NEW YORK -- When
Norwegian Cruise Lines Norwegian Dawn began homeporting in the Big
Apple during the winters, the ship practically had the New York
Cruise Terminal to itself.
But with MSC
Cruises entering the market in 2007, NCL is about to get some
company in the Big Apple.
In fact, by the
time winter 2006-07 rolls around, four ships will schedule regular
winter calls here, making Manhattans west side terminal a little
more crowded.
Andy Stuart, NCLs
executive vice president of marketing, sales and passenger
services, said its satisfying to see success come from what some
considered a wild idea.
Before the Dawns
year-round stationing here, Stuart said, We were inundated with
travel agents telling us that we should leave [the Dawn] here
year-round, and it certainly did seem out of left field at
first.
The line has
tinkered with itineraries regularly since the Dawn came to stay in
2003. But after hearing many anecdotal reports from agents and
district sales managers about high repeat-passenger rates, NCL
decided it was time to bring in the Norwegian Spirit to meet demand
for added variety.
Holland America
Line will add to the winter mix starting early next year with the
Noordam, which will cruise from New York exclusively during the
winter months.
And following
NCLs lead, in April 2007 MSC Cruises will bring the Lirica into the
market year-round.
Rick Sasso, the
lines U.S. CEO, said the market is by no means too crowded to
support a third year-round cruise ship-in-residence.
There are 70
million people living within a five-hour drive of Manhattan, and
the Northeast is the strongest cruise market in the world. It just
makes perfect sense, Sasso said.
Sasso
acknowledged that theres ample competition in New York but said the
industry has 
always shown that
the market grows proportionately, so were never afraid of size of a
market in terms of [bringing in new] ships.
Stuart didnt rule
out the possibility of even more NCL ships joining the year-round
club in New York.
Its a
tremendously important market. Were always looking at New York and
how to expand that market, he said.
NYC: The
more, the merrier
More is better,
according to Kate Ascher, vice president of the New York City
Economic Development Corp. (EDC), which manages ports, including
construction and upgrades.
Ascher said there
is still plenty of capacity for newcomers, and the latest additions
to New Yorks year-round roster demonstrate the strength of the
drive market in the metro area.
The lines are
seeing that they can fill their ships, and wintertime cruising is
just great for us, Ascher said.
In 2004, nearly
900,000 passengers came through the New York Cruise Terminal on the
west side of Manhattan, up from an average of 400,000 in the 1990s.
Volume is forecast to increase to 1.5 million passengers by
2017.
As a $200 million
pier construction project continues, ships will shift from Pier 88
and 90 to alternative berths at the new Brooklyn facility, and the
biggest challenge is getting their itineraries right so they all
fit together, she said.
Construction on
Pier 88 on the West Side is just getting under way, which we hope
to have ready by the summer of 2007, she said.
Pier 90 will be
renovated subsequently, and the entire program is scheduled to
finish by 2009, she said.
To finance that
initiative, Carnival and NCL in 2004 agreed to bring in $200
million in port charges from 13 million people through 2017 in
return for upgraded port facilities.
In return, the
city promised each line preferential berths on specific piers and
offered fee reductions.
Full up
in Florida
As cruise lines
continue to add capacity, lines seeking U.S. homeports will likely
be forced to migrate up the East Coast.
One important
reason: Warm-weather facilities in Fort Lauderdale are almost fully
booked.
When asked if
there was much extra berth space available, Ellen Kennedy, Port
Everglades manager of corporate and community relations,
chortled.
Extra? In the
winter? I have to laugh, Kennedy said.
Only a few berths
remain available on winter weekdays, she said, but prime turnaround
weekend days are booked solid.
She added, This
is just standard winter operating procedure.
New York-area
agents said the newly added ships are just more good news in a
market that has experienced a cruise boom in recent
years.
Agents say the
convenience and cost savings of New York departures are so
compelling that repeat passengers now cruise more often, and those
who generally take land-based vacations are willing cruise
converts.
Simply put,
theres less schlepping, said Marcy Hamed, owner of American
Discount Cruises in Old Bridge, N.J.
In her clients
eyes, having the cruise experience in their backyard is a major
advantage because the vacation starts right away.
Hamed said her
clients tend to cruise more frequently in the winter rather than
take land-based or all-inclusive vacations because of the
opportunity to hop on a ship in New York and not have to fly out,
or worry about traveling to the airport.
Michael Berman,
co-owner of Moments Notice in Moonachie, N.J., said, A lot of
people want to travel from their home city. Its always easier, and
they can save on air.
Cruises that
depart from New York save clients an average of $150 on one-way air
they might ordinarily pay to get to a Florida-based cruise, which
is definitely a big advantage on a seven-day cruise that costs
about $700 or $800 per person, Berman said.
For travelers who
drive from outside of the New York area to depart on a cruise, the
option to start or end a trip with a stay in the Big Apple is
viewed as another benefit, Berman said.
Before HAL
decided to debut the 1,800-passenger Noordam in New York this
February, the line did a significant amount of research on the
market and found it ideal, said Rick Meadows, HALs senior vice
president of sales and marketing.
The overall
feeling is very good, Meadows said about advance
bookings.
Its a very large
population, and I think theres enough room for everyone, he
added.
To contact
reporter Kristin OMeara Hillmann, send e-mail to [email protected].