A bumpy cruise on the ancient Maritime Silk Road takes guests to vibrant ports in Malaysia and Vietnam.

After I threw up everything I had eaten for dinner for the second time in a row, I wondered whether I could complete the rest of my voyage aboard the Beibu Gulf Star.

My discomfort intensified as the strong currents of the South China Sea caused the toilet doors to slap violently. A passenger in the cabin opposite mine vomited loudly. It was late at night, but the other girls in my cabin remained wide awake. They talked about the possibility of flying back home as soon as the ship reached Kuantan in the morning.