Phuket Vice Governor Sanit Sriwihok, representatives from the Tourism Authority of Thailand Phuket Office, Phuket Marine officers and others welcomed the international cruise liners Ovation of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas – both backed by Royal Caribbean International.

The ships dropped anchor in the morning and left the shore at about 9pm. Tourists from the ships crowded the beach and used local vendor services as well as taxi services in Patong.

“The arrival of these two ships for just one day was very beneficial for Phuket. As per our initial calculations, each passenger spent around 4,000 baht here, totaling about 31.2 million baht in revenue,” V/Gov Sanit told Phuket Gazette reporters.

The vice governor and other officers were invited aboard both ships to feast their eyes on the many facilities available for passengers, including swimming pools, water parks, basketball courts and more. They observed such activities as SeaPlexSM, Skydiving Experience ‘Ripcord by iFly’, FlowRider Surf Simulator, and dining services. They were also taken to the control room and chatted with crew on board.

“Most of the passengers were Singaporeans and other international tourists. These groups spend ‘a lot’ of money during vacations,” opined V/Gov Sanit.

The Ovation of the Seas displaces 168,347 tons and can accommodate 4,300 passengers in 2,090 rooms. The Mariner of the Seas, at 138,000 tons, holds 3,114 passengers. Their routes vary based on different packages. Some sail from Singapore to Malaysia, then to Phuket. Others start from Singapore and go off to Malaysia, Bangkok and Laem Chabang in Chonburi Province.

“Even though they ‘parked’ for such a short time, it was a chance to promote Phuket to them, which will be beneficial in the long run,” noted the vice governor.