State-owned ports are ready to receive cruise ships as tourism steadily recovers.
In a statement, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) several cruise trips have resumed from February 9 to 14 in different parts of the country after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic.
Among the places that the cruise lines visited were Ilocos Sur, Palawan, and Bohol.
“This international event ignites domestic travel and will definitely generate jobs for our countrymen in the said regions. It is about time that we live with the new normal and the PPA is proud to welcome again these international luxury ships to our shores as we bounce back from the effects of the pandemic,” said Jay Santiago, PPA general manager.
First for this year is MV Seabourn Encore which made a call at the Port of Puerto Princesa, Palawan on February 9.
MV Seabourne Encore is about 26 percent larger than the Seabourne’s three Odyssey-class vessels which holds 34 percent more passengers, based on double occupancy.
This ship made its last port call in Singapore and has more than 500 guests mainly from the US, UK, Germany, Australia, and Canada. This cruise ship was also carrying 452 crews, in which 201 are Filipinos.
On February 11, the port management office (PMO) of Bohol receive guests on board Silver Shadow at the Port of Tagbilaran. Silver Shadow has one of the highest space- to-guest ratios at sea with 392 guest capacity, 302 crew capacity, and a tonnage of 28, 258 tons.
According to PMO Bohol, other than international tourists, they are also expecting a significant increase in their passenger traffic especially during the summer months of May to July.
MV Silver Spirit arrived at the Port of Salomague, Cabugao, Ilocos Sur on February 14.
This luxury ship is also the first international cruise ship to dock at the Salomague port after three years since the pandemic hit with about 500 American and European passengers on board.
According to PPA port statistics, the Ports of Salomague, Palawan, and Tagbilaran were able to cater 48,100 tourists in 2019 before the pandemic but in 2020 and 2021, cruise ships cancelled their trips due to the threat of COVID.
