Star Cruises to resume Taiwan service on 29th

Star Cruises (麗星遊輪), Asia's largest cruise line, will resume its operations in Taiwan on March 29, three months after it suspended its service due to Taiwan's economic recession, the line said yesterday.

"The reason to resume service is because Taiwan's economy has begun to recover and the weather is getting warmer," Star Cruises' Taiwan Manager Li Pei (李佩) said.

"We will resume service in Taiwan for half a year and then make an evaluation," she said .

Star Cruises will use the 37,000-tonne, 11-storey MegaStar Aries to provide three voyages from the northern port of Keelung: four-day, three-night trips to Naha, capital city of Japan's Okinawa island; three-day, two-night trips to Japan's Ishikaki islet; and three-day, two-night gambling trips in Japan waters.

To promote sales, Star Cruises is offering a free ticket for each ticket sold -- and will upgrade passengers whose star sign is Aries -- for those who make bookings before March 25.

Star Cruises originally entered the Taiwan market in 1998.