StarCruises will open bookings on October 1st, 2026, for Star Navigator’s 2027 programme, which combines short Okinawa cruises, Japan–South Korea itineraries and longer summer sailings from Taiwan. The programme runs from December 11th, 2026, through September 1st, 2027, with Keelung continuing as the ship’s primary homeport.
Star Navigator will operate 13 roundtrip itineraries ranging from two to seven nights, visiting destinations in Japan and South Korea. The deployment will also include a temporary shift to Kaohsiung during the winter school holiday and Lunar New Year period, providing an alternative departure point for passengers from central and southern Taiwan.
Between January 24th and February 4th, 2027, the ship will operate from Kaohsiung on 2- and 3-night cruises to Hong Kong and Okinawa. The deployment is timed to coincide with the winter school holiday and Lunar New Year travel period and is intended to reduce the need for passengers in southern and central Taiwan to travel to Keelung. StarCruises said Star Navigator will be the only cruise ship operating from Kaohsiung during this period.
Michael Goh, President of StarDream Cruises, said the company continues to regard both Keelung and Kaohsiung as important homeports, with the 2027 deployment combining regular operations from Keelung with additional Kaohsiung departures during the winter holiday period.
Okinawa forms a significant part of the programme, with 2- to 4-night itineraries calling at destinations including Ishigaki and Naha. Other combinations include Miyakojima, Naha and Ishigaki, while a 2-night High Seas Cruise provides an option without a scheduled port call.
Star Navigator will also operate a 3-night Naha New Year Cruise departing Keelung on December 31, 2026, allowing passengers to spend New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day onboard before returning to Taiwan.
The 5-night itineraries extend the programme into Japan and South Korea, with port combinations including Busan, Sasebo and Naha; Busan, Nagasaki and Naha; Jeju, Kagoshima and Naha; and Fukuoka, Nagasaki and Naha. Another itinerary combines calls at Jeju, Sasebo and Naha.
These cruises incorporate established ports in both countries, including Busan, Jeju, Sasebo, Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Fukuoka and Naha. Departures are scheduled from March through August 2027, including a March 21st sailing during Japan’s spring travel period.
The longest itinerary announced for the programme is a 7-night Japan Discovery Cruise departing Keelung on August 1st, 2027. The roundtrip sailing will call at Kochi, Tokyo via Yokohama, Shimizu and Osaka, providing a broader Japanese itinerary compared with the shorter Okinawa-focused cruises.
Overall, Star Navigator’s 2027 deployment will cover 12 destinations in Japan in addition to selected ports in South Korea. The programme combines short regional cruises with longer multi-country itineraries, using Taiwan as the primary embarkation market.
Bookings for Keelung departures will be available through StarCruises and participating travel partners from October 1st, while the Kaohsiung sailings will be sold through participating domestic travel agencies.