Page 61: of Maritime Logistics Professional Magazine (Q1 2015)

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PORT LOGISTICS

A cruise vessel along- side and bunkering at the Port of New Orleans.

port for some of their ships. In July, the port signed a new ? ve- Julia Street for trips to the eastern Caribbean as far back as year agreement with Carnival, keeping the world’s biggest 2013. Before that, the operator’s Navigator of the Seas was cruise line sailing at least two vessels from the city year-round docked there.

through 2019. Carnival now has homeported two vessels now at the Erato Street Terminal, including the 3,646-passenger RIVER AND COASTAL CRUISING –

Carnival Dream, which can hold up to 4,400 people with mul-

NEW OPTIONS, MORE JOBS tiple occupancies. Last April, it began seven-day trips from New Orleans is also fast becoming a hub for coastal and the Crescent City to the eastern and western Caribbean. The river cruises. Connecticut-based American Cruise Lines sails 2,052-passenger Carnival Elation makes four and ? ve day its 295-foot sternwheeler Queen of the Mississippi from the trips to Mexico from Erato Street. city. And the 418-foot American Queen, operated by Ameri-

Carnival last year carried about 330,000 passengers through can Queen Steamboat Co. in Memphis, Tenn., travels to New

New Orleans, based on single-count embarkations. And it Orleans. Rhode Island-based Blount Small Ship Adventures took 660,000 passengers, based on double-count embarka- has run cruises to the city on its Grand Caribe vessel.

tions and debarkations. Not to be outdone, in late Novem- River and inland cruise lines don’t carry as many passengers ber, Miami-based Norwegian Cruise Line signed a four-year as blue water ships but they’re important to the port’s activity, berthing agreement to keep at least one ship sailing from New LaGrange said. “These passengers come to New Orleans and

Orleans seasonally through 2018, with an option to extend stay a few nights before or after their cruise,” he said. “Inland the accord to 2021. Late last year, the company began sail- cruises stop at other attractions and sites in Louisiana, includ- ing its 2,340-passenger Norwegian Dawn from the Julia Street ing plantation homes, small river communities and historical terminal on seven-day trips to Mexico, Belize and Honduras attractions. They contribute considerably to the economies through this April. of those areas.” River and inland cruises accounted for about

Miami-based Royal Caribbean International began home- 10,000 passenger embarkations in New Orleans last year. That porting its 2,476-passenger, 965-foot Serenade of the Seas at number is also expected to grow.

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