Massport Launch 2013 Cruise Season
With Friday’s Bermuda sailing of the Norwegian Dawn, the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) launches the 2013 cruise season at Cruiseport Boston’s Black Falcon Terminal in South Boston.
New this year, Massport is offering travelers free wireless Internet access at the cruise terminal to meet traveler’s expectations to be mobile enabled. More than 80% of vacation travelers bring at least one device, such as a smartphone, e-reader or laptop with them on vacation and 65 percent of travelers have used free wifi in an accommodations lobby or common area, according to a national electronics retailer.
Cruiseport Boston’s free wifi service is supported by advertising and sponsorship programs. Subscribers to a roaming service, such as Boingo or T-Mobile, get access through those providers and those using the free service view advertising before accessing the Internet.
Almost 20 cruise lines call on Cruiseport Boston each season, which this year runs from May through November – with four ships calling Boston home. Cruise destinations include Bermuda, and Canada-New England, and repositioning cruises to San Diego via the Panama Canal, the Southern Caribbean to Tampa, Florida, and a European Transatlantic cruise.
To allow for faster and more efficient processing of passengers and to accommodate the growing number of travelers choosing Boston for cruising, Massport has invested $11 million to renovate Cruiseport Boston including new vibrant colors, environmentally friendly lighting, elevators and people movers, and signage giving visitors a sense of place and destinations served.
