More Pinoys now love to cruise

CEBU, Philippines — More Pinoys are now starting to book for cruise expeditions abroad.

Travel agency operator Marget Fernan Villarica said cruise packages are now making good business, as Pinoy or Cebuano travelers are starting to appreciate cruising adventures.

Villarica, who is also the vice president for Cebu Alliance of Tour Operations Specialists (CATOS), said with a lot of choices available, local travelers can adjust the accommodations and type of cruise depends on their budget.

Meanwhile, Star Cruise Pte. Ltd’s assistant vice president for sales Andrea Solis Manzano earlier said that while most Filipinos are often seen posting photos from “staycations”—vacations within the city’s hotels—or three-day sojourns to neighboring Asian countries, a new adventure for this travel-savvy citizenry is steadily growing via cruise ships.

Manzano also noted the stronger purchasing power of the Filipino working class.

She said there’s a niche market, which has the purchasing power for luxury in the Philippines.

That’s why the surge of luxury brands and establishments in the country, and that’s also why luxury cruise lines are coming in.

Manzano believes that the Philippines as a market is ripe for luxury cruises.

In the age of budget travel when flights and tours are at the reach of a fingertip, some holidaymakers may shy away from the idea of cruising, often associated with posh accommodations and steep expenses.

According to Star Cruises, a luxury fleet that has been sailing the Asian seas for 25 years, the cost of cruising is “practically the same” as that of a “do-it-yourself” trip. (FREEMAN)