Topic starter
04/09/2007 1:40 pm
Steamboating colleagues:
TRAVEL WEEKLY Newsletter for Sept. 4, 2007 arrived via E=Mail and with it some interesting data on the present state of the North american Cruise Industry. Discussions on the web have in the past mentioned the economic impact of not only deep water/'blue sea ships,' but passenger cruise vessels on rivers. I include the below for general information.
"THE NORTH AMERICAN CRUISE INDUSTRY generated $35.7 billion in gross U.S. economic output and supported 348,000 jobs both ashore and on board in 2006, according to an annual report released by Cruise Lines International Association [CLIA] last week. Direct spending, which includes purchases by the cruise lines for goods and services [Food, supplies, yard work etc.] and spending by passengers and crew, increased by 9% in 2004 and 10% in 2005, and the report attributed 2006's slower growth rate in part of a slowing of embarkations at U.S. ports. Embarkations from U.S. ports increased 4% to 9 million, which accounted for 75% of total global embarkations. The combined industry fleet increased to 151 vessels."
Other recent reports indicated that onboard spending by passengers had decreased recently in a number of shops and venues aboard and ashore with a softening of the Alaska market. The European/Mediterranean cruise market has seen a most healthy growth rate. The state of the U.S. dollar against the strong Euro has increased foreign visitors to U.S. shores this spring, summer and fall. The implications of the first paragraph above indicates that the cruise industry is a vital component of the economy here and abroad.
Cheers,
R. Dale Flick
18/01/2008 3:03 pm
Maybe I just don't get it.
Our local high school choirs and band will be part of the entertainment on an upcoming three night ocean cruise. We just got our kids schedule. The first part actually looks like fun. They will be on a train for twenty eight hours to get to the point of departure. At the end of the cruise there is the twenty eight hours on the train home.
The rest doesn't make sense. The day they arrive, the ship departs in the evening and is in port before breakfast. They don't leave port until 3 am and the passengers must be in their quarters by 1 am.
By breakfast they are already in the next port. Again they don't leave until after the passengers have to be back in their quarters.
By breakfast they are at the point of origin and are off the ship by 9 am.
What's the point of taking an ocean cruise? It seems to me they could accomplish the same thing by flying from port city to port city.
18/01/2008 3:52 pm
"and the report attributed 2006's slower growth rate in part of a slowing of embarkations at U.S. ports..." I'm sure a good part of that was due to the New Orleans cruise ship situation after Katrina. Prior, we had 2 Carnival ships weekly and several others on a fairly regular basis. I don't believe Carnival came back until last year, and then only one ship. The perception is still there that New Orleans' tourist area is still devasted, hence passengers haven't been booking out of NOLA. Hopefully the word is getting out that NOLA tourism is indeed back, and waiting with open arms for tourists. The recent football bowl game season was a great boon, and presumably those thousands of people (including 20,000 Hawaiians), will pass the word along to let the good times roll in NOLA. By the way, Mardi Gras is early this year, Feb. 5, so parades and festivities get in full swing this weekend!
18/01/2008 9:07 pm
Yes, NOLA is indeed in a position to "receive guests". Pass the word.
I spent an extra day in NOLA after the AQ reunion cruise. Phil and I were easily able to resume, even for one day, our "normal" NOLA routine. Breakfast at the St Charles Tavern, trolley to the Quarter, roam around a bit, coffee and begnies (sp??) at Cafe DuMonde and finally a stroll through the Riverwalk enroute back to the boat. Plenty of foot traffic, everybody open for business. Come home to NOLA, they're waiting for us.
And as I tell everyone who asks why I love NOLA so much.
How can you not love a place where everybody calls you "baby"?
Paul