The province of Bohol is becoming the favorite cruise ship destination in the country as shown in latest arrival of M/S Europa 2 of Hapag-Lloyd Cruise company in Europe. For the second time around, M/S Europa 2 dropped anchor from a distance from this city's port and ferried its passengers by its two “tender boats” Tuesday early morning (March 18, 2014) apparently to savor Bohol's natural treasures and heritage. The first visit of the cruise ship was on Jan. 11, 2014. “Bohol bounces back,” tour operator Lourdes Sultan, who welcomed the visitors, said. Post-earthquake efforts to lure back tourists in Bohol after it suffered a hefty cut on tourist arrivals has paid off, Sultan said in the sidelines. Sultan said that the cruise ship brought some 324 foreigner tourists, most of them are German nationalities, more foreigners now than the previous visit. From Tagbilaran City, the cruise ship is expected to drop anchor in Boracay, and Malapuya island and Coron, all in Palawan province, she said.

Philippine Ports Authority manager Annie Lee Maneses and provincial tourism officer Jo R. Cabarrus also welcomed the visitors. The anchorage of the Europa 2 at a distance from the city seaport was done since it found it hard to maneuver in entering the narrow and shallow channel en route to the docking facility at the port, said the PPA source. One of the ship crew members who did not give her name said that over 300 crew and almost 80% of them are Filipinos worked at the ship. Asked if the same captain skippered the ship when it dropped by here last January 11, she said that another captain is steering the voyage for months from its point of origin. Six 40-seater tourist buses, two 20-seater plus coasters and a couple of vans were used to ferry the tourists to their points of destination, including the Loboc river Cruise, scaling the three-km man-made forest in Bilar town prior to the Chocolate Hills viewing deck at Chocolate Hills Adventure Park in Barangay Buenos Aires, Carmen town. “Some of the tourists were brought to the Tarsier natural habitat in Corella town and to eco-tourism river cruising in long and winding wide Abatan river and to the white beaches in Panglao island,” Sultan said. Embarking on this luxury ocean cruise ship will cost at least 600 euros and the highest is 6,000 euros per person per day, one of ship's crew said.

The ship is 11-storey tall, 220-meter long and 42,830 tonnage. The ship is built in 2013 at shipyard in STX Europe, St. Nazaire, France. It is is 225 meter long and 26.70 m wide with draught of 6.30 meters. It cruises at 21 knots and powered by 24,000 kw. There are 251 suites; 2 owner suites with an area of 114 square meter; two grand penthouses; 16 spa suites; 24 grand suites at 52 sq. m. 59 ocean suites with 35 sq. m.; 141 veranda suites with 2X27 sq.m. including veranda; and 7 family apartments at 2 x 27 sq.m. including the veranda.  Its facilities include Sansibar; Yatch club resto; Weltmeere or seven seas resto; fitness and SPA; teens club; boutique; atrium; staircase panoramic lift; jazz club; theatre; owner suite; wine gallery, library; culinary school; and auditorium/3D cinema. It is augmented with 12 Zodiacs or (motorized inflatable rubber boats) and 4 Tender boats with capacity of 150 seats. It is part of the Hapag-Lloyd Cruises ships, “a light and modern approach to luxury and host of options for creating tailor-made programme on board the Europa 2.” (RIC V. OBEDENCIO)