The international Oceana Cruises' ship MS Insignia revisited Salomague Port in Cabugao/Ilocos Sur Philippines on March 18th, with ~500 tourists on board, following her maiden call on June 9th, 2023.
Araceli Salem, operations officer of the Department of Tourism Laoag sub-office, outlined the day tour plans for the ship's passengers, which include visits to prominent tourist destinations in the province. Among these are the UNESCO site Saint Augustine Church, Malacanang of the North in Paoay, the sinking bell tower and Saint William the Hermit Cathedral in Laoag, the Juan Luna Shrine in Badoc, Ilocos Norte, as well as the Vigan Heritage City in Ilocos Sur.
Mrs Salem stated that the ship had arrived at 9:28 AM from Manila and was scheduled to depart for Taiwan within the day. She noted that most passengers hailed from the USA, Canada, Australia, Germany, the UK, and the Philippines.
Having departed from Manila on March 1th7, the ship is currently on an Easter excursion spanning 196 days.
Insignia's one-way itinerary (from Miami to New York City) commenced on December 29, 2023, and is set to conclude on July 12, 2024.
In a similar vein, on February 27, Norwegian Jewel also made a return visit to Currimao port, carrying 2376 passengers and 1100 crew members.
With the increasing return of international cruise ships to this northern gateway of Luzon, officials of the Ilocos Norte Tourism Office remain optimistic about achieving their target of 4 million tourist arrivals this year.
Tourist arrivals in the province typically peak during the Holy Week season, prompting tourism stakeholders to bolster their workforce in hotels and restaurants. This includes the deployment of 200+ tourist aides to major tourist destinations.