Sokcho to Welcome 'Westerdam' on April 18, Officially Kicking Off the 2026 Cruise Season

Premium Cruise Ship of 82,000 Tons to Dock
Welcoming Around 2,000 Foreign Tourists
Inquiries Surge from Cruise Lines in China, Japan, and Russia

The 'Westerdam' cruise ship, marking the grand opening of Sokcho Port's 2026 cruise season, will dock at the Sokcho Port International Cruise Terminal on April 18.

Westerdam ship prior to previous docking. Provided by Sokcho City

The Westerdam, operated by Holland America Line in the United States, is a large premium cruise ship with a gross tonnage of 82,862 tons and a length of 285 meters. It can accommodate up to 3,182 people, including passengers and crew. Notably, since 2023, the Westerdam has become a regular visitor to Sokcho Port, making one or two visits every year and establishing itself as a symbolic vessel that promotes Sokcho Port’s excellent infrastructure and tourism appeal to the world. For this voyage, the ship will arrive at Sokcho Port at 10:00 a.m. on April 18, carrying approximately 2,000 foreign tourists after departing from Hakata and Fukuoka in Japan. The ship is scheduled to depart for its next destination, Kanazawa, Japan, at 8:00 p.m. on the same day.

As this is the first cruise ship arrival of the year, the Sokcho City Government, in cooperation with the Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, Gangwon Tourism Organization, and other related agencies, has prepared a large-scale welcoming event to provide the best tourism services to foreign visitors arriving in Sokcho.

First, a traditional Korean military band (Chwita) will perform to greet disembarking guests with the beauty of Korean culture. Inside the terminal, there will be a booth for trying on Hanbok (traditional Korean attire) and a calligraphy booth where tourists can have their names written in Korean, both designed to capture the interest of visitors. In addition, in connection with the “Companion Festival” organized by the Gangwon Regional Office of SMEs and Startups, a joint sales booth for local youth mall products will be operated to actively encourage spending by foreign visitors in the local community.

Westerdam before its previous arrival. Provided by Sokcho City

Support services for tourists will also be enhanced. A shuttle bus will circulate between the Sokcho Port Cruise Terminal and the major tourist attraction, Sokcho Tourist & Fishery Market. Temporary currency exchange booths will be set up inside the terminal, and multilingual interpreters will be stationed at key locations to provide language assistance and ensure convenience without language barriers.

Meanwhile, with recent changes in the international situation and continued success in port sales efforts, inquiries about cruise arrivals from China, as well as from Japanese and Russian cruise operators, are increasing. As a result, the number of cruise ships visiting Sokcho Port is expected to grow in the future.

A Sokcho City official stated, "We have thoroughly prepared so that passengers of the Westerdam, who have been visiting Sokcho every year since 2023, can experience the warm hospitality of the city." The official added, "With the recent surge in inquiries from various global cruise lines, we will do our utmost to firmly establish Sokcho as a key hub for the cruise industry in the East Sea Rim through proactive marketing and differentiated tourism content."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.