Star Cruises, the leading cruise line in the Asia Pacific region, launched the Taiwan-Shanghai voyage yesterday, but the ship must stop at Japan's Okinawa islands because of Taipei's ban on direct sea links with China.
A total of 706 passengers boarded the 37,000-tonne SuperStar Aries at the Keelung Harbor, northeast of Taipei, for the seven-night, eight-day trip to Shanghai.
The ship will dock at Ishikaki islet -- a small Japanese island north of Taiwan -- on its way to Shanghai, and stop at Naha, the capital city of the Japanese island prefecture Okinawa, on its way back, Star Cruises' Taiwan marketing manager Lee Pei said by telephone.
The ship is scheduled to arrive at Shanghai Harbor at 9pm. Wednesday, and depart at 9pm, Thursday.
"The passengers can spend the night on board the ship or check into a Shanghai hotel," she said.
Lee said the public response to the Keelung-Shanghai trip is surprising good. "Our occupancy rate is over 90 percent," she said.
Star Cruises will only operate one Keelung-Shanghai cruise this year, but hopes to launch direct Keelung-Shanghai cruises after Taiwan has dropped the ban on direct sea links with China.
Launched on Dec. 17, 1999, Star Cruises bought a 50.2 percent stake in the Norwegian Cruise Line.
With the addition of NCL's 11 ships, Star Cruises has 19 luxury cruise ships, making it the world's fourth-largest cruise line. It has eight ships serving Asia-Pacific destinations.
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