Taiwan-exclusive cruise itinerary: A budget-luxury voyage at sea

By MOOK Scenic Spots Travel Life Net, Chen Guanxin | Compiled & Reported | Source: MoKo Editorial Team

 

Standing on the deck, the endless horizon where sea meets sky makes you forget where you are, while the slow, rhythmic sound of waves becomes your only guide; surrounded by gourmet cuisines and fine wines from around the world, the overwhelming choices make it hard to decide where to start; an outdoor pool, basketball court, or gym—ordinary places on land—are so novel at sea that you can’t wait to show off your skills in the middle of the ocean. A cruise vacation is truly a dream come true.

 

As Asia becomes a battleground for cruise companies, you no longer need to spend hundreds of thousands flying abroad for a cruise experience. This week’s special feature introduces exclusive cruise itineraries just for Taiwan. Not only can you embark and disembark right at Keelung Port, skipping long-haul flights and travel fatigue, but you can also enjoy a premium cruise experience for under NT$50,000.

 

The Explorer of the Seas will take travelers to Jeju Island and Fukuoka. Built at a cost of NT$16.8 billion and stretching 311 meters in length, the ship features a 4-deck-high entertainment and shopping boulevard—Royal Promenade, a luxurious three-story main dining room that can accommodate over a thousand guests, a 320-meter-high sea-climbing wall, three outdoor pools, a basketball court, a real ice-skating rink, and Asia’s only sea chapel, making the Explorer of the Seas feel like a floating castle. With six restaurants and cafes including the main dining room, it offers a variety of cuisines such as barbecue, American, and Italian, ensuring a feast for all passengers.

This volcanic cone located on the eastern coast of Jeju Island clearly reveals its crater when viewed from afar. It takes about 50 minutes to hike up and down this small hill along the trail. Once at the top, you’ll find the crater, with endless ocean on one side and views of Jeju City on the other. The mountain scenery attracts countless visitors who drive here, and even the Korean drama “My Girl” was filmed here. Near the base by the coast, you can see small caves—these are not natural sea erosion caves but were dug by Japanese forces during WWII, forcing Korean residents to excavate them for hiding ammunition. There are about 700 such caves across South Korea. At the foot of the mountain, restaurants serve fresh seafood feasts, and you might even spot haenyeo (female divers) in the ocean view—a perfect spot for a meal.

 

Located in the suburbs of Fukuoka, Dazaifu Tenmangu is a shrine famous for academic success, enshrining Japan’s “God of Scholarship,” Sugawara no Michizane. As the head shrine of all Tenmangu shrines, it attracts nearly 7 million visitors annually, especially students praying for academic success and success in exams. The main hall is designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan, and the plum trees beside it are said to have flown here from Kyoto out of admiration for Michizane, hence their name “Flying Plum.” This is also a famous flower-viewing spot in Kyushu; every spring, over 6,000 plum trees in the shrine grounds bloom simultaneously, creating a spectacular sea of flowers that draws visitors for flower viewing and tasting the local specialty, umegae mochi. In summer, you can also enjoy irises and the traditional Suikinkutsu banquet.

Italian cruise line Costa Cruises’ Costa Atlantica, once named “Europe’s Best New Cruise Ship” by Porthole Magazine and selected as one of the “Top 10 Cruise Ships” by Condé Nast Traveler readers, will launch a “Taiwan-exclusive special voyage” in June. In addition to taking travelers to destinations like Kagoshima and Busan, the Italia-inspired Costa Atlantica has each deck named after classic films by legendary Italian director Federico Fellini. The ship’s Caffè Florian recreates the famous 1720 Venice café of the same name, making it the world’s only maritime branch. Moreover, the “Atlantica” offers four restaurants and 12 bars serving mouthwatering Italian cuisine and a wide selection of Asian dishes all day long—an irresistible attraction.