The Port of Genoa Authority and Genoa City Administration recently
announced plans for a new cruise terminal. The Ponte Parodi
area in the central harbor will be redeveloped into a 325-meter-long
cruise ship quay with a 12-meter draught, together with a 4,000
square meter terminal with parking for up to 60 coaches and
a multipurpose entertainment and retail area. Port Authority
president Giovanni Novi expressed his hope that cruise lines
might get involved in the running of a new terminal.
Genoa's existing passenger terminal operator Stazioni Marittime
said it was investing Euro 2.7 million to improve the existing
Ponte dei Mille cruise terminal in time for next year's season,
An additional Euro 1.3 million is being spent on security upgrades.
Less than a year after cruise ships began calling at Savona’s
new cruise terminal, Palacrociere, funding has been approved
to build an additional berth. The €7.8m, 320 meter pier
will go up on the site of the current yacht marina, which will
be relocated, said Roberto Ferrarini, Costa Crociere’s
director of marine and port operations. A public tender will
be issued for the construction contract, with work commencing
in late 2005/early 06. The berth is expected to be operational
in late 2007.
Palacrociere’s existing pier is 450 meters long and can
serve up to two vessels at a time. Costa and the Savona Port
Authority co-financed Palacrociere, and Costa operates it under
a long-term lease.
A popular home port, The Port of New Orleans projects the number
of cruise passengers boarding in the city to reach 1 million
by 2006, up from 695,000 passengers in 2003.
The New Orleans Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau
(NOMCB) offers cruise coupons to travel agents to encourage
clients to cruise from the Crescent City. The NOMCVB also has
introduced commissionable hotel packages, which feature accommodations,
transportation to and from the cruise ship terminal, and free
hotel parking for passengers booking a pre- or post-New Orleans
stay with their cruise vacation.
According to the International Council of Cruise Lines, the
Port of New Orleans is one of the fastest growing cruise ports
in the United States. To accommodate the increased capacity
and attract additional cruise ships to the city, a new 100,000-square-foot
international cruise terminal and added parking is scheduled
to open in late 2005.
Just blocks from the French Quarter and a short walk from many
of the fine attractions in the city, a cruise vacation from
the Port of New Orleans offers travelers two vacations in one-a
convenient and affordable cruise destination as well as one
of the best vacation destinations in the country.
Four international cruise ships are home-ported in New Orleans;
in addition, two inland cruise companies are based here, the
Delta Queen Steamboat Company, offering year-round
paddlewheel cruises out of New Orleans, and Riverbarge Excursion's
River Explorer, delivering river barge vacations along
the Mississippi River and its tributaries.
Norwegian Cruise Line began its round-trip service from New
Orleans October 24 through April 24, 2005, calling at Cozumel;
Roatan, Honduras; Belize City, Belize and Cancun. Next fall,
the company will replace the Norwegian Dream with a
larger ship, the 2,002-passenger Norwegian Sun, for
its New Orleans' sailings.
In October, the 2,052-passenger Carnival Sensation
replaced the smaller Carnival Holiday. Also home-ported in the
city, the Carnival Conquest, carries about 3,000 passengers.
Royal Caribbean is in discussions to extend the stay of the
2,446-passenger Grandeur of the Seas from six to 12
months, according to officials with the Port of New Orleans.
The cruise line offers Western Caribbean cruises from November
through May.
The Port's Julia Street cruise terminal complex has recently
undergone more than $9 million in upgrades to its two cruise
terminals.
Barcelona is one of the Mediterranean's most important ports
and one of Spain's most dynamic and youthful cities. The relationship
between Costa and the Catalan city was consolidated with the
signing of a letter of intent in September 2003 for the construction
and management of a new cruise terminal on Barcelona's Adosado
wharf, at a total cost of 7 million euros, and paid in its entirety
by the Genoese company.
Costa ships have been coming to Barcelona since the1950s when
its passenger-ship
business began. Costa plans to make 96 calls to Barcelona in
2004, transporting about 215,000 passengers. In 2005, those
figures are expected to increase significantly to 128 calls
and 335,000 passengers.
According to Sea Trader Insider News, Cruise Palace (Palacruceros
in Spanish) is the name of Costa Crociere’s eight-million-euros
terminal that will open at the Port of Barcelona in summer 2006.
The 10,000 square-meter facility will rise three stories, enclosing
1,500 sq meters of space for baggage, 28 check-in stations,
lounge seating and offices. There will be panoramic glass walls,
marble floors, palm trees, children’s and teen’s
areas, a bar, Internet facilities and a tourist information
desk.
A taxi zone and separate parking for 40 motorcoaches are also
planned.
