Nov 5, 2007 3:24 pm US/Eastern
Cruise Crunch Hits Port Everglades
Port Everglades Is The Number 3 Cruise Port In The World
FT. LAUDERDALE (CBS4) ―
The South Florida cruise industry has been hit with some rough waves over the last few years, and one port in particular is treading water.
Port of Everglades wrapped up their fiscal year with 3.4 million cruise passengers, slightly down from previous years. Next year is not looking any better as only one large ship will sail from their port, down from three this past summer.
Carlos Buqueras, director of business development at Port Everglades told the
Sun-Sentinel that there are several reasons for the decline. First, places like the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino and the new 'racinos' at Broward's parimutuels have taken a bite out of the gambling day cruise business. Also, cruises to the Caribbean are not as popular as they once were with more travelers wanting to sail Europe. And finally, 2004 and 2005's active hurricane seasons did a number of the Caribbean cruise industry.
Travelers hoping to deport from the Port of Everglades in the early months of 2008, will have to make due with Royal Caribbean's Enchantment of the Seas, as it will be the only ship to set sail from the Port next year,
Plans for two new ships to generate interest in 2009 are already in the works.
The new Project Genesis vessel being developed by Royal Caribbean International will carry more than 54-hundred passengers, and Carnival's new Dream will be able to accommodate 4-thousand cruise travelers. Both companies are negotiating with the port now for terminal space and expansions that will be needed to handle the increased passenger load.
(CBS/SUN SENTINEL)
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