Currimao seaport welcomes arrival of another cruise ship

Cruise passengers arrive at the Ilocos (Salomague) Port in Cabugao, Ilocos Sur. (DOT Laoag sub-office photo)

By Leilanie G. Adriano

Staff Reporter

Currimao, Ilocos Norte—The international seaport of Currimao welcomed another cruise ship on January 6,2019.

According to Xavier Ruiz, tourism operations officer in Ilocos Norte said MV The World, with 160 passengers departed from Hongkong and docked near the at the Currimao seaport on January 6, 2020.

Part of the passengers’ itinerary was to visit various cultural heritage sites in the province such as the UNESCO World Heritage Site of St. Augustine Church in Paoay, Ilocos Norte and the wonder city of Vigan in Ilocos Sur.

On the same day, the MV Royal Caribbean which is bigger than the MV The World also returned at the Salomague Port in Cabugao, Ilocos Sur with thousands of passengers, mostly from China and the United States of America.

Last year, the Royal Caribbean made a stop at the international seaport of Currimao in Ilocos Norte but the local ground handler moved it to the newly-improved Salomague Port for a greater convenience of passengers.

Since 2018, Ilocos region has become a cruise line destination with the maiden calls of Superstar Virgo, M/V Diamond Glory and Costa Atlantica Cruise among others.

“We are thankful and happy that various cruise ships are visiting Ilocos annually and they have significantly contributed to our increasing tourist arrivals in the region,” said Araceli Salem, tourism operations officer of the Department of Tourism Laoag sub-office.

To sustain tourism growth in the province, Ms. Salem said the DOT in partnership with various local government units, travel agents, transport groups and other stakeholders are attending series of trainings to further improve customer satisfaction.

Residents living near the seaports are also made aware of the arrival of more cruise lines for them to become more tourist-friendly by displaying a unique brand of Ilocano hospitality whenever the cruise ship guests and visitors arrive in the province.

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