More than 450 international cruise ships are expected to stop in Taiwan next year, when it fully waives passenger fees at some commercial ports, Taiwan International Port Corp (TIPC) said yesterday.
The state-run seaport management company said that it has been meeting with the international cruise ship operators in Singapore, Malaysia, Europe and Japan since the government reopened borders and lifted the ban on international cruise ship tours at the end of last year.
In April, the company’s management met with executives of Carnival Corp, Norwegian Cruise Line and Holland America Line during the Seatrade Cruise Global in Miami, Florida, the world’s largest cruise trade conference, it said.
Photo: CNA
Last week, they also attended the Asia Cruise Forum in South Korea’s Jeju Island to promote Taiwan’s commercial seaports, it added. This year, the company has waived the dockage fee and granted a 30 percent discount on passenger service charges as incentives to attract international cruise ships, it said.
Next year, the company would fully waive the passenger service fee if a cruise ship makes at least five calls at the ports of Keelung, Kaohsiung and Magong (馬公), it said.
The fee would also be waived if a cruise ship makes at least three calls at the Port of Hualien and at least two calls at the ports of Taipei, Taichung, Anping (安平) and Suao (蘇澳), it added.
This year, 289 cruise ships are scheduled to stop at Taiwanese seaports, the company said.
With the full waiver of the passenger service charge, the number of cruise ships that make stops in Taiwan could reach 450 next year, about 70 percent of the 2019 level, it said.
“We have noticed that smaller expedition ships have increased stops in Taiwan, including Hanseatic Nature of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. These ships account for about 15 percent of the vessels at the ports, and the number is growing,” the company said.
Resorts World One of Resorts World Cruises are this year operating cruises between Hong Kong and Kaohsiung, while MSC Bellissima of MSC Cruises has plans to offer trips between Keelung and Okinawa next year, the company said.
Norwegian Spiritof Norwegian Cruise Line plans to offer cruise ship tours in Taiwan from June to September next year, with the Port of Keelung being the home port, it said.
Nippon Maru is planning to operate from Japan to the Port of Kaohsiung on New Year’s Eve next year, the company said, adding that French cruise ship Le Ponant and Holland America Line are drafting plans for trips to Taiwan.
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