• The Incheon Port Authority (www.icpa.or.kr, President Lee Kyung-gyu) announced on the 12^th that it will strengthen marketing efforts targeting overseas cruise lines starting this month. The goal is to expand the operation of cruise home ports connecting Incheon Port and the Airport to over 20 voyages next year.

   

• From the 8th to the 9th, IPA Vice President of Operations, Kim Sang-ki, met the executives of Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) U.S.A. and Celebrity Cruises at their headquarters. The meetings resulted in a total of 13 cruise home port operations secured for next year, including 11 voyages with NCL and 2 voyages with Celebrity. Plans are underway to further increase this number by 2026.

• NCL highlighted the positive feedback received from cruise tourists during the pilot operation of the 2nd home port voyage at Incheon Port in March this year. Passengers were impressed with the shuttle services between the port and the airport, terminal operations such as luggage transport and customer convenience, and tours of Incheon and the metropolitan area.

• Next year, the 70,000-ton Norwegian Spirit and the 100,000-ton Celebrity Millennium are scheduled to dock at Incheon Port. These cruises are expected to bring approximately 4,000 tourists and crew members in total. Tourists will tour Incheon and the metropolitan area before departing via Incheon Airport. In addition, tourists who arrive at Incheon Airport will tour Seoul and the metropolitan area before boarding the cruise at Incheon Port. It is expected that approximately 52,000 tourists over 13 voyages will participate, with an estimated supply of ship provisions worth KRW 13 billion (1 billion KRW per voyage).

• Furthermore, Kim paid a visit to Royal Caribbean, one of the four major global cruise lines, to discuss the current status and support measures for cruise home port operations linking Incheon Port and the airport. He highlighted several advantages of Incheon Port, including its ▴geographical proximity to Incheon Airport, ▴its status as Korea's largest cruise terminal facility, and ▴established cruise tour routes based in Incheon. A pilot operation for the next year was proposed

• Incheon Port Authority Vice President of Operations Kim Sang-ki stated, "We will continue to promote the operational strengths of Incheon Port as a cruise home port that links Incheon Port and the airport to international shipping companies such as Japan’s MOL, Europe’s Crystal Cruises, and Hapag-Lloyd. Our marketing campaign will be focused on establishing Incheon Port as the central home port of Northeast Asia."

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= (Photo) Port Sales Promotion for the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line

/ Photo provided by the Incheon Port Authority