By JONAS REYES

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – Another international cruise ship has started regular visits to this free port under the “Tourism Star” program of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, which aspires to make Subic the next cruise ship playground of Asia.

The Bahamas-flagged MV SuperStar Gemini, which is operated by Star Cruises, made its maiden call here on March 14 at the Alava Wharf, the first of many port calls scheduled by the renowned Hong Kong-based cruise vacation company.

According to Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma, Star Cruises has already scheduled the return of the SuperStar Gemini on March 21, and the maiden port call of its sister ship MV Glory Sea on March 31.

SuperStar Gemini has also scheduled a visit here on October 9, Eisma added.

Upon its arrival here on Tuesday, SuperStar Gemini disembarked around 1,800 passengers who visited tourist attractions like the Ocean Adventure and Zoobic Safari theme parks, while others went around the Freeport area to buy souvenirs and sample local delicacies.

MV SuperStar Gemini Captain Jorgen Holmberg said that even crew members who were having their time off roamed the Freeport area.

Holmberg also praised the warm reception they received from the SBMA, the Freeport community and the people of Olongapo City, adding that the ship passengers and crew had a great time at the Subic Bay Freeport.

Meanwhile, Jenny Angeles, media coordinator at the Ocean Adventure, said that 10 passenger buses filled with tourists from the ship visited the marine theme park. She added that this was roughly the same volume of visitors that went to Ocean Adventure when the MV Costa Atlantica arrived for its second Subic visit on March 6.

With the surge of visitors that cruise lines are bringing from Mainland China, SBMA Chairman Eisma said that some tourism establishments here are planning to upgrade their customer service by making their personnel learn basic Mandarin to improve their interaction with Chinese visitors.

“This is a reason for us to increase the level of knowledge among our people, especially in the tourism industry,” Eisma noted. “We want foreign tourists to know that we speak their language and that they should keep coming back to Subic Freeport to spend their vacation money here,” she added.

Eisma also said that with the growing number of tourists brought in by cruise ships, the SBMA expects to double or even triple its tourist arrival record this summer season.

 

Top Photo: Chinese tourists disembark from MV Superstar Gemini, a Bahamas-flagged cruise ship operated by Star Cruises, which made its maiden port call at the Alava Pier of the Subic Bay Freeport on Tuesday, March 13. (JUN DUMAGUING)