to now had to be satisfied with smaller cruise ships.