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Pulau Penang Island (Georgetown, Malaysia Penang)

Cruise Port schedule, live map, terminals, news

Rating:
Pulau Penang Island cruise port

Region
Asia

Local Time
2024-11-24 05:06

min: 74 °F (23 °C) / max: 87 °F (31 °C) 77°F
25°C
Wind: 124°/ 2 m/s Gust: 1.9 m/sWind: 124°/ 2 m/s Gust: 1.9 m/sLight breeze
2 m/s
Min / Max Temperature87 °F / 31 °C
74 °F / 24 °C
  Port Map

Port Pulau Penang Island cruise ship schedule shows timetable calendars of all arrival and departure dates by month. The port's schedule lists all ships (in links) with cruises going to or leaving from Pulau Penang Island, Georgetown, Malaysia Penang. To see the full itineraries (ports of call dates and arrival / departure times) and their lowest rates – just follow the corresponding ship-link.

DayShipArrivalDeparture
9 April, 2026
Thursday
MSC Cruises Cruises cruise lineMSC Magnifica07:0016:00
12 April, 2026
Sunday
Phoenix Reisen Cruises cruise lineAmadea08:0023:00
13 April, 2026
Monday
Crystal Cruises Cruises cruise lineCrystal Serenity08:0018:00

Pulau Penang Island is part of Malaysia (constitutional monarchy in Southeast Asia) as one of all 13 federal states. The state covers a total area of approx 1048 km2 (405 mi2) and has population around 1,67 million. It is also one of the 4 Malaysian states run by a Governor (together with Malacca, Sabah, and Sarawak). Malaysia also has another isle called "Pulau Pinang" - it is a diving site in South China Sea (part of Johor Marine Park) which consist of the islands Pinang, Dayang, Lang, and Aur.

Port Penang (locode MYPRA) is a free port (free economic territory) serving the capital city George Town (also Georgetown). When the British East India Company occupied Penang (August 12, 1786), the isle was named "Prince of Wales Island" to honor the birthday of King George IV (at that time Prince of Wales, 1762-1830). The capital city George Town was named after the ruling King George III (1738-1820).

Penang Island has an area of 295 km2 (114 mi2). It is the 4th-largest island in Malaysia, after Banggi, Bruit and Langkawi islands. Pulau Penang Island is also the most populated in the country with a population of around 678,000. It is connected with mainland Malaysia by the Penang Bridge which begins at Gelugor on the isle and ends in Perai on the mainland.  In 2016, the cruise port handled 150 ship calls and 230,000+ passengers. In 2017, RCCL had scheduled 38 ship calls in Penang (George Town).

In mid-March 2017, RCCL-Royal Caribbean entered into a joint venture (40% stake) with the Porth Authority "Penang Port Sdn Bhd" (PPSB). On September 6, 2018, RCCL and PPSB  Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (RCL) and Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) officially signed the joint venture terminal project (~USD 37 million). Penang Port Sdn Bhd is a subsidiary of MMC Corporation Berhad (Kuala Lumpur-based group of companies with four core businesses - Ports and Logistics, Energy and Utilities, Engineering, and Industrial Development).

RCCL upgraded and redeveloped the Port's existing facility (Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal) in George Town. At the upgraded pier can dock two larger cruise vessels simultaneously. Along with two large liners, the port can berth 2 more ships - 1 small and 1 medium-sized. The existing berth was extended from 400 to 688 m (1312 to 2260 ft), by adding 220 m pier plus 118 m long marine dolphin (mooring structure extending above the water but not connected to shore). Swettenham Terminal's areas were redeveloped to include a dedicated tour bus parking area. In 2019, RCI scheduled a total of 36 ship calls at Penang.

In August 2019 was announced that Prasarana Malaysia Berhad (government-owned transport company) in 2020 will upgrade Penang Island's ferry service (daily crossings on the Butterworth-Georgetown route) by introducing catamarans to speed up the passenger shipping between the island and mainland Malaysia. For this Rapid Ferry project, the Government allocated MYR 90 million (~USD 21,5 million / ~EUR 19,3 million). Most of the existing ferries will be converted into cruise ships transporting tourists.

Pulau Penang Island cruise terminal

Cruise ships to Pulau Penang Island dock at George Town/Georgetown - on the island's east coast. Most liners dock at Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal (SPCT), which has capacity to berth 4 vessels at the time (2 larger plus 1 small and 1 medium).

The cruise port (officially Penang Harbour) can handle the world's largest passenger ships at its Swettenham Pier. The pier is located close to the popular tourist attractions Weld Quay, Beach Street, Clock Tower, Esplanade.

As Swettenham Pier has only 2 berths, if those are already occupied, other cruise vessels will be anchored in the harbor waterway and their passengers offloaded and transported to the town via the ship's tender boats. For 2018 was scheduled a port development project included widening of the cruise berths and expanding the passenger terminal.

The budgeted MYR 155 million (Malaysian Ringgit / ~USD 37M) project was planned to start in September 2019. After its completion (scheduled for Sept 2020 but postponed to 2021) the terminal's length was expanded northwards from 545 to 793 m (1790-2600 ft). The expanded facility now has the capacity to handle 2 mega-liners simultaneously (on its outer berths) plus 2 smaller-sized ships (1 small + 1 medium) on its inner berths.

SPCT's expansion resulted in ~30% larger berthing area. The solid deck wharf was extended 220 m towards the terminal's north (from 400 to 620 m / 2034 ft), and the breasting and mooring dolphin were increased, respectively, by 50 m and 68 m.

In September 2024, Penang Port Sdn Bhd announced further investments to Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal, following the initial upgrade of RM100+ million (~USD 24M). The new upgrades focus on expanding Penang's homeporting capabilities/roundtrip voyages to boost the local economy. This way, cruise tourists spend more time in the area, while the ships procure supplies (fuel, provisions) from local businesses.

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