Five international cruise ships are scheduled to make their maiden calls at the Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal in Penang between this month and December this year, with a combined passenger capacity of more than 10,000.
Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said the vessels are Navigator Of The Seas, Villa Vie Odyssey, Adora Mediterranea, Star Seeker and Celebrity Solstice, with Navigator Of The Seas scheduled to be the first to arrive, berthing at 2.30pm on Oct 30.
“It reflects Malaysia’s ongoing efforts to expand its international cruise tourism market through closer cooperation with cruise operators, chartering travel agencies and tourism industry partners.
“Tourism Malaysia has been intensifying its efforts to promote cruise tourism, actively engaging international cruise lines, cruise chartering travel agencies and other industry partners to secure Malaysia’s inclusion in more regional and international cruise itineraries,” he posted on Facebook.
To mark these maiden calls, Tiong said the Penang Port Commission and Penang Port Sdn Bhd plan to organise welcoming activities for each vessel, featuring cultural performances, Penang-themed souvenirs and tourism promotions.
Tiong said these activities will allow international visitors to experience Penang’s local culture upon arrival, while the welcoming ceremony will also complement Tourism Malaysia’s promotional efforts by introducing cruise passengers to Penang and other destinations across the country. This will then encourage longer stays in Malaysia and attract more repeat visits.
He also highlighted the maiden call of Adora Mediterranea as a positive development following his engagement with Adora Cruises management during a visit to Shanghai, China in May this year.
The minister noted that discussions had covered South-East Asian cruise route development, port facilities, shore excursion products and regional cultural tourism cooperation.
Adora Cruises had also announced that Adora Mediterranea would operate eight international cruise voyages from Port Klang between Nov 24 and Dec 19, with itineraries covering Penang, Langkawi (Kedah), Phuket (Thailand) and Nha Trang (Vietnam).
Tiong said the development would strengthen Malaysia’s position in the regional cruise network and create more opportunities for local tourism operators to develop cruise packages, shore excursions and related services.
He said cruise tourism could generate economic benefits beyond port operations, particularly for local transport providers, restaurants, retailers, tourism operators and cultural attractions.
Tiong added that the ministry, through Tourism Malaysia, would continue working with international cruise operators, travel agencies, port authorities and local tourism industry players to attract more cruise routes and port calls, further strengthening Malaysia’s competitiveness in the international cruise tourism market. – Bernama
