Hwajing Travel & Tours has kicked off its first international cruise familiarisation trip with agents aboard Piano Land, marking a strategic step towards expanding its cruise network across Southeast Asia.
Kenny Cheong, managing director of Hwajing Travel & Tours, described the event as a "historic first" and “a critical move in our strategic expansion into Southeast Asia’s cruise tourism market.”
Piano Land, a cruise ship operated by Adora Cruises, will be homeported in Malaysia starting 29 November 2025, with embarkation available from both Penang and Port Klang. Sailings will include two new itineraries: a 3-day, 2-night route (Penang – Port Klang – Penang) and a 4-day, 3-night route (Penang – Langkawi – Port Klang – Penang).
A signing ceremony marking the agreement between Hwajing and Adora Cruises took place on 4 July 2025 at Penang Port Authority.
Cheong noted that the ship “blends the refined elegance of modern cruise style with distinctive Asian cultural elements.” He added that this move “not only injects new vitality into Malaysia’s cruise tourism market, but also offers strong product support for Hwajing’s expansion across Southeast Asia.”
The fam trip aims to give travel agents direct exposure to the ship’s operations and service standards, as well as Malaysia’s tourism offerings. “By experiencing the cruise journey firsthand,” Cheong shared, “agents can better understand the product advantages and have a stronger foundation for client promotion.”
Cheong also stated that this initiative would help “solidify existing partnerships and attract new agents to join, thereby expanding business across the entire Southeast Asian region.”