Take a cruise to the east coast to go whale watching and watch the sunrise – operators plan to launch Star of Taiwan

Written/Compiled and reported by Li Xinyi, MOOK Travel Life Network

With growing consumer spending power in Asia and increasing cross-strait exchanges, several cruise companies are in talks to open new routes at Keelung Port. For international routes, in addition to the well-established Star Cruises operating its 50,000-ton mega cruise ship – SuperStar Aquarius – another small yet premium vessel, Oriental Dragon, was added at the end of April this year. It sails the same route as Star Cruises, around Okinawa, Japan. Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s Runfeng Luxury Cruise Company also intends to operate the route with its Ocean Dream cruise ship, currently applying to the Maritime and Port Bureau, with the actual launch date still undecided. Another Taiwan-based company – Asia Pacific Marine Corporation – is planning to launch the Star of Taiwan, a round-island cruise that will travel from Keelung via international waters to Kaohsiung, Hualien, or Taichung. In the future, it will no longer be just a dream for people to take a cruise to the east coast to go whale and dolphin watching or to see the sunrise on Orchid Island.

For cross-strait routes, in addition to the existing China COSCO Star operated by COSCO Shipping, which sails routes such as Keelung–Xiamen and Keelung–Taizhou, the Taiwan-based Bafu Industrial Co., Ltd. plans to operate the Keelung–Pingtan route with the high-speed passenger and cargo vessel, Tai-Min Star, which can cross the Taiwan Strait in just three hours, offering great convenience for tourists and business travelers alike.

Keelung Port’s passenger traffic has hit record highs year after year. From January to May this year, the total number of passengers increased by as much as 9.52% compared to the same period last year, and it is estimated that the annual passenger count will exceed 462,000, setting yet another historical peak. As more operators enter the Keelung Port passenger ferry market, it not only boosts the local economy but also means consumers will have more diverse new leisure options.

● Read more: Asia’s largest cruise ship ever, MS Voyager of the Seas, sets sail from Keelung on August 31

http://goo.gl/8E1p1