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Manila maiden visit for Voyager of the Seas

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Voyager of the Seas - one of the largest cruise ships to call in the Philippines
Royal Caribbean International’s Voyager of the Seas called in Manila for the first time on Friday, becoming one of the largest cruise ships to call at a Filipino port. The ship was on a 4-night cruise from Shenzhen, carrying over 3,600 guests. Ovation of the Seas is the largest cruise ship to visit the Philippines, having arrived last month.

To celebrate the maiden call at Manila, a traditional plaque exchange ceremony was held onboard between Voyager of the Seas’ Captain Sindre Borsheim and local officials including Francisquiel Mancile, port manager of Philippine Ports Authority and Patrick Chan, vp, operations of Asian Terminals Inc.

Shorex from Manila included the ‘Enchanting Hidden Valley’ Tour – a secluded and private resort featuring rare collections of orchids at the crater of an extinct forested volcano in Laguna, with secluded waterfall, followed by traditional Filipino buffet lunch and snacks.

Spanish colonial-era landmarks

On the ‘A Glimpse of History’ Tour, guests experienced the rich heritage of the Philippines by visiting Spanish colonial-era landmarks such as Fort Santiago; Casa Manila, the exact reproduction of a Spanish 'Ilustrado' home; and the centuries-old 'Walled City' of Intramuros that consists of fortified walls, church ruins and relics from Spain’s Conquistadores.

Voyager of the Seas is currently sailing a 5-night cruise from Shenzhen to Okinawa (Naha), followed by a 9-night cruise from Hong Kong to Kochi visiting Okinawa (Naha), Kyoto (Osaka) and Kobe on August 10; and an 8-night cruise from Hong Kong to Singapore with calls at Nha Trang, Ho Chi Minh City (Phu My) and Bangkok (Laem Chabang) on August 29.

Longest ever season in Southeast Asia

The ship will then embark on her longest ever season in Southeast Asia with over 70 sailings out from Singapore until next June, which includes 4-night cruises to Kuala Lumpur (Port Klang) and Phuket, 5-night cruises to Kuala Lumpur (Port Klang), Penang and Phuket, and 5-night sailings to Bangkok (Laem Chabang) with an overnight stay.

Asian port and destination development and deployment trends comes under the spotlight at Seatrade Cruise Asia Pacific 2018, taking place in Baoshan, Shanghai October 23-25, 2018.