To enhance the visibility and port-call potential of Taiwan's ports in the Asian cruise market, Taiwan International Ports Corporation (TIPC) has actively organized on-site familiarization tours for international cruise lines. TIPC successfully invited representatives of Holland America Line and Seabourn, two premier cruise brands under Carnival Corporation, for a nine-day island-wide familiarization tour starting from November 1st, 2025. The tour showcased Taiwan's port facilities, reception services, and tourism resources, enabling the cruise lines to evaluate potential future port calls.

Distinguished guests included Madeleine Ninness, Shore Excursions Product Manager, and Chris Bacon, Manager of Itinerary and Destination Planning, of Holland America Line, along with Jeff Shieh, Manager of Itinerary Planning and Analysis of Seabourn. As core members of their respective itinerary and product planning teams, these representatives oversee cruise deployment, market analysis, and shore excursion development, giving them significant influence over Asian itinerary planning.

TIPC noted that major cruise lines have in recent years actively expanded their footprint across Asian market. The two participating cruise lines distinct market positioning and passenger bases, spanning a diversified product range from luxury to mid- and large-sized cruises. As the Asian cruise market recovers, cruise lines see strong potential in East Asian itineraries, showing keen interest in new ports of call that offer rich cultural depth and distinctive experiences. Hosted and arranged by TIPC with support from the Taiwan Tourism Administration, MOTC, the familiarization itinerary departed from Taipei and covered major cruise ports including Tainan, Kaohsiung, Penghu, Taichung, Hualien, and Keelung. Key areas of evaluation included port facilities, passenger services, and nearby attractions, enabling the cruise lines to gain in-depth insight into each port's distinctive strengths and tourism potential.

Cruise line representatives remarked: "We are always looking for ports that can offer passengers diverse cultural experiences and local charm. This visit provided a deeper understanding of Taiwan's diverse landscapes, with each port city displaying a unique character that left a lasting impression. Combined with Taiwan's excellent security and comfortable environment, we look forward to expanding our future calls here."

TIPC further explained that cruise lines are constantly seeking fresh destinations to diversify their Asian itineraries. Taiwan's ports offer sound berthing capacity and appeal, for example, the Port of Taichung's central location allows flexible scheduling between Keelung and Kaohsiung on one itinerary, while the Wharf No. 1 extension project at Penghu Port has been completed, enabling even larger cruise ships to berth directly, which is highly attractive to international cruise lines. TIPC President Wang Chin-jung stated: "Enabling cruise lines to gain an in-depth understanding of Taiwan's port environment and tourism potential through on-site familiarization visits is an important step in advancing international port-call cooperation. Going forward, we will continue to work with the Taiwan Tourism Administration and local governments to drive international marketing and investment promotion, actively expand port-call itineraries, and position Taiwan as an emerging destination of exceptional cultural depth and appeal on Asian cruise routes."

This itinerary also showcased the synergy between central and local governments working together to advance the cruise industry. TIPC invited the cruise lines and coordinated overall planning, the Taiwan Tourism Administration assisted with hospitality arrangements, and local governments including Keelung, Kaohsiung, Hualien, and Tainan dedicated personnel to support international marketing and promotion, providing local tourism content and promotional resources to help promote city image and local character, demonstrating the shared resolve of central and local authorities to develop the cruise industry.