Florida port gets tidal wave of cruises
Disney cruises are already the best known at Port Canaveral but they’re about to get even bigger.
The largest cruise ship in the world will arrive and begin taking on passengers on Florida’s east coast next year. Then in 2011 and 2012, Disney will add two mega-ships to its fleet, and $22 million in improvements to its terminal.
“It will be a step beyond any cruise terminal in the world,” Port Canaveral CEO Stan Payne said.
With two ships already home-ported there — at a capacity of about 2,700 passengers each — the volume will take a giant leap.
The two new ships will carry 4,000 passengers each. Tom McAlpin of Disney Cruiselines said replacing the old ships – Magic and Wonder – with bigger ones necessitated the terminal changes.
“These ships are 150 feet longer than Magic and Wonder, 15 feet wider, and 3 decks taller,” he said. “So we needed a bigger terminal.”
Royal Caribbean, which operates the Sovereign of the Seas and the Mariner of the Seas, will replace both ships with bigger ones. The newest will be the Monarch of the Seas, the largest cruise ship afloat.
Mr McAlpin said this deal firmly establishes Port Canaveral as the base of Disney Cruiselines.
“We have developed port Canaveral as our home,” he said. “We think this is the home base for Disney cruise line for the very, very long term.”
David
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