Tampa Bay Hits the Big Numbers

More than a million cruise passengers have passed through Port Tampa Bay in a year for the first time in history. When the day ended on Monday, September 17, 1,000,524 passengers had visited the port in fiscal year 2018.

The complete story appeared in the September 25 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

She's Coming Back

At the completion of its Alaskan season in 2019, Carnival has announced that Carnival Legend will go to Tampa rather than returning to Australia as it will this year.

The complete story appeared in the May 9 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

There Is Now Fun in Cuba

In case you didn't have your calendar marked, today was the day Carnival's first ever cruise sailed to Cuba, and probably by the time you're reading this, Carnival Paradise will be docked in Havana. The FunShips have arrived!

This is the first of 12 four- and five-night cruises Carnival has scheduled from Tampa. The four-night cruises, like today's, are simple round trips to Havana, while the five-night itineraries add a call in Key West or Cozumel. They will operate approximately twice a month.

The complete story appeared in the June 29 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Royal Caribbean Moving Empress of the Seas to Tampa for Cuba Cruises

Royal Caribbean International today detailed the initial limited program the Cuban government approved for their cruises to the island nation. The first will be from Miami, and the other two from Tampa. All, as anticipated, will be aboard Empress of the Seas.

The line said they would position Empress at Tampa for at least the balance of the summer season for four- and five-night cruises. This will be the first time Royal Caribbean has operated from Tampa during the summer season.

Details appeared in the December 9 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Sticking with Tampa Bay

Carnival Corp brands will continue to operate from Port Tampa Bay for another five years. The port last week signed an agreement with the world's largest cruise company that covers their Carnival and Holland America brands to continue sailing from the Florida port through 2021.

The complete story appeared in the December 6 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Carnival Expands Year Round Capacity in Tampa and Long Beach

Carnival will upgrade their programs in two key markets, one on each side of the country, in early 2018.

The moves will expand Carnival's dominance in the Tampa and Long Beach markets. Both ships will offer lengthy repositioning cruises via the Panama Canal.

The complete story appeared in the November 3 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

New for Tampa

Cruisers wanting a short cruise sailing from Tampa will now have a couple of new options as Carnival has added two new itineraries to Carnival Paradise's choice of five-night itineraries. Tampa, of course, is a popular port of departure for those driving to Florida, since its location can shorten the driving time by as much as a day (as opposed to driving to the South Florida ports).

The new itineraries are five-night programs sailing on Saturdays and Mondays.

Details appeared in the August 26 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Changing Things Up in Tampa, New Orleans and San Juan

Yesterday we told you about Norwegian Jewel leaving the North American market for the winter 2017/2018 season when it goes to Australia. Having one ship less in North America and establishing another North American home port (San Juan) is going to cause some shuffling of ships and some shortening of the season.

Details appeared in the June 8 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

In a Fog

The Port of Tampa has been closed all day due to fog. It didn’t open until about 6pm, and Carnival Paradise, which had been waiting at sea all day, finally began to proceed up the channel with arrival expected at the terminal between 9pm and 10pm.

That would mean a very late embarkation for the next cruise, so about 3pm this afternoon, Carnival decided the next cruise wouldn’t embark until Friday.

The complete story appeared in the January 28 edition of Cruise News Daily.

You Can Go Home Again

Who doesn’t like to spend the winter in Florida - even cruise ships. That’s why when Carnival needed a ship to spend part of the winter in Tampa, Carnival Pride said, “Send me. Send me. I even used to live there.”

So Carnival Pride will be leaving Baltimore for a couple of months (January and February) during the winter of 2017 and coming home to Tampa with several itineraries to choose from.

Details appeared in the August 26 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Do You Know Where Your Drugs Have Been?

According to federal authorities, some Norwegian Cruise Line crew members stuff more than socks in their underwear. Five of them were arrested in connection with a scheme involving carrying cocaine off Norwegian Sun in Tampa last weekend in their Spandex underwear.

The complete story appeared in the March 11 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Cruise News Daily Headlines for November 26, 2014

* The Rules of the Game Are Changing
Next month Port Canaveral will open a new cruise terminal which they needed to urgently build due to two newly contracted ship coming to the port. Last week a consultant hired by the port to study their future needs reported to them that he believes the port will need to build three more cruise terminals in the next 25 years.
   Port officials feel wonderful because if you believe the consultant, cruise lines will be lined up to come to Port Canaveral.
   There are three important factors which weren’t mentioned, however. If they were considered, it may well have changed the finding that the port will need more terminals or at least tempered it.

* Other Things You’ll Want to Know
CND subscribers also read about it being that time of year again in Tampa ... and O'Sheehan's is open for business.

The complete articles appeared in the e-mail edition of Cruise News Daily delivered to our subscribers.

The new O'Sheehan's Neighborhood Bar & Grill aboard Norwegian Gem

Photo courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without permission.

Cruise News Daily Headlines for January 24, 2014

* Carnival Has Lots of New Ways to Tie the Knot
More than 2,600 couples say, “I do,” on Carnival cruises each year. With Carnival’s revamped wedding program, couples this year have a whole bunch of upgraded new options.

* Other Things You’ll Want to Know
CND subscribers also read about a development in the Panama Canal ... how Tampa keeps up with the times ... and a behind the scenes look at the testing of the lifeboats before a new ship is delivered. In this case, the lifeboats will be part of TUI's Mein Schiff 3. (below)

The complete articles appeared in the e-mail edition of Cruise News Daily delivered to our subscribers

Cruise News Daily Headlines for December 5, 2013

* Have They Considered Lowering the Channel?
There’s been a lot of talk lately about the Port of Tampa creating a new cruise ship port on the Gulf of Mexico to the west of the Sunshine Skyway bridge in Pinellas or Manatee County (near St. Petersburg or Bradenton, respectively) so the Tampa metro area could accommodate cruise ships which are too tall to fit under the bridge - which means most of the newest ships, and virtually all the mass market ships on the drawing board. Lately, there’s been a lot of local excitement about that sort of project.

Now the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is considering another option.

* Stepping Back into the Past aboard MSC Divina
MSC Divina is the most modern of Italian ships, and in many ways represents Italian life and culture today. During her Caribbean season this year, passengers on that modern ship have the unique opportunity to also enjoy something of Italy’s past. More

The complete articles appeared in the e-mail edition of Cruise News Daily delivered to our subscribers.

Cruise News Daily Headlines for August 29, 2013

* RCI Increases Capacity at Tampa with Second Ship
Royal Caribbean International said today that in the fall of 2014 they will homeport a second ship at Tampa.

Vision of the Seas will join Brilliance of the Seas for the winter 2014-2015 season. Vision will operate a 7-day itinerary while Brilliance will continue its 4- and 5-night programs.


* Proof in Numbers
For several years we’ve been reporting that the people of Grand Cayman have gotten it. They need a pier for cruise ships. There have been countless delays in building one, mostly of their own making. Then a couple of years ago, they started to panic as they realized the situation is getting urgent. Cruise ships are passing them by, because large ships just don’t want to tender at the port.

Now their own Ministry of Tourism is providing proof of why it has become so urgent. The ministry released July’s figures for passenger arrivals on cruise ships. They are dismal.


The complete articles appeared in the e-mail edition of Cruise News Daily delivered to our subscribers.

Cruise News Daily Headlines for June 27, 2013

* Spreading Around the Sunshine
Carnival announced several deployment changes today for their Florida-based ships. As they are moved around, naturally that affects things elsewhere. The difference in ship types brings different features - and different capacity - to other ports.

* Cruise Terminal Dream Sinks at Savannah
Savannah’s city council today voted unanimously to not move forward with the next step of a study to determine where and how to build a cruise terminal in the city.

The complete articles appeared in the e-mail edition of Cruise News Daily delivered to our subscribers.

Cruise News Daily Headlines for June 18, 2013

* Construction Begins on Viking Star
Fincantieri cut the first steel today for Viking Ocean’s Viking Star, Viking’s first oceangoing small cruise ship.


* Carnival Extends in Tampa
The Port of Tampa reports that Carnival Corp has signed an agreement with the port to homeport ships there through 2015 with options for two one-year extensions. The agreement covers both the Carnival and Holland America brands.


* Carnival Sues BAE
Carnival has sued BAE Systems, where Carnival Triumph was being repaired in Mobile, over the incident where the ship broke free of its moorings during high winds on April 3. The suit is seeking more than $12 million in damages.


The complete articles appeared in the e-mail edition of Cruise News Daily delivered to our subscribers.

Carnival Adds Itineraries from Jacksonville and Tampa

Come next year, Carnival customers who sail from Jacksonville and Tampa are each going to have an additional itinerary to choose from when the line begins to offer new 7-day eastern Caribbean itinerary options approximately once a month.

Details appeared in the complete Cruise News Daily article on June 25, 2010.

Dividing up the Pie

There's been a lot of coverage of growing home ports in the southeastern states - Charleston (SC), Jacksonville, and Mobile. Each is working to some degree or another for more or larger ships, and still other ports are marketing themselves to cruise lines looking for their first ship. Generally, there's excitement in those ports.

But for all the excitement there is in those ports, there's a bit of uneasiness a few hundred miles to the south in the larger ports of Port Canaveral and Tampa.

The complete article appeared in the June 4, 2010, edition of Cruise News Daily.

RCI Ends Art Auctions, Mississippi Queen Sold, Galveston Pilot Dispute Settled, Carnival Begins Seattle Sailings & Tampa Excellence Award

* Other Things You'll Want to Know

CND subscribers also read about Royal Caribbean ending art auctions on their ships ... Mississippi Queen being sold ... How the dispute between the cruise lines and the pilots at Galveston was settled ... the beginning of a new era for Carnival Cruise Lines in Alaska (and Seattle) ... and the recipient of the Bern Laxer Award of Excellence in Tampa.

Details appeared in the "Other Things You'll Want to Know" column in the May 12, 2010, edition of Cruise News Daily.