Nearly 600 Crew Board Adora Flora City Ahead of Maiden Voyage
Command of Adora Flora City will rotate between Niklas Peterstam, inaugural captain of Adora Magic City, and Wei Zhiyi, described by Adora as the first Chinese captain.
Nearly 600 crew members boarded Adora Flora City on October 1, 2026, ahead of its November 22 maiden voyage from Guangzhou Nansha International Cruise Home Port. Core managers, including the captain, chief engineer and hotel director, have taken up their duties onboard, according to Adora Cruises.
The arrivals are the first contingent for a ship expected to employ nearly 1,300 crew members.
Chen Ranfeng, CEO of Adora Cruises, said the first arrivals “come from more than 20 countries and all possess extensive experience in international cruise operations and services.”
Command will rotate between Niklas Peterstam, Adora Magic City’s inaugural captain, and Wei Zhiyi, whom Chen described as “the first Chinese captain.”
All crew members will undergo specialized training covering maritime regulations, safety fundamentals, Adora’s service standards and the new vessel’s onboard products.
The crew will also test equipment and onboard systems, examine how passengers and operational activities move through the ship, rehearse service scenarios and check supplies. Adora said the team will verify that the vessel meets the standards required to begin operating.
Adora Flora City is the line’s second China-built cruise ship and is being constructed by CSSC’s Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding. The approximately 141,900-gross-ton vessel will accommodate up to 5,232 passengers. Olympic diving champion Guo Jingjing has officially named Adora Flora City.
It will join Adora Magic City, China’s first domestically built large cruise ship, which is based in Shanghai, and Adora Mediterranea, the former Costa Mediterranea, which operates from Chinese ports including Tianjin.
The remaining crew members are due to join before the inaugural departure. The ship is scheduled for delivery on November 6.
