German ship cancels Boracay cruise, two more ships to drop anchor

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

Artemio ‘Tim’ Ticar, Department of Tourism (DoT)-Boracay officer-in-charge, said an international cruise ship forced to cancel its trip to Boracay Island due to adverse sea and weather conditions.

The German ship MS Deutshland missed a port call in Manila on February 6 and Boracay on February 7.

MS Deutshland “Far East Kaleisdoscope’ cruise was scheduled for 15 days/14 nights voyage from Shanghai,  China cruising to Tawau in Malaysian state of Sabah on Borneo and Bali, Indonesia.

Ticar said two more cruise ships are expected to drop anchor this month -  MS Europa 2 on February 8 and Costa Victoria on February 17.

MS Europa 2, one of the newest ship of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, will be heading to Boracay Island for its ‘Faces of Asia” 14 days trip from January 31 to February 14.

Passengers will embark from Singapore to Bintulu and Sarawak of Malaysia, Muara of Brunei  and Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan of Malaysia before cruising to Puerto Prinsesa in Palawan on February 7. 

The ship will then make stops at   Boracay Island on February 8, Coron Island and Atuwayan Beach on February 9 and Hundred Islands and Lingayen Gulf on February 10 before departing to Hongkong China on February 12.  

MS Europa 2 is expected to arrive in Boracay Island at 12 noon and departs at 7 p.m. 

Italian cruise ship Costa Victoria of Costa Cruises also returns to Boracay Island on February 17 from a five-night cruise from Hongkong, China, visiting the City of Manila on February 16 before returning to Hongkong on February 19.  

Last January 8, Costa Victoria made its maiden port call in Boracay Island.