The new year's first luxury cruise ship, Panama Topaz, anchored at the Waigaoqiao Port in the wee hours of yesterday morning, bringing the largest overseas tour party to the city since January.

The tourist ship carries 940 tourists, mostly from Japan, who will spend two days in the city. Local immigration officials estimated more than 50 such luxury cruise ships will stop by the city this year and they are working on simplifying the custom procedures to offer the sea tourists more convenience.

About 50 overseas luxury passenger liners traveled to Shanghai last year, bringing in more than 25,000 tourists.

(Shanghai Daily February 7, 2005)