Go cruising! Isn't it a wonder that the volume of cruisers is catching up? It has maxxed beyond 600 percent increase. But cruise travelers are closely competing with land tours that even corporations consider a cruise ship as the next venue for meetings, conferences and events to keep participants "at bay".
Cruising is a fascinating and exhilarating alternative to land and air travel. Of course, it depends on the destination and purpose, either leisure or business, whether solo, couple or group travelers. And the tipping point is the kind of cruise liner that will take you sailing the entire voyage from three days to a week or months on end. That will make or break your cruising experience, especially for first-timers.
A few years ago, I was privileged to join a group of travel agents that went on a week-long sail to the captivating Caribbean Islands onboard the Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL). Port of origin was Florida and from there, as Enya’s Orinoco Flow says, we “sail away, sail away, sail away” and went island-hopping to some of the famous U.S. territories, namely, St. John, St. Thomas, St. Marteen, among others.
Some of my most memorable onboard experiences included waking up to a most beautiful sunrise and jogging every 5pm around the deck with the vista of a most lovely sun setting on the limitless seascape. There was endless fun onboard – the nightly themed dining, entertainment, and various activities prepared each day we were at sea and every time we docked on a port, most of which revolved around water sports/activities, shopping and sight-seeing.
St. Thomas was very distinct to me, as a shop in its capital Charlotte Amalie was where I snagged a pair of diamond studs for earrings. They said that’s one of the best places for duty free shopping for the finest diamonds. And in one of the bars there, I got to try the best Piña Colada on the island.
NCL is undoubtedly one of the top-notch and finest brands in cruising history, from vessels, well-packaged itineraries, and overall onboard-to-land experience.
Bugging Rajah Travel Corp. Chairman and President Aileen C. Clemente about cruises, she informed me that on November 30 this year it will be an honor for the Philippines to welcome NCL as it teams up with RTC in its maiden voyage in Manila en route to Boracay and Puerto Princesa, Palawan. This will be extraordinary for local travelers should they want to explore those destinations via cruising for the first time with a first-rate cruise liner.
As part of the “Amazing Holiday” package, it’s actually an 11-day cruise, visiting 10 ports with Manila as jump-off point then sailing to Boracay, Palawan, onto Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam, Singapore and Indonesia.
NCL is known for its laidback and freestyle cruising concept with no enforced dress codes, no fixed dining time, and wide array of entertainment and family activities. With 19 ship fleet sailing worldwide from three to 21 days its top destinations are Alaska, Hawaii, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, South America and more.
Soon, it will introduce the Philippines as a cruising destination and it’s going to be the best chance to show-off our top destinations like Manila, Boracay and Palawan to foreign cruisers. Apart from couple to group travelers and retirees who are frequent cruisers, this sail will be family-friendly.
And why choose cruising as a way to travel? Notably, everything has been pre-arranged from the port of origin to a well-programmed onboard stay and everything is taken care of from accommodation to meals and onboard activities. And business-wise, logistics here are simpler to handle than arranging a land tour incentive program, said Des Carandang, General Manager for Meetings & Events, Leisure Travel and Sales of RTC.
Des shared that the volume of cruisers is catching up. From RTC’s production alone in 2022-2023, as of June this year, RTC already went beyond 600 percent increase in cruise sales. But cruise travelers are still incomparable against those taking land tours. More travelers are still inclined towards availing land tour packages. So, cruising needs more exposure to Filipino travelers.
For a change, Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) players can also consider a cruise as the next venue for meetings, conferences and events as they can charter the entire ship for their MICE-related activities like annual summits, familiarization tours, plus more.
“Rajah Travel has been in partnership with NCL for over 20 years. It allows RTC to offer more ocean cruising destinations and experiences to guests. In the same way, NCL gains wider exposure to their specific target markets within the RTC’s clientele,” said Carandang.
Cruising post-pandemic, there might be guests who are hesitant to travel, but the NCL assures that safety and hygiene protocols are in place for a worry-free cruise.
NCL has been in the cruising trade since 1966 and RTC celebrated its 51st anniversary as the country’s pioneer in inbound and outbound travel in February of this year.
MAIDEN VOYAGE. NCL Jewel will sail its maiden voyage on November 30 this year to the Philippines, from Manila en route to Boracay and Palawan. This Ämazing Holiday’s 11-day package covers 10 ports from Manila onto Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam, Singapore, and Indonesia.