Ports & destinations

Disney Fantasy and Norwegian Sky dock at Antigua during summer season

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 19 July 2023 19 July 2023

Two cruise ships docked at Antigua Cruise Port on Wednesday, a rare occurrence for the summer months in the Eastern Caribbean. Disney Fantasy brought over 3,600 passengers while Norwegian Sky transported over 2,200 passengers and unleashed 1,000s of visitors into Heritage Quay.

Antigua Cruise Port Leasing and Marketing Officer Jessica Russell said, "Antigua has been enjoying an extended season with Norwegian Sky making multiple calls throughout the summer; this is to the credit of Antigua Cruise Port. We’re also happy to have Disney Fantasy.”

Antigua Cruise Port and the Antigua & Barbuda Toursim Authority also collaborated to provide entertainment. The guests enjoyed the sounds of a steel pan orchestra creating a festive Carnival atmosphere. Cultural greeters also posed with visitors generating memories.

The summer months are generally dormant in the Eastern Caribbean as many cruise vessels make their way to Europe. However, this is the second time two vessels have simultaneously docked in Antigua this summer. There are more than nineteen calls booked for this period, more than doubling last year’s figures. The summer visits also surpass 2019 which had 16 calls.

Minister of Tourism Charles Fernandez visited the port on Wednesday and said the summer cruise toursim performance is because of the partnership between the Antiguan government and Antigua Cruise Port. He was also impressed that 24 calls are already booked for summer 2024.

The winter cruise season is also expected to be busy with inaugural visits and homeporting.

Galveston recertified as Green Marine port

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 14 July 2023 14 July 2023

The Port of Galveston has been recertified as a Green Marine port, confirming its long-term commitment to continuous improvement in environmental performance. "We are one of only two Texas ports certified by the voluntary environmental program for North America’s maritime industry," said Rodger Rees, Galveston Wharves Port Director and CEO.

"We joined Green Marine in 2019, were first certified in 2021 and have been recertified annually since then. To receive recertification, participants must benchmark their annual environmental performance through Green Marine’s self-evaluation guides and show improvement each year. Our results are verified by an accredited external verifier and published by Green Marine," he continued.

"Participating in Green Marine helps us identify and implement best practices, manage our environmental programs, measure our progress and strive for continuous improvement.

We could not have envisioned where our Green Marine journey would take us when we earned certification in 2021. With the commitment of our board of trustees and staff, we’re identifying opportunities for partnerships on environmental programs unimagined just a few years ago."

Clean energy on the waterfront

Shore power, LNG-powered ships, solar power and electric vehicle (EV) charging stations are port initiatives to reduce air emissions.

Representatives from the Galveston Wharves, Carnival Corporation, CenterPoint Energy, Royal Caribbean Group, Shell and Texas A&M University at Galveston are exploring the potential of connecting docked ships to shore-side electricity rather than using onboard diesel auxiliary engines to generate electricity. Shore power is an opportunity to improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gases associated with maritime activities.

"Our first EV charging stations will be available for port cruise parking customers soon. The Port of Galveston was awarded two Texas Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Program (TXVEMP) grants totaling $35,000 toward the purchase of 28 universal EV charging stations to be installed in port parking areas. The port is investing $40,000 in the project.

We’re also proud to be a leader in homeporting the newly built Carnival Jubilee, which is equipped to use LNG fuel. This clean-burning fuel significantly reduces emissions and is a huge step toward a greener future for the shipping industry."

Speaking of environmental leadership, Royal Caribbean’s new cruise terminal at Pier 10 is the first cruise terminal to generate 100 percent of its energy from on-site solar panels. This makes the facility the first LEED Zero Energy cruise terminal in the world. We applaud Royal Caribbean’s outstanding environmental commitment.

Stronger with partners

"We’re also partnering with community and business stakeholders on smaller projects to promote shared environmental goals," Rees said.

The Galveston Wharves has worked to enhance its community outreach and build awareness as part of the Green Marine program. The port staff regularly meets with neighborhood and civic groups and participates in volunteer events, such as Maritime Day, Share Your Christmas and beach cleanups.

"We landscaped areas of the Royal Caribbean cruise terminal with native plantings with a $5,000 grant from Clean Galveston."

All these programs strengthen our relationships with its business partners and the community, while making positive, long-term environmental impacts.

Business partners Metro Ports, Ports of America and Ceres Terminals Inc. have joined the port in becoming Green Marine participants. Metro and Ceres are certified for Galveston, and Ports of America is striving for Galveston certification in 2024. As we grow our circle of port partners, sharing ideas and efforts along the way, we collectively have a bigger impact.

The Galveston Wharves and its partners are making great progress in realizing long-term changes to protect the environment with the Green Marine program as a guide.

Cruise Baltic launches new onshore power supply overview

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 25 June 2023 25 June 2023

Last year, Cruise Baltic created an overview of onshore power supply in the Baltic Sea region to give cruise lines easy access to information on shore power information and to make sustainable itinerary planning easier. The cruise network is now ready with an updated, more user-friendly version aligned with Cruise Europe and Cruise Britain.

Cruise Baltic works to strengthen the commitment to the use of onshore power supply in the Baltic Sea region. As a part of this work Cruise Baltic has shared knowledge with Cruise Europe and Cruise Britain and worked actively to align the databases with both cruise networks. The new version of the OPS overview aims to increase user-friendliness and is easy to access directly from the front-page of cruisebaltic.com. Details have also been updated to make sure all necessary information is available to cruise lines such as power supplied, fees and connection time.

”Having a tool like the OPS overview allows us to plan itineraries based on available onshore power supply more sufficiently. With this new update it will become even easier for our itinerary planners to find the relevant information and plan sustainably. Although we still need more ports to install shore power systems, an overview like this is a great support for the cruise industry’s green transition and helps us in meeting our guests’ demands for a more sustainable vacation,” says Marcus Puttich, Director Destinations, TUI Cruises.

Onshore power supply is contributing to local environmental improvements in and near the ports. By minimizing the release of detrimental NOx, SOx, and particulate matter, which are linked to air pollution, reducing noise and vibration, OPS helps improve air quality and the overall well-being of surrounding areas.

”With the update of the onshore power supply overview on our website, we hope to continue to encourage cruise lines to take the next steps towards a greener cruise industry and encourage the installation of shore power in our region. With a wide-ranging and up-to-date information on OPS, we make it easier for cruise lines to embrace sustainable practices and use the available facilities. We are proud to contribute to reducing environmental impact and promoting a more sustainable future,” says Klaus Bondam, Director of Cruise Baltic.

The ports that already have OPS installed in the Baltic Sea region are Kiel and Rostock in Germany, Kristiansand in Norway and Aarhus in Denmark. Later this year, Stockholm in Sweden will also be ready with shore power shortly followed by Copenhagen, Denmark in 2025. It is estimated that 9-14 ports will be shore power ready by 2030. So far, approximately 40% of the world’s cruise fleet is fitted with shore power and 75% is expected to be shore power ready by 2030.

More summer cruise options from Port Everglades in 2024

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 13 July 2023 13 July 2023

Port Everglades is an easy choice for cruise guests because of its proximity to Caribbean destinations and direct access via highways and three international airports. For summer cruisers in 2024, there are new reasons why the third busiest cruise homeport in the world is an ideal choice.

Next summer, the port will host five cruise ships from Celebrity Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, and Royal Caribbean International. The variety the lines offer is sure to appeal to discerning guests -- from the new kids on the block (Celebrity Beyond and Enchanted Princess) to the one-time world’s largest ship (Royal Caribbean International’s Freedom of the Seas) to ships offering shorter itineraries (Celebrity Reflection and Disney Magic). Additionally, the port offers a near-daily ferry service by Baleária Caribbean to the Bahamas.

“We have been extremely successful in meeting the cruising public’s expectations by attracting ultra-high-luxury and premier brands, further developing our summer offerings, and expanding popular short cruise options,” said Jonathan Daniels, CEO and Port Director. “These new additions to our summer 2024 portfolio are a direct result of us putting the customer experience first.”

Currently, Port Everglades’ offerings provide cruise guests with unique experiences. Homeporting at Port Everglades this summer are Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Equinox, Princess Cruises’ Caribbean Princess and Royal Caribbean International’s Adventure of the Seas.

Travelers have additional reasons to sail from Port Everglades and extend their summer vacation with pre- and post-cruise stays in the Greater Fort Lauderdale area. Port Everglades is a short drive to sweeping beachfronts, a vibrant art scene, world-class restaurants, craft breweries, entertainment, shopping, casinos, and family-friendly activities -- including the area’s namesake, the Florida Everglades.

Crystal to Return to Port Everglades

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 12 June 2023 12 June 2023

Crystal has announced the cruise line will begin homeporting from Port Everglades in November 2024, with the newly refurbished Crystal Serenity.

Long known for its exceptional service, Crystal is relaunching this summer under the guardianship of the A&K Travel Group with a new name and vision: Crystal - Exceptional at Sea. The first sailing will be aboard Crystal Serenity on July 31, 2023, out of Marseille. The brand will announce its 2025 itineraries later this year and will include Port Everglades for South Florida turnaround days.

"We are excited to make our return to Port Everglades," said Crystal's Vice President of Port Operations & Itinerary Planning Spyros Almpertis. "More than three million guests sail out of Fort Lauderdale each year, and we are happy to now be an option when looking for an exceptional cruising experience."

"Crystal is a natural fit for Port Everglades and will complement our growing fleet of high-end brands," said CEO and Port Director Jonathan Daniels. "Port Everglades is already known as a big-ship cruise port, and more luxury lines are discovering that our terminals are fully scalable to accommodate more intimate ships and their discerning guests."

Crystal Serenity is currently undergoing an extensive refurbishment in Trieste, Italy. When the 740-passenger ship debuts later this summer, enhancements will include larger, updated suites with artisanal finishes, cutting-edge onboard wellness as well as a revamped spa. Guests will also find a new look for specialty dining restaurants Umi Uma and Osteria d'Ovidio along with a new pickleball court, refreshed entertainment and events, and an industry-leading space-to-guest ratio.