Cruise ship MV Orion II arrives for the third time

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WELCOME: Passengers disembarking from MV Orion receiving a warm traditional welcome by STB.

KUCHING: The arrival of 170 passengers at Pending Port here last Saturday morning marked the third arrival of cruise ship MV Orion II here.

The Orion Expedition Cruise from Australia was on another round of 10 nights “Borneo-Rajahs, Riches & Rainforests” cruise which earlier sails from Singapore to Bako National Park in Sarawak with a stop in Kuching before continuing to Pontianak in Kalimantan, cruising via Gunung Palung up to Tanjung Puting — Camp Leakey, Benoa in Kalimantan.

Arriving here, all disembarking passengers, mostly from Australia, Germany, UK and US were greeted with a traditional welcoming dance, courtesy of Sarawak Tourism Board.

Present at the ceremony was the board’s Regional Marketing manager (UK & Europe) Maurice Balang who also presented Sarawak bead garlands to the passengers.

Other than visiting Kuching’s famous Orang Utan rehabilitation centre in Semenggoh, a special theme party was also organised for the passengers at the Iban longhouse of Sarawak Cultural village.

The cruise departed the city the same night after the party.

Sarawak Tourism Board is looking forward to another round of call from the same ship a few weeks from now in February.

Cruise ships contribute about 2,000 tourists’ arrival into the state last year and STB recognises the importance of providing marketing support.