VietNamNet Bridge – The cruise line Star Cruises has announced the new schedule of the cruise ship SuperStar Virgo which will promisingly bring more cruise tourists to Vietnam.

According to Star Cruises, SuperStar Virgo’s main port will be changed from Singapore to Hong Kong in six months between April and October, 2014 to take tourists to Taiwan, China’s Hainan and Vietnam’s Halong Bay. This 75,000-ton-plus cruise ship has 13 decks and 935 cabins.

Star Cruises is promoting the ship’s journeys such as the four-day journey from Hong Kong to Taiwan and the one departing from Sanya (Hainan) for Halong Bay in the period between April 7 and October 26, 2014.

According to the cruise line, the cruise tourism demand in Asia is growing and the main port’s shift from Singapore to Hong Kong is part of the strategy of developing destinations like Hong Kong, China, South Korea and Japan.

According to some travel firms catering to cruise tourists, cruise tourism grows well in the travel season from October, 2013 to April, 2014.

Phan Xuan Anh, chairman of Viet Excursions, said that the number of cruise tourists from last month to early next year would be equivalent to last year’s same period. The firm regularly welcomes ships from the U.S., Australia and the UK.

Saigontourist Travel Service Company also sees a strong increase in the number of cruise tourists. In addition to Asian ships routinely arriving in Halong Bay and Danang, the firm also welcomes two ships from the U.S.

According to Quang Ninh Province’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, there will be over 200 international cruise ships from October, 2013 to April, 2014, up 18% year-on-year.

Source: SGT