Departments

Alaska Railroad bonding authority approved for Seward dock replacement

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 21 May 2022 21 May 2022

The Alaska State Legislature passed legislation authorizing the Alaska Railroad Corporation (ARRC) to sell bonds to fund the replacement of its passenger dock and terminal in Seward on Wednesday. It will now go to the governor for approval.

Pending the governor’s signature, ARRC will be able to sell up to $60 million in bonds to replace the aging dock in Seward. This dock is a critical connection to the thousands of cruise passengers who arrive in Alaska each summer and then go on to travel throughout the state, bringing tourism dollars to Alaska businesses.

“We are grateful for Senate President Peter Micciche (R) and House Transportation Committee Chair Rep. Grier Hopkins (D) for introducing and shepherding this bond authorization through the legislature,” said ARRC President and CEO Bill O’Leary. “And, we are thrilled the legislature provided its resounding support for this vital project that strengthens Alaska’s cruise market in Southcentral Alaska. Now, we will get to work making this new dock and terminal a reality for the benefit of our tourism partners across the state who are ready to welcome cruise guests for decades to come.”

Because the ARRC has its own bonding powers, none of the project costs for the replacement of the dock and terminal facility will come from state dollars. Total project costs are estimated at nearly $80 million to replace the existing dock and terminal facility. Revenue bond debt will be repaid from dock user fees. The remaining costs will be paid through existing dock fees and ARRC capital funds.

The project is on the fast track with support from Royal Caribbean Group, a longtime partner of the Seward cruise ship terminal. ARRC and Royal Caribbean Group are finalizing a multi-year berthing agreement that features an annual revenue guarantee. Royal Caribbean Group has three brands calling upon Alaska this 2022 cruise season — Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea Cruises.

“For those cruise visitors who want to get the most out of their Alaska vacation experience, Seward is at the top of their list,” said Royal Caribbean Group Regional Vice President of Government Relations for Alaska and the West Coast, Wendy Lindskoog. “Great guest experiences are inclusive of sound destination infrastructure, innovative ships, exceptional onboard service and plenty of things to see and do in the communities we visit. For many years, we have benefited from the strong community and business relationships in Seward and the Alaska Railroad Corporation’s pending improvements to the passenger dock will be critical to Seward’s continued status as a vibrant cruise transportation hub.”

With legislative approval, the ARRC is on track to invest more than $100 million in the community of Seward over the next five years through large-scale capital projects including the passenger dock and terminal facility replacement. There is also a separate project to upgrade the freight terminal in Seward.

“The Alaska Railroad has been an excellent partner with the city and community, and we look forward to our continued partnership,” said Seward City Manager Janette Bower. “We believe in this vital project and the economic benefit it provides through cruise ship tourism dollars for our local businesses, including commercial passenger vessel funds for both the city and borough, the marine industry in Seward and throughout the state.”

Under the current construction timeline, the new passenger dock will be operational for the 2024 season. The terminal facility would be operational by 2025.

Edinburgh hosts Cruise Europe Conference this week

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 17 May 2022 17 May 2022

Nearly 200 cruise executives from around the world are arriving in Edinburgh this week as the prestigious Cruise Europe Conference gets underway in Scotland.

Originally planned for March 2020 but delayed due to the global pandemic, this three-day in-person event, is being held in venues across the Capital and is the largest and best attended cruise event ever to be held in Edinburgh.

Forth Ports’ cruise business, Capital Cruising, is hosting the event which gives Edinburgh the chance to showcase the unique attractions of the beautiful UNESCO city to an influential cruise audience.

Scotland is a major draw for the cruise market, Edinburgh in particular is a ‘must-see’. The cruise business is an important economic boost for Scotland and the local areas where the liners call, with many local businesses and attractions benefitting from the tourism spend.

Event host, Rob Mason, Head of Cruise for Capital Cruising in Scotland said: “We are thrilled to host the Cruise Europe Cruise Conference this week. It is important for Edinburgh and Scotland’s cruise market as we are set to welcome 200 of the world’s important players in the cruise sector to the City. After a challenging two years for the cruise industry during the pandemic, this is a great opportunity for the cruise industry to come together.

The cruise season in Scotland has restarted – Scotland is open for cruise - and is well underway and across all our ports we are expecting to welcome over 100 cruise vessels across our Scottish ports and anchorages this year which is encouraging news as people return to cruise.”

Commenting on the event, Jens Skrede, Managing Director of Cruise Europe said: “We always look out for marquee cities and ports for our annual highlight, and Edinburgh certainly ticks all the boxes. Despite the pandemic, we have a record number of delegates attending from our members and cruise line executive decision makers. We are really looking forward to the Cruise Europe Conference in this historic and vibrant city.”

Capital Cruising runs seven busy cruise terminals and anchorages across the UK and is the only port operator to offer unrivalled direct access to Edinburgh for cruise passengers. With ports in Leith, Rosyth and anchorages at Newhaven and South Queensferry, passengers are within easy reach of the famous attractions in Edinburgh.

The partners of the Cruise Baltic network invest in social, economic and environmental sustainability

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 15 May 2022 15 May 2022

Cruise Baltic’s annual sustainability report reveals the network’s commitment to the vision of a sustainable cruise industry. Even with the pandemic and its harsh restrictions on the industry, almost 60% of the partners in the Cruise Baltic network have implemented sustainability initiatives.

Despite two years of Covid-19 with almost no calls, the Cruise Baltic Sustainability Report 2021 shows the cruise network’s continuous commitment to making cruising in the Baltic Sea region as sustainable as possible. During the pandemic, various initiatives have been implemented by partners in the Cruise Baltic network. The initiatives include economic and social sustainability as well as environmental sustainability.

“Sustainability has many facets, and for the cruise industry to be sustainable, we must take all of these aspects into account. Many of our partners have spent the time during the pandemic well by developing great initiatives within both social, economic and environmental sustainability,” says Claus Bødker, the Director of Cruise Baltic.

In Gothenburg it was decided only to allow bus operation with low emission buses and to spread out the shuttle bus stops to avoid crowds. In Copenhagen focus was on increasing onshore spending. In Tallin the new cruise terminal is powered by solar panels. And in Rostock-Warnemünde onshore power supply is now available. These are just some examples of initiatives brought to life in 2021.

Cruise Baltic’s sustainability work takes its starting point in the cruise network’s ambitious vision of “Making cruising a sustainable vacation offer in 2030”. In 2021, 19 of the destinations in the Cruise Baltic network presented new initiatives, supporting this vision.

“Many great initiatives saw the light of day in 2021, and we have indeed taken yet another step towards our vision of ‘Making cruising a sustainable vacation in 2030’. Due to the Covid-19 situation, some things also had to be postponed but this simply means that many significant things are ahead of us in 2022,” says Claus Bødker, the Director of Cruise Baltic.

Cruise Baltic was founded in 2004 and is a B2B network of 32 ports and destinations in the Baltic Sea Region aiming to promote the region towards cruise lines and travel agents. The network offers all cruise lines easy access, great service, high standards, and full integration between ports and cities throughout the region.
Please read more at www.cruisebaltic.com.

Photo: The new cruise terminal in Tallin. Photo credit: Kärt Hennoste

Carnival Cruise Line breaks ground on new cruise port destination on Grand Bahama Island

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 14 May 2022 14 May 2022

With a strong showing of validation of the cruise industry’s return and optimism, and reflecting a long-standing partnership between Carnival Cruise Line and The Bahamas, Carnival, in cooperation with the Grand Bahama Port Authority and the Government of The Bahamas, has held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new cruise port destination on Grand Bahama Island.

Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy; Bahamas Prime Minister The Honourable Philip Davis; Bahamas Deputy Prime Minister The Honourable I. Chester Cooper; Minister for Grand Bahama The Honourable Ginger Moxey; and The Grand Bahama Port Authority Acting Chairman Sarah St. George; along with Carnival Corporation CEO Arnold Donald and representatives from Carnival Corporation and the local community used ceremonial shovels to officially mark the beginning of construction.

“With the start of this Carnival project, Grand Bahama is now on the better side of reaching its true economic potential,” said The Honourable Philip Davis, Prime Minister of The Bahamas. “This investment will provide much needed jobs but will also signal new hope for the island’s recovery.”

The new Carnival Grand Bahama cruise port destination, expected to open in late 2024, is being developed on the south side of the island and will continue to serve as a gateway to Grand Bahama while also offering guests a uniquely Bahamian experience with many exciting features and amenities, along with business opportunities for the residents of Grand Bahama.

“As we celebrate our 50-year partnership with The Bahamas, today’s groundbreaking on our incredible new Grand Bahama destination represents an opportunity to collaborate with the government and people of Grand Bahama – to contribute to the local economy through job and business opportunities, meaningfully engage with local communities, and further expand our experience offerings for our guests who will have a breathtaking new port of call to enjoy,” said Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy. “Our sincere thanks to the government of The Bahamas and The Grand Bahama Port Authority for their continued support as we begin construction. Our guests already love The Bahamas, and we are certain this new project will give them even more reason to want to visit.”

The Grand Bahama Port Authority Acting Chairman Sarah St. George commented: “The new Carnival cruise port destination will have a monumental impact on our island’s economy, including a panoply of new business opportunities, a huge surge in tourist visitors, as well as increased activities for established businesses. It is transformational in the true sense of the word. We are immensely grateful to Carnival for choosing Freeport and Grand Bahama for this flagship project. Today, we mark this incredible achievement made possible by the efforts of Carnival with The Grand Bahama Port Authority, Port Group Limited, the Grand Bahama Development Company and Freeport Harbour Company, and the Government of The Bahamas. A project of this magnitude is only possible through genuine collaboration. Grand Bahamians have withstood life-changing challenges, particularly in recent years. Despite these, Carnival never wavered in their commitment to building their next cruise port in Freeport. We are very proud to have played our part to the best of our ability towards making this a reality.”

The cruise port development includes a pier able to accommodate up to two Excel-class ships simultaneously welcoming guests to a stunning white-sand beach The Bahamas are known for. Guests will be able to explore and enjoy Grand Bahama by way of sea, via a dedicated shore excursion dock, or by land, via the dedicated ground transportation hub. The cruise port itself will also feature an area designated as a nature reserve and an interior pool feature, along with many Bahamian-operated retail, food and beverage options for guests to enjoy.

“The Carnival groundbreaking is very significant to the residents of Grand Bahama. This development signals opportunities for creatives, vendors, and small and medium sized businesses, and represents our commitment to collaboration with local and international partners for the betterment of our island,” said The Honourable Ginger M. Moxey, Minister for Grand Bahama.

The cruise pier will allow Grand Bahama to welcome guests from Carnival’s larger ships, such as the 5,282-passenger Mardi Gras, which debuted in 2021 as the line’s largest and most innovative ship and North America’s first cruise ship powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), and Carnival Celebration, sister ship to Mardi Gras, which will begin sailing from Miami later this year.

Added Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism, Investment and Aviation The Honourable I. Chester Cooper: “The cruise port is an integral part of our plan to restore Grand Bahama to economic viability. Carnival will play a critical role in stimulating our economy and shining a light on Grand Bahama as a rejuvenated and premier destination in our country and the region. We believe the excitement of what is happening on Grand Bahama will be contagious.”

Cruise ships return to Massport

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 10 May 2022 10 May 2022

On May 6, the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport), local elected officials and leaders of the state and region tourism bureaus celebrated the start of the 2022 Cruise Season in Boston, the first full season in two years. The return of cruising to Flynn Cruiseport Boston supports the tourism recovery for the City of Boston and the Commonwealth, generating $135.5 million in annual economic impact and supports 2,200 jobs. The facility was renamed Flynn Cruiseport Boston in 2017 in honor of former Mayor of Boston and United States Ambassador to the Vatican Ray Flynn.

Massport will welcome 125 ships from 19 cruise lines supporting the local travel and tourism industries. The season includes established routes to Bermuda and Canada/ New England, as well as new ships and itineraries as the cruise lines look to attract new audiences to cruising. The Cruiseport will welcome 12 maiden calls, and for the first time, will have four cruise lines offering five homeport ships and voyages:

– Norwegian Cruise Line: Norwegian Pearl starts April 4th
– Holland America: Zaandam starts May 15th and Nieuw Statendam starts August 3rd
– Celebrity Cruises: Celebrity Summit starts August 31st
– Royal Caribbean International: Voyager of the Seas starts September 18th

"Cruising plays an important role in the visitor economy and we are delighted to welcome our cruise partners back to Boston to support the recovery of travel and tourism for the city and the Commonwealth,” said Massport CEO Lisa Wieland.

Congressman Stephen F. Lynch, who represents the MA 8th Congressional District including South Boston, was honored with this year’s Maritime Champion award. Congressman Lynch, a former iron worker was part of crew that installed the cranes at Conley Terminal more than 30 years ago. Congressman Lynch has been a steadfast partner to the working port and Massport, helping the Authority secure federal funding for the Boston Harbor Dredging project, which benefits all ships navigating Boston Harbor and allows the port to remain competitive. Congressman Lynch has also supported major improvements at Conley Terminal, enhancements at Flynn Cruiseport Boston, and the growth of seafood processing in South Boston.

“It’s an honor to receive Massport’s second Maritime Champion award,” said U.S. Rep. Stephen F. Lynch. “Both my grandfathers worked in the Port of Boston, so when I ended up working at Conley Terminal, it seemed like a family tradition. Over the years, I’ve witnessed firsthand Massport’s efforts to make the Port of Boston more efficient and more attractive to new businesses. And it has been a pleasure for me to work with Lisa Wieland—she has been a maritime champion in her own right. I am grateful for this award, and I look forward to continuing to work on behalf of our longshoremen, fishermen, shipfitters, masters, mates, and pilots, and all the import/export businesses that rely upon Massport and the Port of Boston.”

Flynn Cruiseport Boston served a record 402,346 passengers on 138 ships in 2019. Generating more than $130 million and supporting more than 2,000 jobs annually, cruising supports hundreds of businesses large and small throughout the region, from transportation providers and restaurants, to tourist attractions, airlines and hotels, souvenir shops, and provisioning companies that supply the ship. In regard to shore excursions, cruise lines have traditionally focused on main tourist attractions, giving Boston high passenger reviews. More recently, cruise line shore excursion teams are looking to expand their offerings to include more culturally-diverse experiences and destinations, unique and curated attractions, and opportunities to welcome demographics of all ages from Millennials to baby boomers.

“The economic impact of cruising is critical to the overall vitality of the visitor economy,” said Martha Sheridan, President and CEO of the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau. “The influx of cruise passengers and the injection of their spending during the summer months - and also through our shoulder seasons - creates a consistent flow of visitors that our destination depends on. This market segment was sorely missed during the pandemic and we are thrilled to see cruising return to Boston!"

Boston is well-known in the cruise industry for having one of the best airport-to-cruiseport proximities in the U.S. The Cruiseport will serve several new itineraries that either start or end in Boston throughout the 2022 season. In October, Celebrity Summit is offering a 12-day one-way cruise from Boston to the Caribbean and ending in Miami, FL. Vantage Cruise Line’s Ocean Explorer will depart Boston on Oct 29th for a 10-day cruise along the East Coast and ending in Nassau, Bahamas. Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas is offering a 14-day “Arctic Crossing” cruise that starts in Copenhagen, Denmark and ends in Boston on September 18th.

“The revitalized, expansive cruise ship season will have a viable economic impact on tourism destinations all across the Commonwealth, as intrepid travelers stepping off in Boston realize what cultural, culinary and scenic treasures await them here in the Bay State,” said Executive Director Keiko Matsudo Orrall of the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism. “Flynn Cruiseport is fast becoming a gateway for new visitor adventures in Massachusetts and New England.”

“Every time a ship visits Boston as a port of call, the passengers and crew are supporting local businesses and jobs,” said State Senator Nick Collins. “The Flynn Cruiseport is more than just a stop or a starting point for a cruise – it is an economic engine that provides significant employment opportunities for the people of South Boston and beyond.”