A cruise ship is a typical ship type of high technology, high difficulty, and high added value, which is the carrier and core of the rapid development of the cruise industry in China. However, it is also the only ship type that does not fully possess independent research and development, design, construction, supporting facility and operation capability in China. Firstly, the recent operation market and new shipbuilding industry for the cruise ship at home and abroad are reviewed. The ship type characteristics and the development of the newly-built cruise ships are then summarized. Three potential technologies are subsequently introduced, including methanol powered cruise ships, lightweight design based on lightweight materials and waste heat recovery of main engines based on Organic Rankine Cycle system. Finally, the challenges and countermeasures faced by the development of the design and construction of the cruise ships in China are analyzed and discussed from four aspects, namely independent design, efficient construction and engineering control, independent supporting facility and supply chain construction, and independent operation.