Three travel stories from Cebu

There comes a time in most travelers’ lives when they have had enough of the hassles of the seemingly never-ending rituals at airports, the painstakingly arduous airport-hotel-airport transfers and the laborious check-in procedure at hotels," declared Beth Trinidad Tioseco, president and chairman of the board of directors of Great Ship Adventure Cruise, the general sales agent of Radisson Seven Seas Cruises in the Philippines. "But all these nightmarish must-do undertakings are happenings of the past, when they would opt to gladly travel in style aboard one of the cruise lines."

Tioseco, a veteran to over 50 cruises and still counting, recently introduced the SSC Radisson Diamond, the M/S Seven Seas Navigator and the M/S Song of Flower and presented their latest luxury features, when she visited Cebu recently and hosted a high tea reception at the Mactan Ballroom of the Shangri-La’s Mactan Island Beach Resort.

"Aboard all our ships you will find all ocean-view elegant staterooms and fabulous suites, single, open-seating dining in a choice of restaurants considered to be the best afloat, while our cuisine sets new standards for creativity and freshness. We offer international cabaret artists in our entertainment program and full spas and fitness centers with beauty enhancing therapies," she said.

"Our highly regarded lecture programs," she continued, "provide fascinating and thought-provoking insights into the people and places of European ports of calls."

"Our ships have received the highest ratings – six stars from Fielding Worldwide Cruises and six black ribbons from Stern’s Guide to Cruises Vacations," she stated proudly.

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After a successful and fruitful 17-year stint with Rajah Travel Corp., a pioneer in Philippine travel and tourism, Marget Fernan Villarica believed it was time to move on and she did so by venturing on her own with the launching of Destination Specialists, located at the ground level of SM City, Cebu’s biggest shopping mall and most popular entertainment center.

Guests of honor for the event include Dading Clemente, the powerful force behind Rajah through the years, Dawnie Roa, the workaholic director of the Department of Tourism, Region VII, and Elo Fernan, widow of the late Senator and former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Marcelo Fernan.

"I continue to have the full support of Rajah’s head office management," Villarica confessed. "By mutual agreement, we are their accredited partner in Cebu and together with my able and efficient staff that include Suzette Gabutina, travel department manager, Floramie Lozano, Suzette Ravoy and Vicky Lou Masnayon handling reservations and ticketing, we will continue to assist our clients in their travel needs and tour arrangements, she promises."

We know she will. Good luck, Marget.

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A frequent Cebu visitor and always a joy to have in our shores is Adrian Harley, Cathay Pacific’s Philippine country manager. Together with Cebu general manager Mark Liu, they were the gracious hosts to an authentic Filipiniana dinner at the Laguna Gardens to honor its top producers for the year 2000. Assisting them were Marjorie Custodio, assistant manager for sales, and Connie Cimafranca, Cebu marketing head. Accepting this years awards were Margaret Ang of Grand Holidays, Marget Villarica of Rajah Travel, Eileen Yap of Travelways International, Aida Uy of Cebu Fortune Travel, and Rosalyn Tan of Uni-Orient Travel.

Sheila Colmenares of Leisure Travel and Tours, Lorenz Ostrea of Thomas Cook, Phils. Fairlie Uy of Royal Prince Travel Intl., Alice Queblatin of Southwind Travel and Tours, and Rosie Gwen Po of Pan Pacific Travel complete the roster of the Magic 10.

Guests in Filipiniana attire gamely participated in an impromptu mini fashion show. Helen Carvajal of Grand Holidays, wearing a colorful patadyong with a dominantly red checkered tapis and a striking red-embroidered kimona, and Lorenz Ostrea of Thomas Cook, dressed up in a piña barong, were adjudged best in costume. For that, they won round-trip tickets to Hong Kong.