The international luxury cruise ship, Chinese Taishan, made its maiden voyage from the city of Yantai in Shandong province to Japan on June 11. The vessel has around 500 passengers on board.

The international luxury cruise ship, Chinese Taishan, makes its maiden voyage from the city of Yantai in Shandong province to Japan on June 11, 2015.[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The interior of the Chinese Taishan [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Yantai has maintained close ties with Japan in terms of economy, culture and tourism. The Chinese Taishan has ended the wait for a direct transportation route between the two sides and its launch marks the first cruise line to facilitate communication and exchanges between Yantai and Japan.

The interior of the Chinese Taishan [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Produced by Shandong Bohai Ferry Co in Yantai, Chinese Taishan is used to satisfy tourism routes to South Korea and Japan. To date, the ship has carried more than 40,000 passengers.

The ship includes restaurants, tea houses, physiotherapy rooms and outdoor swimming pools. It also provides customized services such as wedding photography.

Edited by Jacob Hooson

Wang Qian contributed to the story