The Singapore Tourism Board and Princess Cruises have entered into a 3-year partnership intended to expand the cruise operator’s presence in Singapore and further strengthen the city-state’s position as a principal cruise hub within the Asia-Pacific region.
Covering the period from 2027 to 2030, the agreement is expected to bring more than 150,000 passengers through Singapore while contributing additional economic activity across the country’s tourism and maritime sectors.
The partnership coincides with continued growth in the Asia-Pacific cruise market, driven by rising regional affluence, the expansion of the middle-class travel segment and increasing demand for longer and more immersive cruise itineraries. Against this backdrop, Singapore is positioned to benefit from its established aviation connectivity and cruise infrastructure.
As part of the deployment programme, Diamond Princess, Sapphire Princess and Grand Princess will operate from Singapore, with the number of sailings scheduled to double by 2030. Supported through the Singapore Tourism Board’s Cruise Development Fund, the vessels will undertake itineraries ranging from 10 to 28 days, allowing passengers to access a broader range of destinations throughout Asia.
The 2027–2028 Southeast Asia programme will see Diamond Princess deployed on extended regional voyages linking Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia. The itineraries are expected to include 29 destinations across nine countries, with several sailings structured as longer-duration regional voyages of up to 28 days. The deployment follows the 2026–2027 season, during which Diamond Princess and Sapphire Princess are scheduled to operate concurrently from Singapore between November 2026 and February 2027.
Singapore’s continued use as a seasonal homeport for Princess Cruises is anticipated to attract international fly-cruise traffic, particularly from medium- and long-haul source markets including Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The deployment is also expected to support further expansion of the fly-cruise segment in Asia, while reinforcing Singapore’s role as a preferred embarkation hub supported by extensive international air connections and established cruise terminal facilities. The country’s wider tourism offering is additionally expected to encourage pre- and post-cruise stays among visiting passengers.
Jean Ng, Assistant Chief Executive of the Experience Development Group at the Singapore Tourism Board, stated that the agreement reflected Singapore’s standing as a leading cruise hub in Asia. She indicated that the expanded deployment by Princess Cruises would broaden the range of premium cruise products available in the market and contribute to the objectives outlined in Singapore’s Tourism 2040 strategy through the development of differentiated tourism offerings. She further noted that the Asia-Pacific region continued to emerge as a major growth market for cruising and that Singapore remained well positioned to capture increasing fly-cruise demand.
Matthew Rutherford, Vice President Asia Pacific at Princess Cruises, stated that Singapore represented a central component of the company’s regional strategy and provided an effective homeport for the expansion of its Asia-Pacific operations. He added that the multi-year deployment reflected confidence in Singapore’s connectivity and cruise ecosystem, while responding to increasing demand for longer and more destination-focused itineraries across Southeast Asia and neighbouring regions.