Celebrate 50 Years: Princess Cruises Launches 10 Exclusive Voyages from Keelung Port in April

▲ Sapphire Princess. (Photo / Provided by Princess Cruises)

Reported by Chen Rui-zhong / Taipei

Princess Cruises is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year with a series of global events. Starting in April, it will also designate Keelung, Taiwan as the home port for the Sapphire Princess, offering a range of 3 to 7-day itineraries. Jan Swartz, President of Princess Cruises Worldwide, specially came to Taiwan today (February 3) to hold a celebratory press conference and gifted a Princess Cruises cruise package to celebrity Lee Ya-ling, allowing her to fully embrace her inner princess.

Jan Swartz stated that Princess Cruises has keenly felt the rising global enthusiasm for cruises, especially in the Asian region. In 2014, the Asian cruise market grew by 20%, far exceeding the global growth rate of 7%. The number of cruise passengers departing from Keelung Port reached 570,000, an increase of 10% compared to 2013, demonstrating Taiwan's development potential. In addition to the Keelung itineraries planned for the first half of the year, Xu Jing-qi, Marketing Director of Princess Cruises Taiwan Branch, revealed that there will also be cruises departing from Kaohsiung Port starting in June this year.

▲ (From left) Xu Jing-qi, Marketing Director of Princess Cruises Taiwan Branch, Lee Ya-ling, and Jan Swartz, President of Princess Cruises Worldwide, celebrate the 50th anniversary of Princess Cruises together.

Attending the event in a princess-style outfit, Lee Ya-ling also shared that although she is a mother, she still has a princess heart. Onboard a cruise, one can enjoy solo travel, host a bachelorette party with friends, or even go on a second honeymoon with their spouse. To fulfill Lee Ya-ling’s princess wish, the event specially arranged for male models to feed her specially made chocolates, while Jan Swartz gifted her a Princess Cruises cruise package, enabling her family to travel together.

Starting April 25, Princess Cruises will deploy the 116,000-ton Sapphire Princess, which can accommodate 2,670 passengers, to offer 10 exclusive 3 to 7-day cruise routes for Taiwan. Departing from Keelung Port, the itineraries include Hong Kong, Okinawa, Nagasaki, and Kagoshima, with prices starting from approximately NT$25,000 to NT$30,000.

Princess Cruises stated that the itineraries designed for Taiwanese travelers feature “international standards combined with Taiwanese elements” to meet the needs of local consumers. The ships also provide services and staff with Chinese-language support. For its 50th anniversary, the ship has planned special offerings such as chocolates by master pastry chef Norman Love, alcoholic beverages, commemorative dishes, and a Golden Party to celebrate the milestone, ensuring passengers enjoy the festive atmosphere of the 50th anniversary.