REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SURABAYA -- An international cruise ship carrying 1,179 tourists and 580 crew members visited the Tanjung Perak port of Surabaya in East Java.

Dutch-flagged cruise ship MS Rotterdam not only called at the port but also spent a night there, Edi Priyanto, the spokesman of PT Pelindo III, the port's operator, said here Monday.

"This is the first international cruise ship visiting the port this year and also the first cruise ship spending a night at the port," he said.

In its visit last year to Surabaya, which is Indonesia's second largest city, it carried 1,179 tourists and 580 crew members, he said.

Last year the ship, however, only called at the port for several hours before leaving for Singapore the same day, he said.

Edi hoped in the future more international cruise ships would be visiting the port and more foreign tourists enjoyed the city's tourism potentials.

Pelindo III is currently trying to change the image of the port not only as a mere port of commerce but also as a tourist destination by developing "Surabaya North Quay", he said.

"With the Surabaya North Quay, which will be a new tourist destination at the port, it is expected more tourists would be interested in coming," he said.

The Surabaya North Quay, which is still being tried, offers culinary products, shopping centers as well as small-business handicraft products, he said.

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