By
Rebecca Gibson |
Carnival Cruise Lines is set to homeport its ships at Florida’s Port of Tampa until 2017, following an agreement approved by the Tampa Port Authority (TPA) Board of Commissioners.
The move further solidifies the cruise line’s long-term commitment to the Tampa cruise market and strengthens marketing initiatives between the cruise line and port authority.
“This new contract with Carnival Cruise Lines is a definite sign of a strong, continuing partnership with the world’s largest, most popular cruise line, and it is very exciting to see the Port of Tampa near its twentieth year as a home port for Carnival ships, providing quality vacation experiences from our port and our facilities,” said Paul Anderson, port director and CEO of TPA.
“We’re very proud to see the TPA, a Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) executive partner, demonstrate such robust growth in cruise passengers and the wide-ranging economic contributions it provides to the greater Tampa community,” added Christine Duffy, CLIA’s president and CEO. “The Port of Tampa offers a wealth of cruise options from CLIA member lines, including Carnival Cruise Lines, Norwegian Cruise Line, Holland America Line and Royal Caribbean Cruises, on which nearly one million passengers vacation on each year.”
The company first sailed from Tampa in October 1994 and is one of the port’s main customers, offering year-round cruises to Western Caribbean destinations. Holland America Line, parented by Carnival, has also called at the Tampa since 1982.
The new agreement with Carnival is expected to help sustain the economic growth highlighted by the TPA in a recent economic impact study conducted by Martin Associates and published on 18 June.
Tampa experienced a significant boost in economic activity from US$8 billion in 2006, to US$15.1 billion in financial year 2012, according to the research, which also found that the port supported more than 80,000 direct, indirect and related jobs. Port-related wages totalled US$4.2 billion and were generated by maritime activity at the cruise and cargo terminals, and shipyards,
“The economic impact study underscores that the Port of Tampa is Tampa Bay’s economic gateway. We are strong, diverse, and will continue to grow our business and our footprint, providing more economic value and spurring job growth well into the future,” said Paul Anderson, port director and CEO of TPA.