Excitement in the air is tangible as up to 2,000 people discover they are now back online. For this is not a plane where flight mode can be more or less ignored; it’s the middle of the ocean, and that means no wifi, no wireless, no nothing.
空气里的兴奋几乎摸得着，因为最多可达2,000人的乘客这时才发现自己终于重新上线了。因为这可不是那种把飞行模式开着也无所谓的飞机；这里是在海中央，意味着没有 wifi，没有无线网，什么都没有。
It’s in fact a large part of the charm that is the cruise from Yantai in Shandong province to Dalian in Liaoning which is a pleasant 6.5 hours. With no direct trains that take over 10 hours and a similar price tag, it’s a no brainer.
事实上，这正是从山东烟台到辽宁大连这趟轮渡的一大魅力所在，全程舒舒服服约6.5小时。既然没有直达火车，车程还要10多个小时，价格也差不多，那答案就很简单了。
Our choice of a daytime option turned out to be spot on and ended up as one of the best experiences in China. That put us on the 34,000 tonne BO HAI CUI ZHU ro-ro (roll on, roll off) vessel servicing the route for which there are up to 20 sailings every day.
我们选择白天航次，结果证明特别对路，最后成了中国最棒的一次体验之一。于是我们登上了这艘34,000吨级的“渤海翠珠”号滚装船，这条航线每天最多有20个班次。
But How much does it Cost and what of the Accommodations?
那么，票价多少，住宿条件如何？
Vehicleless, we paid ¥1,100 for a second class cabin comprising twin beds, a (small) bathroom with shower and a seated area with a superb 150 degree ocean view. While we weren’t lucky enough to visit the first class accommodations, our investigations found third class to be a smaller and inferior version of second class, and fourth class to be four bunk beds in a windowless university-style dorm room. Finally, there is also a seating-only area which on our crossing was only about 25 percent occupied.
我们没有带车，付了¥1,100住二等舱，里面有两张单人床、一个带淋浴的小卫生间，还有一个坐着就能看到150度海景的休息区。虽然没机会进去看看一等舱，但我们打听到三等舱就是更小也更简陋的二等舱，而四等舱则是四个上下铺，像没有窗户的大学宿舍。最后还有纯座位区，我们这次航行时大约只坐了25%。
And of the view from our cabin, the shipping lanes out of Yantai and into Dalian are among the busiest in the world. It’s part of the extra spice along the way; seeing the world’s produce being moved around the oceans and driving both domestic and international commerce.
从舱房望出去，烟台出港、驶往大连的航道之一，堪称全球最繁忙的海上航线之一。这也给旅程添了几分特别的味道；你会看到全世界的货物在海上流动，推动着国内和国际贸易。
Feeding the Seagulls and Gorging on the BBQ
喂海鸥，吃烧烤
Exploring the ship’s interior, tucking into the outdoor BBQ on the ship’s upper deck and taking as many selfies as possible with the vast, open ocean behind one are the must dos on a trip of this sort.
在这种旅程里，必须做的事就是：逛逛船舱内部，在顶层甲板的露天烧烤区大快朵颐，再尽可能多地拍几张自拍，把身后那片辽阔的海面一起拍进去。
Those, and throwing morsels of sausage to the seagulls who have dared to stray far from shore to swoop down and catch said morsels with their beaks in mid air. These are talented, well-practised birds. And they know exactly when the next ship is coming along.
当然，还有把一小块一小块的香肠丢给那些敢飞离海岸很远、俯冲下来在半空中用嘴接住食物的海鸥。这些鸟很有本事，也很熟练。它们还很清楚下一艘船什么时候会来。
Now, to be fair, the BBQ is mediocre and the wait in line intolerable. Yet, neither detract from the overall experience of the ocean air, food and drink with friends, and a wide ship’s wake stretching out to the horizon behind. A calm sea and a crystal blue sky that goes on forever reaffirmed this was one trip that would linger in our memories long after others have faded.
公平地说，烧烤本身一般，排队也让人难以忍受。可这两样都不会减损整体体验：海风、和朋友一起吃喝，以及身后一直延伸到天边的巨大船尾浪。平静的海面和一望无际的湛蓝天空，再次证明这趟旅行会在记忆里停留很久，远比别的行程更久。
Then, perhaps all too soon, the expectation of land in the distance appears, first in the form the islands off Dalian. Then as the 5G icons start to flicker back on.
然后，陆地的轮廓也许来得太快了，先是大连外海的岛屿出现在远处。再然后，手机上的5G图标开始重新闪烁起来。
The only thing that’s missing is the swimming pool instead of the helipad. That, and a free satellite phone for all.
唯一欠缺的，大概就是把停机坪换成游泳池。还有，最好人人再送一部免费的卫星电话。
