NEW YORK
CITY is expected to break ground
on a $30 million cruise facility in Brooklyn in February, and it is
expected to be open for business by late 2005. The Brooklyn cruise
piers, in the Red Hook section of the borough, have long been
discussed as a way to take pressure off the existing cruise
terminal in Manhattan and were part of a $200 million plan,
introduced last year, to upgrade the city's cruise facilities.
The five-year lease calls for the city to
pay the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which owns the
Brooklyn piers, about $560,000 a year, starting in September, which would come from cruise-line fees and other
facility tenants.
NO
WORD yet on which ships would tie
up in Brooklyn (though we at least know it won't
be Royal Caribbean International or Celebrity Cruises, who are
settling into their nearby home in Bayonne, N.J.). But last week
Silversea told Travel Weekly it would be open to the idea. "As long
as it's cost-efficient for our vessels and convenient for our
guests, we would actively look into utilizing the Brooklyn
terminal," the line said, adding: "The new state-of-the-art cruise
terminal would be a welcome addition to the
region."
ADVICE
COLUMN: Book now, or forever hold
your peace. That was the message last week from the Cruise Lines
International Association, which issued a statement that said Wave
Season is off to a hot start. Said Terry Dale, CLIAs CEO: CLIA
cruise lines are reporting bookings that are even stronger than
pre-9/11 Wave Season levels. Those travelers who want to choose
from the very best itineraries & should book as soon as
possible. This week we'll be hearing some more from CLIA: The
organization is set to release its 2004 passenger tallies and
divulge some details on its upcoming Cruise3sixty trade
show.
GIFTCARDS are emerging as
this seasons cruise currency, and Wave Season promotions on
Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz and others are dealing in them.
Booking a balcony cabin on a seven-day cruise nets the passenger a
$150 American Express gift card on Orbitz. Expedia partnered with
Giftcertificates.com for a similar promotion.
Lisa Bauer, Royal Caribbean Internationals senior vice president of
sales, said value-ads can be used for a limited time as long as
they cant be redeemed for cash and as long as Royal Caribbean
blesses the promotion.
MOOSE ON THE
LOOSE: Holland America Line will
be piloting a motorcoach, wrapped in an Alaska-themed painting,
around the Lower 48 (to 27 states, actually) to promote its Alaska
cruises and cruise-tours. The Moose Mobile will act as a
lecture-room for agents and their clients, as well as hopefully
drum up some attention on the Interstate. HAL said interested
agents should contact their district sales managers to find out
when the Moose Mobile will be in their area.