KAOHSIUNG (TVBS News) — Kaohsiung Port (高雄港) will welcome eight international cruise ships between January and February, promising to boost local tourism and attract up to 20,000 visitors, according to Taiwan International Ports Corporation (台灣港務股份有限公司) on Monday (Jan. 6).
In a press release, the corporation announced that the AIDAstella (愛達郵輪史黛拉號) will be the first to dock next Thursday, featuring its distinctive red lips and blue eyes design, similar to its sister ship, AIDAbella (愛達貝拉號). The Norwegian Sky (挪威郵輪天空號) and Seabourn Encore (璽寶郵輪安可號) will simultaneously arrive on Jan. 21, marking a record for Kaohsiung Port's travel center as it hosts two maiden voyages on the same day.
The Noordam (荷美郵輪諾丹號), with a gross tonnage of 83,000 and a capacity of nearly 2,000 passengers, will be the largest ship to dock on Feb. 23. Since last year, the port has extended the travel center’s boarding corridor by 125 meters, allowing simultaneous service of one large and one medium cruise ship, enhancing the port's service quality.
To welcome international passengers, the Port of Kaohsiung (高雄港務分公司) has coordinated with Maritime and Port Bureau (航港局). Additionally, it has partnered with the Kaohsiung City Government's Marine Bureau (高雄市政府海洋局) to host welcoming performances and calligraphy sessions during the ships' visits.