StarCruises has mapped out the Star Navigator's 2027 season, and Taiwan is the anchor. The ship will run 13 roundtrip itineraries from Keelung and Kaohsiung between December 11, 2026 and September 1, 2027, with bookings opening October 1, 2026.
Keelung is the main homeport for the season, but Kaohsiung gets its moment too: from January 24 to February 4, 2027, the ship repositions south during the winter school holidays to run two- and three-night cruises to Hong Kong and Okinawa. StarCruises says it will be the only cruise ship sailing from Kaohsiung in that window — handy for travellers based in central and southern Taiwan who'd rather skip the trip up to Taipei.
The short-haul options lean heavily on Okinawa, which makes sense given how close it is. There are two-night cruises to Ishigaki and Naha, a two-night High Seas cruise for people who just want the ship itself, and three- and four-night combinations taking in Miyakojima, Naha and Ishigaki. If you fancy a New Year's Eve with a difference, a special three-night Naha cruise departs Keelung on December 31, 2026, so you can welcome 2027 at sea.
For a fuller trip, five five-night itineraries stitch together Japanese and South Korean ports: pairings like Busan–Sasebo–Naha, Busan–Nagasaki–Naha, Jeju–Kagoshima–Naha, Fukuoka–Nagasaki–Naha and Jeju–Sasebo–Naha. That's a nice hit of variety — South Korea's biggest port city and its volcanic island getaway, plus Japanese spots from Kyushu's characterful port towns to Okinawa. The March 21, 2027 departure is the one to watch for cherry blossom season.
The headline voyage is a seven-night Japan Discovery Cruise roundtrip from Keelung on August 1, 2027, timed for the summer holidays. It calls at Kochi, Tokyo (via Yokohama), Shimizu and Osaka — four very different Japanese destinations in a single week.
Booking routes differ slightly: Keelung sailings can be booked direct through StarCruises and regional travel partners, while Kaohsiung departures go through national travel partners. Michael Goh, president of StarDream Cruises, framed the line-up as part of a push to make cruise holidays more accessible with year-round sailings from both ports.
Why it matters: this is a rare chance to cruise to Japan or South Korea without flying there first. If you're already in Taiwan — or planning a Taiwan trip — you can tack on anything from a two-night island hop to a week-long multi-country voyage, often at a lower price point than a fly-cruise. The range of trip lengths also suits mixed groups: quick escapes for the time-poor, longer loops for families in the school holidays.
