New Orleans Port welcomes its longest ship, Equinox
The longest and one of the most premium cruise ships ever to dock in New Orleans will sail into the Port’s Julia Street Cruise Terminal Sunday, Feb. 26, just in time for the finale of Mardi Gras festivities. The Celebrity Equinox, a 1,041-foot cruise ship christened in 2009, will make its first visit to the Port of New Orleans, remaining in Port through Feb. 28 – Mardi Gras Day. The ship’s length is equal to 3.47 football fields. “The Port is thrilled to welcome Celebrity Cruises back to New Orleans for an extended port call,” said Brandy Christian, Port President and CEO. Celebrity Equinox holds 2,850 passengers and is the longest cruise ship to berth in New Orleans to date.
Cruise Leaders to Meet in New Orleans
More than 150 leaders in the cruise industry from around the world will meet here this week, as the Port of New Orleans hosts the 2016 Platinum Associate Membership Advisory Council Conference of the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA). Local elected officials and tourism leaders will meet with cruise executives from FCCA’s 19 Member Lines, along with key cruise tourism stakeholders, to update them on New Orleans' tourism economy, infrastructure and attractions. Presenters include Gary LaGrange, Port of New Orleans President and CEO; New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, Iftikhar Ahmad, Director of Aviation, Louis Armstrong International Airport…
Launch of Mississippi River Cruise Service
Governor Bobby Jindal and Viking Cruises Chairman Torstein Hagen announced the selection of New Orleans as the homeport for Viking River Cruises’ first North American river cruise itineraries. The Mississippi River cruises will operate from docking facilities near the French Quarter in New Orleans. Viking’s new service will result in the creation of 416 new direct jobs for Louisiana-based operations and vessel crews, with an average salary of $40,000, plus benefits; and Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project will result in an additional 368 new indirect jobs, for a total of more than 780 new jobs in the Southeast Region of the state.
Norwegian Cruise Line Inks Deal with New Orleans Port
Officials with Norwegian Cruise Line and the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans signed a new four-year berthing agreement today with three one-year options. The agreement will keep at least one Norwegian cruise ship sailing seasonally from New Orleans through 2018 with the ability to extend the agreement through 2021. “Our partners at Norwegian Cruise Line are a pleasure to work with and we are elated to sign a long-term agreement to retain the Norwegian brand in the Crescent City,” said Port President and CEO Gary LaGrange. “We are pleased to continue our great relationship with the Port of New Orleans and look forward to cruising to the Caribbean from the exciting city of New Orleans for the next several years…
Port Realizes Cruise Passenger Gains in 2013
For the third consecutive year, record numbers of cruise passengers set sail from the Port of New Orleans. Port cruise terminals handled 987,860 embarkations and disembarkations in 2013, up more than 1 percent compared to 2012, which saw a 32 percent gain over 2011. “The positive trend for cruising from New Orleans continues,” said Gary LaGrange, Port President and CEO. Last year, the Port of New Orleans commissioned a study to determine passenger and crew spending in the New Orleans region.
Royal Caribbean Liner Set for New Orleans Maiden Voyage
Royal Caribbean International’s newly revitalized 2,360-passenger Serenade of the Seas arrives at the Port of New Orleans’ Julia Street Cruise Terminal Dec. 12 to sail weekly itineraries through April. The 965-foot cruise ship was completely refurbished in December 2012 and replaces Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas, which was home-ported in New Orleans during the 2012-2013 cruise season. Sleek and sunlit, Serenade of the Seas features panoramic views and wide open spaces, as acres of glass enclose a nine-story central atrium.
