KUALA LUMPUR (July 27): Cruise ship SuperStar Libra, one of the vessels owned by Star Cruises, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Genting Hong Kong Ltd, has held a festive celebration at its new homeport in Xiamen, China, on July 24 to mark the beginning of its stay there.

In a statement today, Star Cruises said SuperStar Libra’s new homeport in Xiamen from July 24 to Nov 1 marks the longest homeport of any industry cruise ship in the city.

“SuperStar Libra will operate 3-day/2-night cruises to Penghu, Taiwan, and 6-day/5-night cruises to Miyakojima and Naha, Okinawa, in Japan throughout the summer and autumn,” the company said in.

The welcome ceremony in Xiamen saw a host of government officials and representatives from the city of Xiamen, Xiamen Port Holding Group and the Xiamen Municipal Tourism Bureau, as well as the Taiwan Visitors Association and the Penghu Municipal County.

“Xiamen also holds a special personal connection with Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, chairman and chief executive officer of Genting Hong Kong, the parent company of Star Cruises, who can trace his ancestry back to the Fujian province,” said Star Cruises.

Starting in 1996, Star Cruises’ fleet, including SuperStar Leo and SuperStar Aquarius, have conducted more than 400 calls on Xiamen, bringing over 500,000 visitors to the city.

Genting Hong Kong executive vice president of sales, marketing and hotels Ang Moo Lim said Star Cruises is looking forward to its homeport in Xiamen for the next three months, in response to the Fujian government’s plans to grow the city as a major cruise destination.

“China is an important market for us in the region and we have regularly visited Xiamen in the past for short-term homeports with SuperStar Gemini in 2013 and SuperStar Virgo in 2014 and 2015.

“With cruising gaining in popularity in the country, the long-term deployment of SuperStar Libra in Xiamen will facilitate cross-strait cruises to enhance cultural exchange and boost tourism development in the region,” said Ang.

He added that with the cruise ship’s homeport now in Xiamen, Star Cruises is well positioned to cater to tourists not only from the Fujian province and greater China but also to foreign visitors as well, allowing them to explore new and unique travel experiences.