Cruise ships make port calls on February

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

Three international cruise ships will make their port calls this February, bringing thousands of travelers to Boracay Island.

Italian cruise liner Costa Victoria of Costa Cruises returns to Boracay Island on February 17. The cruise ship made its first port call on the shores of Boracay Island on January 8 with some 2,500 passengers and crew members. 

The newest fleet of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises MS Europa 2 is also expected to arrive in Boracay Island from Singapore on February 8.

The luxury ship will visit Borneo, Kota Kinabalu and Puerto Princesa before the passengers on board will enjoy the pristine beaches of Boracay Island.

MS Europa 2 also dropped anchor in Boracay Island last January 9 with some 900 tourists and crew on board. 

Boracay Tourism officer-in-charge Artemio Ticar said Boracay Island had been hosting global cruise ships for the past years, making the island a potential cruise ship hub in the region.

Ticar said the German ship MS Deutschland will also arrive on February 7, bringing along 900 tourists and crew on board in Boracay Island.

In 2012, Boracay Island welcomed four international cruise ships: MS Columbus 2 dropped anchor last January, MS Europa 1 docked last March, Star Cruises MS Superstar Gemini  arrived on October and MS Superstar Aquarius on November.