To enhance the overall service experience for international cruise passengers, the Kaohsiung Branch of Taiwan International Ports Corporation (TIPC) continues to upgrade terminal facilities and service processes at the Kaohsiung Port Cruise Terminal, building an international cruise gateway that combines efficiency, safety, and hospitality.
Regarding infrastructure, the Kaohsiung Port Cruise Terminal features an extended boarding corridors and accessible passenger boarding bridges that connect cruise ships with the terminal, providing passengers with a comfortable, safe, and smooth indoor environment. Four sets of biometric automated border control (e-Gate) counters with two-way facial recognition have also been installed to improve clearance efficiency. The terminal is further equipped with automated tax refund machines, two-way foreign currency exchange machines, ATMs, free Wi-Fi, and mobile phone charging areas to meet international passengers' financial and communications needs. Wheelchair lending services and a nursing room are also provided, creating a terminal environment friendly to persons with reduced mobility and families with young children.
In terms of service measures, TIPC partners with the Kaohsiung City Government to provide tourist information services during cruise berthing periods, helping international passengers obtain timely information on Kaohsiung’s attractions, transportation, and itineraries. Welcome performances are arranged at the Cruise Terminal to create a warm and friendly first impression. TIPC also organizes cultural experience activities such as calligraphy, allowing international passengers to appreciate the local culture of Taiwan and Kaohsiung. To support sightseeing and onward transfers, TIPC coordinates with the Transportation Bureau to encourage taxi operators to queue and provide passenger pick-up services at the cruise terminal during cruise ship calls, improving transfer efficiency and ensuring passengers can connect quickly and safely to their onward journeys.
Through the continuous optimization of terminal facilities, the Kaohsiung Branch of TIPC has implemented concrete passenger-friendly service measures for international cruise passengers, enhancing passenger satisfaction and cruise lines' willingness to call at the port, and strengthening the Port of Kaohsiung's competitiveness in the international cruise market.
