"Music is played for love… Cruisin' is made for love…"

I bet you sang that part. Yeah? The song of Gwyneth Paltrow featuring Huey Lewis, Cruisin', is finally coming back to life after three years of the pandemic.

Recently, I came across an article about an elderly retired couple who sold their house and decided to live permanently on cruise ships. I mean, why not? (I've been on cruise ships and I can say that it's totally a luxurious ride with everything that you need all in one place, plus its very comfortable because sea travel is less of a hassle compared to riding a plane or a land vehicle. For me, the view of the sea and sky make it more peaceful and calmer, plus you don't need to rush because you hold your time).

Going back to the retired couple, they said they spend an average of $89 per day while living their lives to the fullest traveling around the world.

To Angelyn and Richard Burk, living on a cruise ship is cheaper than paying a mortgage, plus they get to visit every part of the world one day at a time.

Where else can you live in a resort-like home and wake up to a different country every day, right? One port at a time, a dream come true for many of us travelers at heart.

My dear readers, the Philippines is the "Best Cruise Destination in Asia 2023" according to the latest World Cruise awards. Now isn't that good news? Yes, more, please!

Today let us cruise together as I take you to the next level cruise industry in the Philippines.

Of course, using the seaports of the Philippine Ports Authority, or PPA, wherein 80,000+ cruise passengers are expected until the end of the year. Now that's a big rebound for our economy and tourism industry.

Last month, during the celebration of World Tourism Day, PPA launched its #PPAsyalTayo campaign to better promote the country's well-known tourist destinations that can be reached via ports under the jurisdiction of the agency, promoting delicious food, places to visit, and activities to experience.

Since the resumption of cruise tourism in the country last February 2023, PPA has served 46,657 passengers from ships calling at its ports as of September 2023.

Some 40,000 cruise passengers from European countries and the United States are expected to add to those high numbers come October to December this year with the Norwegian Cruise Line, Holland American Line, Silversea, Windstar Cruises, and AIDA from Germany expected to arrive in the Philippine ports before the end of the year.

As per PPA general manager Jay Santiago, this is the start of Philippine ports being Asia's next cruise tourism hub as we now have five terminals dedicated solely to cruise ships — the ports of Curimao, Salomague, Manila, Bohol, and El Nido, while five more terminals are expected in Coron, Siargao, Camiguin, Boracay and Puerto Galera.

Well, this means a safer and more convenient maritime transportation experience for tourists aboard cruise vessels. With so many improvements at Philippine port facilities, it's about time that we explore the wonders of the sea.

So I can understand the recent boom in the popularity again of cruises. According to the Cruise Lines International Association's 2023 State of the Cruise Industry report, many travelers want to book longer itineraries at about 43 percent. This means travelers are more appreciative of the less exhausting parts of travel like days in transit, cancellations, missing baggage, and road traffic. This could also mean more exploring, more time shopping, and more places to visit on foot after docking at the ports.

With cruises, there are more ports and more overnights, which also allows passengers to experience not only the day tour but also the nightlife in their destinations.

Some people do not like cruises because of the longer days at sea, but again, to see is to believe, and to experience is to live. For everyone trying out cruises this time, I say "Fair winds and following seas," a nautical phrase of the good voyage in life!

And to the Philippines as the "Best Cruise Destination in Asia 2023," congratulations! Aside from the picturesque tourist destinations, it is the rich culture, desirable local delicacies, and the warmth of the Filipino people that entice foreign tourists to visit the Philippines. The return of cruises also equates to good news for our local economy and local employment.

The success of cruise tourism is also the triumph of every Filipino nationwide. After all, we are all cruisin' in the same boat.