Cruise ports green up and look to the future

by Chris Owen on

To passengers, U.S. cruise embarkation ports may all look about the same. On a good day, we pass through them, either coming or going, in a matter of minutes without much regard for what goes on there. We know that security is a big part of what they do and feel good about seeing law enforcement there, making sure the whole process runs smoothly and without incident. Lately, some of our ports are moving forward with plans to make the whole process more secure, easier and even a bit more green.

The Port of San Diego opened a new $28 million Port Pavilion that will provide green shore-side power to cruise ships. The new facility serves as an auxiliary terminal to the Port’s main B Street Cruise Ship Terminal and is also available for public events when cruise ships are not in port.

Earlier this year, Princess Cruises Island Princess plugged in at the Port of San Francisco to a system that was built as a cooperative effort by the Port of San Francisco, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the Environmental Protection Agency, Holland America Line and Princess.

The Port of Los Angeles just completed it’s World Cruise Center solar rooftop project. Estimated to produce 1.2 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually, the $10.8 million project will also result in an estimated $200,000 in energy cost savings.

On the East coast, Florida’s Port Canaveral is looking to the future also with plans for a $100 million expansion program that includes a new terminal and more cargo facilities. “Just when the economic recovery should be moving forward at a steadier pace, we will be ready.” said Port Canaveral CEO Stan Payne.

Not long ago, Florida’s Port Everglades set out plans for a $2 billion expansion over the next 20 years that included a $75 million expansion to accommodate the worlds largest cruise ships, Oasis and Allure of the Seas.

Photo courtesy Port of Los Angeles

One great cruise port: Ocho Rios, Jamaica

by Chris Owen on

In the Caribbean, many ports of call feature turquoise-blue water, sandy beaches and a year-round temperature that makes traveling there attractive, especially in the Winter months from cold-weather climates. Some islands are better than others for scuba-diving or snorkeling, some have more history-related features than others and some are known for specific attractions that only they have. Ocho Rios, Jamaica is one of those ports that has it all.

Starting with Ferngully, the rainforest within driving range of the cruise port, Ocho Rios has some of the most lush, tropical foliage of any island. Jamaica has more than 500 species of ferns. 300 of them can bee seen in Ferngully, the dark and shaded gorge that is about 3 miles long.

It’s on Jamaica that we’ll find Dunns River Falls, one of the signature Caribbean attractions. Many visitors climb the waterfalls from the beach to the top stopping along the way to enjoy one of the plunge pools that form naturally in the surrounding rock.

Repeat visitors know that one of the best parts of doing Jamaica is doing nothing at all. A fortunate few are able to kick back and enjoy the island lifestyle. Cruise passengers often miss that part by taking busy shore excursions. While safety is a concern and ship-sponsored shore excursions are a smart bet to effectively keep you out of trouble, other independent tour options are available that can make for a truly memorable on-shore experience.

A private tour by cab is a popular and cost-effective option that allows customization if time ashore is short. Tip: Don’t go home without some Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee, available at most gift shops on the island.

New Disney Dream features magical water-coaster

by Chris Owen on

Disney Cruise Line’s new Disney Dream will set sail from Florida on January 26, 2011. On board will be several new features not seen before on cruise ships along with a good dose of that trademark Disney “magic”.

Two big features are getting a lot of attention, the AquaDuck on-board water coaster and Magical Portholes on inside cabins.

Taking advantage of Disney’s vast theme-park experience, the line custom designed an attraction worthy of land-based parks especially for the new ship. The AquaDuck water coaster will sweep guests on a 765-foot high-speed flume ride with uphill acceleration and a swing-out loop letting them look down to the ocean 150 feet below, all in about a minute.

From the “Why didn’t I think of that?” department, Magical Portholes make standard inside staterooms something special. High-resolution cameras stream live digital video to each stateroom, reflecting the scene outside.

Look for Mickey and friends to swim by the porthole of each cabin from time to time too.

Currently on her way across the Atlantic and heading to Port Canaveral, Florida, new Disney Dream is the first of two new ships from the line with sister-ship Disney Fantasy scheduled to sail in 2012.

Photo courtesy Disney Cruise Line

Does your cruise travel agent pass the test?

by Chris Owen on

There’s an ongoing debate between consumers and those critical of the travel business which struggles to answer the question “Do I need a travel agent or not?”. They’re not required and cruise-related websites make it really easy to click and buy a cruise, much like you might buy an airline ticket. But a good travel agent, one that will bring great value to the table, will have certain qualities required to make the cut. Ask these simple questions to find an agent with the minimum qualifications that make them worthy of your business.

  1. Are you connected? Since you are reading this, you are connected. You need someone who speaks your language in the medium you prefer be that via email, facebook, twitter or maybe just an easy phone call away. Bonus tip: try communicating with an agent via email to provide a written record of what was said, promised or delivered.
  2. Have you been on many cruises? A good travel agent specializing in cruise vacations should have a rich cruise history on multiple cruise lines. You’re looking for their first-hand knowledge and experience dealing with cruise lines, they better have it
  3. Are you certified? They should be at least members of the Cruise Lines International Association and have a few letters after their name like ACC, MCC or ECC showing they went through basic training and then some. If they have one of those, odds are they will tell you about some specialized training they got from the cruise line too. Give big bonus points if they are members of other professional organizations or consortium’s.
  4. How long have you been selling cruises? If they say less than five years forget about them. That’s about the minimum amount of time it takes for agents to really know their way around cruise lines, establish contacts that can do you some good later and have enough bookings behind them to know what they’re doing.
  5. Will I be dealing directly with just you? This one has to be a “yes” answer or the whole thing is not worth your time. To a good agent, their job starts with making the booking and never ends as they work towards building a life-long business relationship with you. If they are not personally following your booking from beginning to end you have the wrong person.

No, not every city can be a cruise port

by Chris Owen on

It seems every large coastal city wants to be a cruise port, either as a place to visit or to be a home port where a ship operates from, and for good reason. Cruise ships can bring a lot of tourists and their dollars when they visit. At a time when local economies are recovering at best there is a lot of interest but not a lot of realistic expectations.

“The reality is they have as much chance to get a cruise ship to visit as they do in luring the Lakers from Los Angeles” says cruise industry expert Stewart Chiron CEO, CruiseGuy.com speaking of a feasibility study done by Brownsville, Texas. “These results are based on the cow jumping over the moon, planets aligning and may also require peace on earth!” he added.

Savanna, Georgia also did a study that returned “better than expected” results with big numbers like up to 350,000 visitors by 2020 and a potential industry of $100 million a year reports the Savannah Morning News.

Not so fast says Chiron, cautioning leaders to be realistic. “I think Savannah is a wonderful city and know it would make a wonderful option, but there needs to be more than desire and their reasoning is way off.”

Cruise lines move cautiously when choosing ports, opting for those that can serve the most potential passengers and produce the best financial results. While the allure of a cruise port may be the stuff tourism dreams are made of, Chiron concludes the big question is “Where will the cruise lines be able to reap the highest yields?” adding “This ultimately may delay Savannah’s heartfelt desires.”

Flickr photo by taberandrew