Ports & destinations

Hamburg cruise passenger volume rises 23.8% in first half of 2013

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 30 July 2013 30 July 2013

In the first six months of the 2013 cruising season, the Port of Hamburg recorded a total of 271,317, an increase in passenger numbers of 23.8% compared to the same six months last year, the Port said in a statement, adding that it handled 91 cruise calls in the review period.

In May 2013 alone, 100,019 passengers from a total of 38 calls were handled at the cruise terminals in Altona, HafenCity and Überseebrücke. The record-breaking month of May has consequently delivered almost 36% of the total passengers handled in the first six months of 2013.

The proportion of turnaround guests that began or ended their cruise here constituted 94.5% of the total passenger volume in the first half-year.

“For the second half of the year, Hamburg Cruise Center is expecting another 85 calls with nigh-on 230,000 passengers. As a result of the disproportionate growth, the cruise port of Hamburg will now hit the half-million passenger mark this year and thus confirm the expectations voiced at the beginning of 2013. This once again emphasises the essential importance of expanding capacities in order to meet the future challenges presented by the growing size of cruise ships,” the port said.

Bayonne to receive new cruise terminal

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 26 July 2013 26 July 2013

The Port Authority Board of Commissioners today approved plans by Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines to build a new cruise terminal building at the Port Authority-owned marine terminal facility in Bayonne – a major public investment that will spur continued growth in the New Jersey cruise business.

As part of its expansion plans, Royal Caribbean also agreed to base its new Quantum of the Seas vessel – the largest cruise ship serving the New York-New Jersey region – at Bayonne in 2014. The new vessel, which can accommodate up to 4,180 passengers, will sail to the Caribbean, Bahamas, Florida and Bermuda.

The Port Authority acquired the Cape Liberty Cruise Terminal in June 2010 as part of its purchase of the 131-acre portion of the former Military Ocean Terminal at Bayonne.

As part of the agreement allowing construction of the cruise terminal building, the Port Authority agreed to extend Royal Caribbean’s operating agreement for the terminal for an additional five years through 2043.

“The cruise industry is one of this region’s most rapidly growing markets, and this private sector investment will enhance our ability to generate significant revenues from the waterfront property we own,” said Port Authority Chairman David Samson. “With the region’s largest vessel scheduled to dock at this port facility, we will be able to grow the jobs and economic activity that the cruise business has generated for this region for many decades.”

“The new Royal Caribbean Cruise Terminal will provide the people of New Jersey and New York with the world class travel experience they deserve,” said Port Authority Deputy Executive Director Bill Baroni. “We welcome the significant investment Royal Caribbean is making in our region and look forward to welcoming the Quantum of the Seas to her new home in our port.”

The new $70 million cruise terminal building – which will be paid for by Royal Caribbean – includes a 36,000-square-foot check-in terminal, a 60,000-square-foot luggage area, a parking deck, additional parking and berth improvements. Construction is scheduled to begin this summer and be completed by October 2014.

Passenger volumes at the Cape Liberty Cruise Terminal have grown steadily in the past three years – from 393,000 passengers in 2010 to 476,000 in 2012. Passenger volumes at the facility are expected to increase to approximately 600,000 after the new terminal building opens.

Barcelona exceeds one million cruise passengers during the first half of the year

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 24 July 2013 24 July 2013

Over one million cruise passengers (1.040.823 people) passed through in the Port of Barcelona during the first half of the year, representing an increase of 15% over the same period in 2012. The Catalan facility recorded a total of 352 cruise calls by the month of June, representing an increase of 15% on last year’s figures. Some 56% of the total number of cruise passengers were turnaround (either beginning or ending their schedules in the Port). This category of passenger contributes the most to the local economy, by often extending their stay in the city either at the beginning or the end of their cruise schedule.

Barcelona is the leading cruise port in Europe and the Mediterranean and fourth homeport in the world. The forecast for this year is that 2.6 million passengers will arrive at the port, equalling the record set in 2011.

Over the same period, some 398.323 ferry passengers also arrived in the Port of Barcelona bringing the passenger total to 1.4 million (+9%). In the month of June ferry passenger numbers grew 9%.

Princess to sail two more seasons from Houston

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 24 July 2013 24 July 2013

The Port of Houston Authority has reached agreement with Princess Cruises to make passenger calls for two additional cruise seasons, in addition to the sailings that will kick off later this year in November at the state-of-the-art Bayport Cruise Terminal.

The agreement, which has been approved by the Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority, calls for Princess Cruises to sail from the Bayport Cruise Terminal in Pasadena, Texas during the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 cruise seasons.

Sailings are expected to generate as much as $155 million of economic impact over the confirmed three cruise seasons, according to the firm Martin Associates. An estimated $3 million in state and local taxes is anticipated. Additionally, a total of 736 direct, induced and indirect jobs will be created.

The two-year extension also includes two one-year options, which could expand sailings by Princess into 2018. While 27 departures are planned for the cruise season starting in 2013, the new agreement will mean an additional 50 sailings.

"We are pleased to have secured two additional cruise seasons with Princess Cruises. These additional sailings will spur even more job creation and economic development for the entire Houston region," Port Commission Chairman Janiece Longoria said.

The Port Authority’s initial agreement with Princess Cruises, announced last November, marks the first service scheduled with a cruise line to use the Bayport Cruise Terminal. Both Princess and the Port Authority project the cruise activity will have a significant positive impact on the economies of Harris County and the greater Houston area, including the cities of Houston and Pasadena.

The inaugural cruise is an unprecedented sailing aboard Caribbean Princess to support U.S. veterans. The historic cruise, which will sail between Nov. 5 and Nov. 9, is expected to raise up to $1 million for two U.S. veterans organizations, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) and Operation Homefront. Caribbean Princess will continue to sail from Bayport for the rest of the season.

Next year, Emerald Princess will make Houston its home port for western Caribbean sailings.

"We're pleased that we’ve reached agreement for the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 seasons," said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises executive vice president. "We expect that the port's state-of-the-art facilities at Bayport and the convenient airport-close location willprovide a terrific experience for our passengers cruising out of Houston."

The Bayport Cruise Terminal, which was completed in the fall of 2009, is located in Pasadena, Texas, nestled between Houston and Galveston Bay.

Norwegian Cruise Lines is also set to sail from the cruise terminal beginning in 2014, with a total of 75 calls over three cruise seasons.

MSC Cruises operates first interporting at Le Havre

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 19 July 2013 19 July 2013

On July 15, on the occasion of the first partial turnaround on board MSC Opera, Le Havre Cruise Club offered a special entertainment program to welcome cruise passengers.

Embarking passengers were welcomed by Miss Le Havre who offered roses to the ladies. To recall the innovative route of the cruise which combines calls in Northern Europe as well as Spain and Portugal, videos of some destinations on the itinerary were shown and a music “banda” played during the afternoon in the cruise Terminal.

Later in the afternoon, a young Dutch orchestra performed two concerts, one on the seafront and the other opposite the quay where MSC Opera was moored. This was a good opportunity for passengers and local people to share a friendly moment.

The departure was particularly touching with the traditional horn exchange between the ship and the harbor station. Tugs joined the party greeting the passengers, spectators and shiplovers with their water jets: guaranteed effects!