Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Inks Deal to Build Cruise Terminal in the Philippines

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL) has agreed to build a cruise terminal either in Caticlan, Malay, Aklan or Boracay Island in the Philippines, according to a press release put out by tourism authorities.

Travel Agent has reached out to RCL for confirmation, and will post any statement when it's received.

The governor’s office in the Province of Aklan, The Philippines, reports that the province and the Philippines' Department of Tourism (DOT) reached the agreement earlier this month. 

The government's press release said that present during the signing of the agreement were Aklan Governor Florencio T. Miraflores and RCL’s John Tercek, vice president for new commercial development.

Benito Bengzon, Jr., DOT's undersecretary, signed the agreement on behalf of DOT Secretary Wanda Corazon Tulfo-Teo.

Tourism officials believe the agreement will bring more cruise tourism to Caticlan/Boracay as well as to the Western Visayas region.  

Any new terminal would likely result in more ship calls to popular Boracay Island, which has received calls by 29 cruise ships during the past four years, third in the Philippines.

Ranking second was Puerto Prinsesa, Palawan with 39 calls and 16 overnight visits, and Manila with 48 calls and five overnights.