Star Cruises has announced its decision to homeport its two current biggest vessels in the Taiwanese port of Kaohsiung during the coming season. Alan Lam reports.

The Asia Pacific focused cruise line has decided to homeport its SuperStar Aquarius and SuperStar Virgo in Kaohsiung, which has been making great efforts in wooing cruise business in recent years. SuperStar Aquarius will begin its homeport deployment in Kaohsiung in March, while SuperStar Virgo will be dual-homeporting in Kaohsiung and Hong Kong. The two ships will offer 32 voyages and are expected to carry about 60,000 passengers during the season.

With its emphasis firmly on Greater China and South East Asia, Star Cruises has major expansion plans, which include new deployment strategies. The company, with two mega liners currently under construction in Germany, is well known for its flexible and fluid deployment choices. This is key to its success as the pattern of cruise business in the region is constantly changing.

Like the Mainland Chinese, the Taiwanese have embraced ocean cruising in recent years. Most of them choose to cruise to nearby Far Eastern destinations, such as Hong Kong, Vietnam, China, South Korea and Japan. Star Cruises responses effectively to this growing demand.

In 2014, the company offered 28 voyages in and out of Kaohsiung, representing for about 60% of the total cruise traffic to and from this southern Taiwanese city.

The city and port authorities are delighted by the cruise line’s latest decision, which will go some way towards redressing the industry’s disproportionate focus on the northern Taiwanese port of Keelung.