The 857-foot Sun Princess docked at past 7 a.m., bringing about 2,000 passengers who then headed to Garapan to see what the island had to offer in terms of food, refreshments and souvenirs.
“I wish cruise ships will stop by frequently so we will get more tourists and more sales,” said a shop owner who sells trinkets and souvenirs.
Saipan was one of the stopovers of the Sun Princess which left Australia last week on a 42-day cruise.
Terry and Heather Grainger, a couple from Australia who were with their children Lachlan and Caitlin, told the Variety that it was their first time to visit Saipan.
“We haven’t been here before and we are eager to explore the place,” the Graingers said. They did not take any of the buses at the port but decided to walk.
An elderly woman who declined to be identified said she was excited to visit the historic places she only read about in history books.
“I will take the tour bus this morning but in the afternoon, I will do some exploring on my own,” she said.
Saipan port manager Maryann Q. Lizama and other officials welcomed the passengers.
It was the Sun Princess’ maiden voyage to Saipan, and the first cruise ship to arrive this year.
The staff of Pacific Development Inc. which was the landing agent for the Sun Princess cruise, had their hands full in monitoring the passengers, guiding them to the tour buses and coordinating with the tour guides who were hired for the day.
The tour buses shuttled the passengers from DFS Galleria and American Memorial Park to the northern and southern parts of the island.
The Sun Princess left Saipan for Guam at 6 p.m. on Saturday. The ship was headed to Papua New Guinea and other Pacific islands before going back to Brisbane.
