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Jeju welcomes record 11,000 cruise ship tourists in single day Saturday

Published: 11 May. 2025, 18:41 Updated: 11 May. 2025, 18:47

Ovation of the Seas, right, and the Adora Magic City cruise ships are docked at the Gangjeong Port in Jeju Island on May 10. [JEJU SPECIAL SELF-GOVERNING PROVINCIAL OFFICE]

Jeju welcomed more than 11,000 cruise ship tourists in a single day on Saturday, the largest number since the island began full-scale cruise tourism in 2005, the provincial government said Sunday.

Three large cruise ships arrived back-to-back at Jeju’s ports on Saturday. At 7 a.m., the 90,000-ton Celebrity Millennium docked at Jeju Port, carrying up to 2,593 passengers from Hiroshima, Japan. The 170,000-ton Ovation of the Seas arrived at Gangjeong Cruise Terminal from Tianjin, China, with a capacity of 4,919 passengers. Later at 2 p.m., the 130,000-ton Adora Magic City, which departed from Shanghai, made port with up to 5,246 passengers on board.

A total of 11,184 passengers — 87.7 percent of the three ships' combined maximum capacity of 12,758 — disembarked in Jeju. An additional 3,708 crew members were also on the island.

Jeju estimates that about 2 billion won ($1.4 million) in economic benefits were generated from port usage fees, terminal fees, local tourism and shopping. To accommodate the influx, 200 charter buses and 200 interpreters were mobilized.

Jeju’s cruise industry has shown a sharp recovery since the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions.

The Celebrity Millenium cruise ship docked at the Jeju Port in Jeju Island on May 10. [JEJU SPECIAL SELF-GOVERNING PROVINCIAL OFFICE]

The number of cruise passengers soared from 101,000 in 2023 to 641,000 in 2024 — a 534.7 percent on-year increase. Port calls also rose from 71 to 274 during the same period. This year, Jeju expects 346 port calls and up to 800,000 cruise visitors.

A recent survey by the Jeju Tourism Organization found that cruise visitors stay longer and report higher satisfaction compared to the previous year. Average stay time rose from 4.23 hours in 2023 to 5.04 hours this year, thanks to reduced Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) processing times. With automated immigration kiosks expected by the end of the year, CIQ is projected to become even more efficient.

To sustain growth in cruise tourism, Jeju plans to increase its supply of locally sourced ship provisions and fresh water. Cruise lines that contribute to the local economy — by visiting traditional markets or participating in Jeju-recommended tours — will receive priority in berth allocation.

Tourists fill the Hyeopjae Beach in Jeju Island on May 7. [NEWS1]

The provincial government also plans to offer new cultural programs such as haenyeo (female diver) experiences and tangerine picking, and strengthen connections with public tourism sites and cultural events, including the Jeju Stone Park, to enhance visitor satisfaction.

The Adora Magic City cruise began semi-homeport operations at Gangjeong Cruise Terminal this month, sailing a regular route between Shanghai, Jeju and Japan. It is scheduled to complete 33 voyages by year’s end.

“As we enter the era of 10,000 cruise passengers a day, we will strengthen our readiness to receive them,” said Oh Sang-pil, head of Jeju’s Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Bureau. “With aggressive promotion and distinctive tourism content, we aim to establish Jeju as Asia’s premier cruise destination.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY CHOI CHOONG-IL [[email protected]]