The former Zhao Shang Yi Dun has been renamed Viking Yi Dun and rejoined the fleet of Viking Cruise. The renaming took place on 24 March 2026 at Shekou International Cruise Home Port in Shenzhen.
The vessel has also been reflagged to Norway, marking a shift back to its Nordic roots after operating under the Chinese flag. The ship was originally built as Viking Sun before being acquired in 2021 through a joint venture between China Merchants Group and Viking Cruises.
Under its previous name, Zhao Shang Yi Dun, the ship was positioned as China’s first luxury cruise vessel targeting the domestic high-end market. The project was intended to serve Chinese travellers from local homeports, though some sailings were later marketed internationally.
With the rebranding, China Merchants’ identity has been removed from the ship. Viking Yi Dun is now expected to return to Europe and operate Mediterranean cruises aimed at Chinese guests.
According to company plans, the vessel is scheduled to begin its new operations from Barcelona on 3 August. The cruises will offer Chinese-language services and are designed for travellers from key Chinese regions including Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou.
