MS SuperStar Aquarius returns to Boracay

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

Boracay Island is becoming a popular port of calls for cruise ships traveling in Asia-Pacific.

Another luxury cruise ship on April 1 this year will bring 1,200 inbound travelers to Boracay Island.

Star Cruises, the leading cruise line in Asia Pacific, will bring travelers for 3-night cruise to Taiwan’s second largest city of Kaohsiung to Boracay and Manila.

The 51,309-tonnage MS SuperStar Aquarius of Star Cruises called port on November 4, 2013 in the island-resort. It brought Taiwanese, Hong Kong, Australia and Southeast Asian passengers from Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

In its first trip to Boracay Island, Captain Carl J. Nilermark of SuperStar Aquarius praised the island’s unique coastline and unmatched beauty of one of the world’s most beautiful islands.

SuperStar Aquarius employs more than 400 Filipinos on board the cruise ship.

Caticlan port administrator Niven Maquirang said Europa I of Hapag-Lloyds Cruises is supposed to arrive also in April, but “there might be some changes in the itineraries.”

This year, Costa Atlantica of Costa Cruises docked for the first time in Boracay Island last March 11. 

MS Europa 2 of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises also made three successful ports calls on January 9, February 8 and March 20 while MS Victoria docked twice over the first three months of 2014.