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Montréal’s cruise season sees a record 33% increase in 2017

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 13 November 2017 13 November 2017

The Port of Montréal welcomed 114,517 passengers and crew members during the 2017 cruise season, up 33% compared to 2016. In all, some 21 ships representing 16 international cruise lines moored 52 times at the newly renovated T1 Terminal located at the Alexandra Pier in Old Montréal and at Terminal T3 located east of Jacques-Cartier Bridge. This season also saw 16 domestic cruises operating between Montréal and the Magdalen Islands.

Three new luxury international cruise liners visited Montréal for the first time this season, namely the Viking Sky and Viking Sea from Viking Cruises, and the Silver Muse from Silversea Cruises. The season opened on May 6 with the arrival of the Veendam from Holland America and closed on October 27 with the departure of the Seven Seas Mariner from Regent Seven SeasCruises.

The Montréal Cruise Committee is delighted with the outstanding results posted in 2017. Since its creation in 2011, the committee has seen the numbers of passengers and crew members visiting Montréal increase by more than 140%.

“I would like to congratulate and extend my sincere thanks to the Montréal Cruise Committee’s partners and teams on the ground for receiving a record number of cruise passengers and crew members in 2017,” said Sylvie Vachon, President and CEO of the Montréal Port Authority. “Since June 10, we have been proudly welcoming ships to our revamped cruise terminal in the Port of Montréal. It features modern and effective infrastructure for use by visitors and cruise lines, in addition to an international-calibre maritime architectural signature. This season also underscored the importance of maintaining our facilities east of the Jacques-Cartier Bridge to ensure our mooring capacity during the high season.”

According to Yves Lalumière, President and CEO of Tourisme Montréal, 2017 was a springboard year, elevating Montréal among the top urban destinations for international cruise lines. “I am extremely satisfied with the results we achieved. Next season promises to be just as busy with forecasts of approximately 130,000 passengers and crew members.”

According to data collected by the Montréal Cruise Committee, clients are primarily American (68%), English (12%), Canadian (7%) and Australian (5%). Nearly 70% of passengers who began or ended a cruise in Montréal prolonged their stay by an average of two nights.

Port Canaveral names Dave German Director, Cruise Business Development

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 13 November 2017 13 November 2017

Port Canaveral's Cruise Team is gaining a new dimension with the appointment of Dave German as Director, Cruise Business Development, effective Friday, November 10, 2017. German previously served as Port Canaveral's Senior Harbormaster. In his new role, he will be responsible for building the Port's alliances with cruise lines for both home ported and port-of-call vessels.

“Port Canaveral is growing exponentially and Dave will play an key role in enhancing our business relationships with current and future cruise partners," said Port CEO Captain John Murray. "Port Canaveral has a commitment to the global cruise industry to support their current needs, as well as to be ready to meet the demands of the future. Dave’s appointment to this important segment of our business enhances our ability to significantly support cruise lines and strengthen those very important partnerships."

In his newly-created role at the Port German will work closely with the cruise line executives and key decision makers developing new business lines and itineraries for Port Canaveral. “His extensive maritime education, port experience, and customer service background along with his exemplary marketing skills made him the ideal choice to join our marketing team at Port Canaveral," stated Bobby “G” Giangrisotomi, Senior Director Business Development and Cruise.

Dave German holds a Bachelor of Science degree in marine transportation and logistics from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, and earned an MBA in finance from Ohio University. He joined Port Canaveral in March, 2005 as Port Operations Manager and was promoted to Senior Harbormaster in February, 2013. During that time, German led the Port's management of maritime operations and overall usage of the Canaveral Port Authority’s docks and waterways.

International cruise season ends on a positive note for Baie-Comeau

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 10 November 2017 10 November 2017

The cruise ship Pearl Mist, of the Pearl Seas Cruises line, closed the international cruise season at Baie-Comeau on Sunday, October 22. This year, ten cruise ships docked at the Baie-Comeau port for a total of eight days. In all, some 6,000 passengers and crew members were able to enjoy the Baie-Comeau experience.

The exceptionally warm temperatures undoubtedly favoured our tourist attractions, which were very busy during the port of call days. Popular sites included, among others, Franquelin’s lumberjack Village, St. Amelie’s Church, the Garden of the Glaciers, the Seashell Valley, Le Manoir of Baie-Comeau, Manic-2 and Pointe-aux-Outardes’ Nature Park.

Two inaugural ports of call by German cruise ships highlighted the season: they were the Hamburg of Plantours Cruises and Artania of Phoenix Reisen. In total, one-third (33%) of cruise ship passengers visiting Baie-Comeau came from Germany this year – a dramatic increase over 2015, when Baie-Comeau received its first German cruise ship, representing 13% of its clientele. Slightly ahead of Germany is the United States at 41%, with the United Kingdom at 17.5%.

And what is more, a German TV crew visited several locations in the region, including the Seashell Valley, to shoot their seventh season of travel documentaries.

Carnival Corporation completes multi-million-dollar upgrade of Port Everglades terminal

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 09 November 2017 09 November 2017

Carnival Corporation & plc today announced it has completed an extensive, multi-million-dollar redesign and upgrade of Cruise Terminal 2 at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale. Used exclusively by the company’s Princess Cruises brand, the upgraded terminal now features a more streamlined departure design, interactive experiences, movie theater and more comfortable pre-boarding areas transforming guests’ experience as they prepare to depart for their cruise vacation.

“When our guests arrive at the terminal excited about their cruise, that’s a great opportunity for us to begin immersing them in a more personalized and hassle-free vacation experience,” said John Padgett, chief experience and innovation officer for Carnival Corporation. “We have completely transformed the arrival so that our guests can board at a pace that’s more relaxed and convenient for them. Our focus is on the entire guest experience with a special emphasis on making the arrival experience exceptional. From guests’ homes through the cruise terminal and to their stateroom, every guest engagement is intended to maximize their vacation experience.”

The transformation includes the addition of Carnival Corporation’s proprietary xIoT (Experiential Internet of Things) network, which is activated by the Ocean Medallion. As a result, guests sailing on Medallion Class ships will enjoy expedited boarding and a more personalized arrival experience as soon as they enter the terminal.

That includes interacting with their Ocean Tagalong on a gigantic LED screen (8’ 3” tall by 53’ 5” wide) that surrounds the Ocean Portal area where guests enter after clearing the security and check-in area.

Ocean Tagalongs are digital companions that guests create and personalize using the SocialOcean app – available for download through the Apple App Store and GooglePlay. Guests can select from among three sea creatures – Sea Turtle, Seahorse or Butterfly Fish – to best reflect their personality or mood, then further customize their Ocean Tagalong by body shape, color, pattern, markings and more.

Guests’ Ocean Tagalongs take center stage on the Ocean Portal screen in the heart of the terminal as the avatars of guests in the immediate area appear in a vibrantly-animated ocean setting that creates an excellent photo moment.

For guests wanting to stay connected prior to boarding their cruise, Terminal 2 now features Carnival Corporation’s new MedallionNet, a game-changing connectivity service that delivers the best Wi-Fi experience in the cruise industry. MedallionNet provides cruise guests in the terminal and onboard Medallion Class ships with easy-to-access Wi-Fi that features exceptional speeds and bandwidth, pervasive stateroom signal strength and unprecedented service consistency.

That unprecedented connectivity also lets guests enjoy the company’s portfolio of original mobile games before and after boarding. PlayOcean Everywhere features four social casino games that can be played anywhere at any time with virtual currency, in addition to in-app purchases to boost gameplay for even more fun.

On the first floor, guests also can relax in the OceanView Theater – a comfortable cinema that features the award-winning, originally produced Ocean Original travel series that transports viewers to new and exotic places, introduces them to extraordinary people who live there and provides inspiration for near and far ocean travel.

The terminal’s second level offers picturesque views of Fort Lauderdale’s Intracoastal Waterway and the magnificent Princess Cruises ships docked for departure.

It also includes another interactive Ocean Tagalong experience that allows guests to direct their “creatures” through a series of screens by moving their arms and hands to control the creature’s swimming motions and directions, as guests prepare for ship boarding.

The 141,000 gross ton Regal Princess will be the first ship to depart from the newly redesigned terminal, as she begins a series of preview cruises introducing Ocean Medallion Vacations.

Port of Seattle hosts over one million cruise passengers in 2017

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 05 November 2017 05 November 2017

The Port of Seattle welcomed a record 1,071,594 revenue passenger through its cruise terminals this year, with an estimated 1,092,345 expected in 2018. Larger vessels continue to drive passenger increases. Each cruise vessel is estimated to bring in $2.7 million for the local economy, bringing total revenue for the region to over $500 million.

“By exceeding a million passengers this year, and more to come next year, the Port of Seattle continues to grow the cruise market, revenue and jobs for our region,” said Port of Seattle Commissioner John Creighton. “The Seattle cruise business means a half a billion dollars in local economic impact, and we want more passengers to experience Seattle while going to Alaska.”

The Port saw a 9% increase in cruise passengers this year, which brought 983,539 revenue passengers. Seattle’s cruise business – currently leading all cruise homeports on the west coast in passenger volume – is responsible for over 4,000 jobs, $501 million in annual business revenue, and $18.9 million annually in state and local tax revenues.

“Seattle’s cruise business benefits everyone on the waterfront. They are a huge part of our business and really boost summer sales," said Andy Lipscomb, owner of The Frankfurter, the popular hot dog spot on Seattle’s waterfront for 42 years.

On May 30, 2018, the Port of Seattle welcomes the arrival of the Norwegian Bliss on its maiden voyage from shipyard to its first homeport terminal at Pier 66, recently renovated in a $30 million partnership with Norwegian Cruise Line. The 4,000 passenger Bliss is the first vessel to be constructed specifically for the Alaska cruise market, and will be the largest cruise ship to homeport at a West Coast port. The Bliss offers weekly Alaska cruises through-out summer 2018.

In 2018, the Port of Seattle will host the following homeporting cruise vessels and their itineraries:

Homeport Cruise Lines for 2018

– Carnival Cruise Line offers 7-day Alaska cruises on Carnival Legend departing Tuesdays from Pier 91.

– Celebrity Cruises offers 7-day Alaska cruises on Celebrity Solstice departing Fridays from Pier 91.

– Holland America Line offers 7-day Alaska cruises on the Eurodam and Amsterdam departing Saturdays and Sundays from Pier 91. The Zaandam offers 14-day sailings departing on Mondays, from Pier 91

– Norwegian Cruise Line offers 7-day cruises to Alaska on the Norwegian Bliss and the Norwegian Pearl. Sailings depart Saturdays and Sundays from Pier 66.

– Oceania Cruises offers a variety of itineraries on the Oceania Regatta departing from Pier 66.

– Princess Cruises offers 7-day cruises to Alaska on the Ruby Princess and Emerald Princess. Sailings depart Saturdays and Sundays from Pier 91.

– Royal Caribbean offers 7-day cruises to Alaska on Explorer of the Seas on Fridays from Pier 91.