The news comes as authorities announce that Carnival Cruise Lines has decided to make Keelung a permanent base for its Sapphire Princess liner from May next year. The Sapphire Princess can carry over 2,600 passengers and will stop by Kagoshima, Nagasaki and Okinawa on its Japan cruise.
Star Cruises, Royal Caribbean International and Costa Cruises have already made Keelung one of their bases. Carnival is the fourth to do so.
Bruce Krumerine, vice CEO of the British-American cruise operator, visited the harbor's facilities on Oct. 28, the second time he has visited with the harbor authorities with his entourage. Krumerine is also considering to have the liner Sun Princess permanently based in Keelung.
A harbor official said Keelung's cruise traffic has been growing in 2013 because cruise operators have been seeking to compensate declining business in Europe and North America with new opportunities in Asia.
The number of passengers for unscheduled cruises in past years was around 60,000 persons each year. But this year will see about 150,000 passengers.
Star Cruise, which operates scheduled cruises each year in Taiwan, has also applied for nine unscheduled cruises.
With Taiwan gradually opening its market to China, cruise liners will also see their business grow, local media said.
Source: Want China Times
from China Travel & Tourism News http://www.chinatraveltourismnews.com/
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