By
Rebecca Gibson |
This article was first published in the Autumn/Winter 2015 issue of International Cruise & Ferry Review.
Since Galveston began cruise operations in September 2000, the city has become an increasingly popular homeport and in 2013, the Cruise Lines International Association named it as the fourth-largest US embarkation port.
Currently, Galveston handles year-round weekly departures from Royal Caribbean International’s Navigator of the Seas and Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Triumph, Carnival Magic and Carnival Freedom. This November, Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas will replace Navigator of the Seas with Saturday departures, while Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Wonder will return to Galveston for the first time since January 2014 to sail nine Friday departures. Mierzwa attributes the port’s success and ability to attract cruise lines to the fact it has an excellent workforce that manages operations efficiently, that ships can easily access deep water in the Gulf of Mexico, and that the port is within a seven-hour drive of around 32 million people. “Our passengers travel from Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Louisiana, so we have a very heavy drive-up market,” he adds. “Around 90-95% of Carnival passengers and 80% of Royal Caribbean guests drive here to meet their cruise ship.”
However, being such a popular homeport does cause problems. “Most operators want to start seven-day cruises on a Saturday or Sunday, but with so many large ships sailing from Galveston year-round, it’s difficult to find sufficient berth space,” Mierzwa explains, adding that he is forced to send a ship to Terminal 2 on alternate Saturdays. “Although our 90,000sqft Terminal 2 can comfortably handle a 2,500-guest ship, we struggle to accommodate the 3,800-passenger Navigator of the Seas and 3,400-passenger Carnival Triumph, and some passengers are forced to stand outside while they’re waiting to be screened.”
To remedy this, the port is expanding the terminal by 60,000sqft. Initially, the revamp was to be completed before Liberty of the Seas’ November arrival, but construction issues delayed the start date and the facility is now due to open next March. In the meantime, the port will invest US$12.7 million to create additional space for passenger-screening, check-in and baggage areas.
A further US$2.2 million will be invested to extend the wharf by 95ft and add more mooring bollards to cater for Liberty of the Seas, which is 92ft longer and heavier than Navigator of the Seas. The improvements will also help to accommodate Carnival Liberty when she replaces her smaller sister ship Carnival Triumph in March 2016, and Carnival Breeze when she replaces her older sister ship Carnival Magic next May.
Mierzwa is also campaigning for a third cruise terminal. “We are turning business away due to insufficient berth space,” he laments. “For example, I’m certain if we’d had another terminal, our former partner Princess Cruises would have returned to homeport with us, rather than Houston. Once Terminal 2 and the wharf are almost complete, our focus group will explore the feasibility of a third terminal.”
Opening another terminal would also allow Galveston to become a homeport for short cruises to Cuba. “I’m optimistic that the Cuban ports will open up soon so I want to ensure that we have additional berthing facilities for any new cruise lines who want to base Cuba-bound ships here on either a full-time or seasonal basis,” says Mierzwa. “Plus, as it only takes a day and a half to sail to Cuba from Galveston, our current cruise partners would be able to diversify their short Caribbean itineraries.”
Another of Mierzwa’s key priorities for 2015-2016 is to encourage more tourists to stay in Galveston either before or after their cruise.
“Galveston is in the north-west corner of the Gulf of Mexico and unlike ports such as Key West in Florida, we’re not on the direct route to any popular cruise destinations, so we’re not going to attract regular day calls from multiple operators,” explains Mierzwa. “Instead, we must provide people with more reasons to stay in Galveston pre- or post-cruise, which will encourage more ships to homeport here and drive more tourism revenue. If we could persuade just 10% of the record 825,000 cruise passengers due to visit Galveston in 2015, we could potentially welcome around 80,000 more visitors to the city.”
In addition to marketing Galveston at various trade shows and travel agent conferences, the port authority has joined with the Galveston Island Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) and other local partners to promote the multiple family-friendly attractions to visitors. “We recently worked with CVB to install 12ft navigation signs with embedded QRC codes at the terminal, which allows passengers to use smartphones to find out more about our beaches, shops, historic downtown area and dining venues while they are waiting to board their ship or collect their bags.”
Mierzwa is confident that the new ships, the possibility of different cruise destinations, an expanded terminal and more pre- and post-cruise options will all help to boost Galveston’s burgeoning cruise industry over the next few years.
“Galveston’s cruise industry generates a significant amount of revenue for both the port’s and the city’s local economy,” he says. “There’s always a buzz downtown whenever a cruise ship is in port and our community fully embraces the passengers. Cruising always has been, and always will be, a great asset for Galveston.”