By
Rebecca Gibson |
The Port of New Orleans is set to break last year’s cruise passenger record, according to president and CEO Gary LaGrange.
Ranked as the sixth largest cruise port in the US by a recent Cruise Line International Association report, New Orleans is on pace to break the 977,703 passenger mark it reached in 2012. A number of new ship deployments are expected to help increase this figure.
Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Jewel debuted in New Orleans this October, while Lin Arison will christen Carnival Cruise Line’s 3,006-passenger Carnival Sunshine at the port on 17 November. The vessel will offer a series of seven-day Caribbean cruises until the end of March 2014, when she will be replaced by the 3,646-passenger Carnival Dream. Royal Caribbean International’s Serenade of the Seas will also homeport in New Orleans from next month.
“Just four days from now we christen the Carnival Sunshine in New Orleans, which recently underwent a $155 million renovation,” LaGrange said, speaking at the 27th Annual State of the Port Address on 13 November. “All of these ship deployments show the industry is confident and bullish on our market.”
In addition, plans to construct the port’s new Poland Avenue Cruise Terminal are well underway, following an agreement to transfer two ship berths at Poland Avenue to the port. Contractors are currently completing the design and engineering phase of the terminal construction project, which will increase the port’s capacity to handle cruise traffic.
Work to improve several tourist attractions has also begun, with the US$80 million transformation of the Riverwalk and the renovation of the City of New Orleans’ Crescent Park.