With 512 passengers aboard and 482 crew, the Cruise Ship MV Seabourn Encore who hailed from Singapore was met with welcome cheers and dances from Palawan locals eager for a chance to relive what was once a regular welcome activity for cruise ships pre-pandemic.
Its first port of call in the Philippines was Puerto Princesa last February 9 and it went to Coron on February 10th with local governments giving a memorable welcome performance and tour transport and operators on standby as the massive ship docks for the day and tourists onboard paid a visit to pre-arranged local destinations.
“Right now, there are already 22 scheduled cruise calls in Palawan and we are expecting 41 in Mimaropa with more than 47,000 passengers plus the crew, so that’s around 60,000 arrivals just for the cruise ships. That’s a big development for the department, especially as we open our borders to foreign travelers,” Department of Tourism-Mimaropa Regional Director Zenny Pallugna said in an interview as more cruise ships are slated to arrive this year.
More cruise ships are expected to visit the Philippines with port calls not just in Palawan but also in Manila, Ilocos Sur and Bohol.
The 139 cruise ships anticipated to dock in the Philippines is a 36.27 increase compared to the 102 port of calls the Philippines received in 2019. Among the luxury cruise lines that are expected to visit the country included Seabourn, Silver Sea, Regent, MSC Cruises, Windstar Cruises, Heritage Expeditions, Carnival Cruise, Costa Crociere, Coral Expedition, Holland America, and AIDA Cruises.
Citing the DOT’s National Cruise Tourism Development Strategy and Action Plan, the tourism chief Secretary Christina Garcia said the goal of the Department is to increase cruise ship calls to various ports and islands throughout the country by creating excellent guest experiences and propelling economic benefits.
“Cruise tourism is one of our priority areas of development in the DOT as we look to expand our tourism portfolio to cater to all market segments,” Frasco noted.
Photo Credits from Puerto Princesa City Tourism, Mayor Marjo Reyes
