THREE
BILLS that seek to put stricter curbs on cruise-ship
discharges and waste incineration in California waters were
approved by state legislators, and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has
until Sept. 30 to sign or veto the bills. The state last year
approved two other bills that would bar sewage sludge, hazardous
waste and oily bilge water from waters along Californias coast and
in marine sanctuaries.
ROYAL
CARIBBEAN CRUISES officially began enforcing its no-rebate
policy last week, and a quick check of cruise-oriented Web sites
revealed everything from RCCL-sanctioned discounts to special
points-based awards programs to a promotion on NLG partner sites
that promised up to $500 cash back on select cruises. NLG Co-CEO
Brad Gerstner said that the cash-back offer was part of a
longstanding cruise promotion that runs every August, and that NLG
had received permission from RCCL to continue the offers through
the promotion, which ends in September. The wheels were set in
motion. Wed bought the ad space well before these guys made their
announcements, he said.
DIRECT AND
INDIRECT SPENDING by the North American cruise industry
had a $25.4 billion impact on the U.S. economy in 2003, an 11%
increase over 2002, according to research released Aug. 24. The
research, which is conducted annually for the International Council
of Cruise Lines, said industry and passenger spending in the U.S.
rose to $12.9 billion, an 8.1% increase compared with 2002, on a
6.6% increase of global passengers.
U.S. PORTS
HANDLED 7.1 million cruise embarkations last year, a 9.4%
increase over 2002, the study said. The study this year included
passenger embarkation numbers from several growing cruise ports;
although the top three ports by passenger embarkation remain Miami,
Port Canaveral and Port Everglades in Florida, New York and Tampa,
Fla., edged past the port of Los Angeles to become the fourth- and
fifth-busiest ports in 2003. Los Angeles was No. 6, followed by
Galveston, Texas; New Orleans; Long Beach, Calif.; and Seattle in
the 10th spot.