About the Port
Shanghai rises where the Huangpu River meets centuries of trade history, its skyline announcing China's modern ambitions while its old quarters preserve a slower past. The Bund, the city's riverfront boulevard, remains lined with early 20th-century banks and trading houses that once anchored international commerce, their facades facing the futuristic towers of Pudong across the water. Inland, the Yu Yuan Gardens, laid out during the Ming Dynasty, offer a quiet counterpoint of koi ponds, rockeries, and pavilions amid the bustle of the surrounding old town.
Many port calls place cruise piers within reach of these central sights, making a walk along the Bund toward the old city a practical way to take in both eras in a single outing. Shanghai also serves as a common gateway for onward journeys within China and the wider region, rewarding those who explore its markets, gardens, and riverfront in equal measure.
Pavlus Recommendations
How our planners would spend a day in Shanghai.
Cross to Pudong's Skyline
Take the ferry or a short taxi ride across the Huangpu to stand beneath the Oriental Pearl Tower and Jin Mao Tower, then look back at the Bund's colonial facades for the city's defining contrast.
Sample Xiaolongbao in the Old Town
Seek out steamed soup dumplings near Yu Yuan Gardens, where century-old teahouses and snack stalls serve this Shanghai specialty just steps from the bazaar's winding lanes.
Wander the French Concession
Plane tree-lined streets, art deco villas, and boutique cafes make this former foreign enclave a leisurely escape from the Bund's crowds, best explored on foot or by short cab ride.
Cruise Lines That Call Here
Cruises That Visit Shanghai
| Departs | Cruise Line | Ship | Itinerary | Nights | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2, 2026 | Azamara | Azamara Pursuit | 29 | $9,139 | |
| Oct 16, 2026 | Azamara | Azamara Pursuit | 7 | $1,629 | |
| Oct 16, 2026 | Azamara | Azamara Pursuit | 15 | $4,129 | |
| Oct 23, 2026 | Azamara | Azamara Pursuit | 8 | $1,579 | |
| Nov 8, 2026 | Ritz Carlton | Luminara | 12 | $22,200 | |
| Jan 8, 2027 | Crystal | Crystal Serenity | 139 | $76,200 | |
| Feb 22, 2027 | Azamara | Azamara Quest | 91 | $34,829 | |
| Feb 26, 2027 | Oceania | Oceania Vista | 129 | $63,399 | |
| Feb 26, 2027 | Oceania | Oceania Vista | 58 | $30,749 | |
| Mar 18, 2027 | Regent | Seven Seas Explorer | 12 | $12,499 | |
| Apr 2, 2027 | Azamara | Azamara Quest | 14 | $4,199 | |
| Apr 2, 2027 | Azamara | Azamara Quest | 87 | $32,509 | |
| Apr 11, 2027 | Oceania | Oceania Nautica | 27 | $9,499 | |
| Apr 11, 2027 | Oceania | Oceania Nautica | 13 | $4,799 | |
| Apr 23, 2027 | Crystal | Crystal Serenity | 34 | $19,810 | |
| Apr 25, 2027 | Regent | Seven Seas Explorer | 12 | $13,099 | |
| Apr 26, 2027 | Silversea | Silver Muse | 14 | $8,800 | |
| May 24, 2027 | Silversea | Silver Muse | 14 | $8,960 | |
| Aug 8, 2027 | Silversea | Silver Muse | 24 | $10,400 | |
| Aug 20, 2027 | Silversea | Silver Muse | 12 | $6,090 |
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