Port Canaveral expecting double-digit port of call visits in closing months of 2019

 

Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Pearl, left and Norwegian Escape make
port-of-call stops at Port Canaveral on Oct. 29.
(Photo: Canaveral Port Authority)

Port Canaveral, FL – Port Canaveral will be a popular stop for port-of-call cruise ships during the last months of 2019, with 38 vessels scheduled to visit the world’s second-busiest cruise port between now and Dec. 31.

Cruise ships from AIDA Cruises, TUI Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International, Holland America Line, Saga Cruises and Disney Cruise Line are expected  to call at the Port, with many sailing itineraries from Europe to reposition for winter sailing schedules in the Caribbean, explained Port CEO Capt. John Murray at the Canaveral Port Authority Board of Commissioners meeting last week.
 
"Port Canaveral is an enticing port-of-call for some of the world’s most prestigious cruise lines, and that means more visitors, more tourism dollars, and more attention focused on the Port and the Space Coast," Murray said. "We are pleased to welcome these magnificent cruise ships and their guests, and we hope to generate even more port-of-call visits in the coming years."
 
Earlier this month, TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff I made her inaugural call to the Port, bringing more than 2,800 guests who visited local attractions or rode bicycles around the Port. While on an 11-day, round-trip cruise from New York to The Bahamas and back, the 16-deck cruise ship arrived at Cruise Terminal 10. Many disembarked guests boarded buses for excursions to nearby Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, while others chose to rent bicycles and tour the Port’s recreational areas.
 
Built in 2018, the 1,035-foot-long Mein Schiff 1 is co-owned by TUI Cruises, a German-based joint venture cruise company of TUI Group and Royal Caribbean International. The 111,500 gross-ton vessel offers mostly European itineraries, sailing from homeports in Hamburg and Kiel, Germany, and Las Palmas in the Canary Islands. Currently, the Mein Schiff 1 is offering New York-based cruises through Nov. 5.
 

Mein Schiff I Capt. Todd Burgman, left, receives a ceremonial plaque from
Robert “Bobby G“ Giangrisostomi, Vice President, Cruise Business Development
with Port Canaveral earlier this month                  
 (Photo: Canaveral Port Authority)

In keeping with Port tradition, representatives from Port Canaveral and Intercruises Shoreside & Port Services presented Mein Schiff I Capt. Todd Burgman with plaques commemorating the cruise ship’s first visit to the Port. Intercruises is a global business offering turnaround, shore excursion, port operations and hotel-program services to the ocean and river cruise industry.

Other cruise ships that called on Port Canaveral recently were Holland America’s MS Zaandam on Oct. 15, AIDA Cruises’ AIDAluna on Oct. 21, Holland America’s MS Veendam on Oct. 22, and Norwegian’s Norwegian Pearl and Norwegian Escape on Oct. 29.

Vessels planning port of calls include the Mein Schiff 1 on Oct. 30, Disney’s Disney Magic on Oct. 31, the AIDAluna on Nov. 3, Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the seas on Nov. 4 and Grandeur of the Seas on Nov. 5, AIDA Cruises’ AIDAdiva on Nov. 9 and Norwegian’s Norwegian Bliss on Nov. 26.
 
In total, 86 cruise ships carrying 284,833 guests made port-of-call stops at the Port during Fiscal Year 2019.
 
According to a newly released, Port-commissioned economic impact study by Business Research & Economic Advisers, cruise passengers on a port-of-call vessel at Port Canaveral spent on average of nearly $80 per person and crew members spent an average of $103 per person during their time ashore.
 

About Port Canaveral   
Led by the elected five-member Canaveral Port Authority Board of Commissioners and Port Director and CEO, Captain John Murray, Port Canaveral is one of the world's most dynamic and exciting ports. A world-class gateway for cruises, cargo, recreation and logistics, as well as a gateway to new frontiers in space, Port Canaveral hosts nearly 5 million revenue cruise passengers through its state-of-the-art terminals and 6 million tons of cargo annually, including bulk, break-bulk, project, and containerized. The Port is strategically located to service all Florida markets, as well as the Southeastern United States. In addition to world class cruise facilities and diverse cargo operations, Port Canaveral offers more recreational opportunities than all other Florida deep-water seaports combined. For more information, visit www.PortCanaveral.com
 
Media Contact
Steve Linden
Director, Communications and Public Affairs
slinden@portcanaveral.com
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