Cruise Lines Score Win in Alaska

Looks like the tax the the government approved the tax to be lowered. And at the bottom of the article, it's rumored that Royal Caribbean is leaving the Port of Miami.

Cruise Lines Score Win in Alaska

Alaska's Senate has agreed to roll back a tax on cruise ship passengers that has angered the industry and led some lines to cut back on ships visiting the state.

The tax would be lowered o $34.50 from, according to news reports. The bill still must be approved by the Alaskan House.

The cruise industry has challenged the tax in federal court as an illegal entry tax and the Senate bill would reportedly settle the issue if enacted.

The Alaska Cruise Association said the state will see a 14.2 percent drop in cruise capacity this year, which is 140,000 passengers.

Association officials could not be reached immediately for comment, but the group's Web site noted: Miami-based Carnival Corp. & PLC (NYSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK) previously stated that the move of Holland America's 1,270-passenger Ryndam to Europe in 2011 and Princess Cruises' 710-passenger Royal Princess to P&O Cruises were in line with the continued drop in Alaskan deployments.

Carnival Corp. and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE: RCL) spokespersons did not have immediate comment on the bill's passage.

Richard Sasso, who leads the marketing committee for the Cruise Lines International Association in Fort Lauderdale, said: "We need to be careful that destinations don't underestimate the value of cruise ships going to destinations and the economic contribution that makes."

Overly aggressive taxation can put a burden on guests, adding to the cost of a cruise and generate concern among cruise operators that the taxes aren't justified, especially if the proceeds aren't being used to enhance infrastructure related to cruise ships, he said. "What happened in Alaska over the years is they escalated the tax to a point where it seemed to be not only unconstitutional but also not a favorable cost structure for cruise lines to wanting to operate there."

Maritime lawyer Jim Walker of Miami, who is critical of pollution caused by cruise ships in Alaska, wrote on his blog that the vote is a big win for Carnival and its subsidiaries.

In other news

USA Today's Gene Sloan has written an article about what he describes as "Royal Caribbean's slow-motion pullout" from its longtime hub at the Port of Miami.

His posting followed Royal Caribbean's announcement that the 3,634-passenger Liberty of the Seas will move to Port Everglades in November 2011.

Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas, which is the world's largest cruise ship, is already based at Port Everglades and the sister ship, Allure of the Seas, will be based there later this year.

The tent-like roof of Royal Caribbean's terminal is a landmark at the Port of Miami, but Sloan noted the company will have only one ship left in Miami in the winter of 2011-2012.

Royal Caribbean can utilize the state-of-the art Terminal 18 at Port Everglades, which is the world's largest cruise terminal. Port Everglades officials have touted the port's next-door proximity to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport as a key marketing advantage because it's the discount airline hub for South Florida.

Royal Caribbean's move may put pressure on the Port of Miami, which is contemplating building a new cruise terminal, as previously reported on Cruise Industry report.

The move could also enhance Port Everglades' efforts to challenge the Port of Miami as the world's busiest cruise port in upcoming years.

Student Cruise Terminal Project - Reuse

Doesn't seem like they're designing a building... just reusing an old building. But interesting anyways...

UF students design cruise terminal for old Ford site

The former Ford assembly plant that sits at the base of the Mathews Bridge could one day be a cruise ship terminal and destination port, according to a study conducted by a group of students at the University of Florida.

A group of 16 students in the university’s College of Design, Construction and Planning department of interior design created design possibilities for the 86-year-old building that include 60,000 square feet of cruise ship terminal space, 50,000 square feet of boutique hotel space, 10,000 square feet of restaurant/lounge space and 40,000 square feet of what the students termed “wild card” space that included a variety of possible uses including a cinema, convention space and art display space.

Preliminary cost estimates for the project from cruise ship consultants are around $30 million.

The Jacksonville Port Authority is considering moving the cruise terminal at Dames Point to Mayport or two other unnamed sites east of the Dames Point Bridge. The authority needs a new terminal because the site of the present cruise terminal at Dames Point will become home to Hanjin Shipping Co.’s new container terminal.

About 80 percent of major cruise line ships can’t pass under Dames Point bridge and nearby wires, said port authority CEO Rick Ferrin.

Sonny Redmond, one of the partners in the investment group that owns the property, Hill Street LLC, said he hopes to use the students’ design suggestions as the basis for a future development plan for the site, but not unless he earns the support of the community for the idea.

“In order to have a project like this work, you have to have 100 percent support from all the stakeholders,” Redmond said.

The 165,000-square-foot facility is part of a 35-acre tract that Hill Street owns that stretches from the base of the bridge to Talleyrand Avenue. The facility was built for the Ford Motor Co. in 1924-25. It was used as an assembly plant until the mid-1930s and then for storage and shipping through the 1950s. Although the property has been through a succession of owners until Hill Street acquired it in 2001, it has continued to be leased out to various industrial users over the years.

Redmond said the group didn’t have any specific development plans for the property when it bought it, but when the president of the Florida chapter of the nonprofit group DOCOMOMO, which advocates for preserving historic structures, asked Assistant Professor Marty Hylton to have his students review the project as a possible cruise ship terminal, he decided to take him up on the offer.

The idea has already gotten the attention of some in the cruise ship industry. Mike Greve, president of the Miami cruise ship development consultation company Global Destinations, said he likes the site because of its history, because it is an existing building that would reduce the capital expense of construction and because it’s a Downtown site.

The owner of the property now plans to contract with Global Destinations to have the site evaluated and graded for its potential as a cruise ship terminal site. If it grades well, Redmond said the next step would be approaching the city about the idea.

Officials Outline Problems with Alaska Cruise Picture

Here's a link to a good article on recent problems with taxes for the cruise industry in Alaska.

http://www.travelagentcentral.com/home-based/conferences/officials-outline-problems-alaska-cruise-picture-20371

BBC: Cruise ship squeezes down river

Video of a cruise ship squeezing down a narrow river in Germany.

VIDEO

How big is a cruise ship?

How Big is a Cruise Ship?

With emphasis on luxury and Cruise Shipcomfort, the sizes of cruise ships have gotten bigger through the years. Below are the largest cruise ships active in the world today.
Dimensions of the Oasis of the Seas

The Oasis of the Seas is the biggest cruise ship at 360 m (1,181 ft). The tonnage is 225,282 GT (gross tonnage). The beam measures 47 m (154 ft) and the height is 72 m (236 ft). The draught of the Oasis of the Seas has been measured at 9.3 m (31 ft). The depth is 22.55 m (74 ft).

The ship has 16 passenger decks and has a capacity of 5,400. The crew numbers 2,165. The size of cruise ship Oasis of the Seas allows it to move at 22.6 knots (26 mph; 41.9 km/h).

The power is derived from three Wärtsilä 12V46D engines (13,860 kW/18,590 hp each). Three more Wärtsilä 16V46D engines are installed. Each one produces 18,480 kW/24,780 hp. There are whirlpools, a coffee ship, a winery and duty free shops. There is also a golf course, TV and Internet access.

The ship is operated by the Royal Caribbean International and built at the cost of US$1.4 billion. It was launched on October 28, 2009. Its maiden voyage is scheduled sometime on December 2009.
Dimensions of the Freedom of the Seas

The Freedom of the Seas is 1,119 ft (338.9 m) long. The tonnage is 154,407 GT and the beam is 126.64 ft (38 m). The size of cruise ship Freedom of the Seas gives it a waterline of 184 ft (56.08 m).

The height is 209 ft (63.7 m); that’s about 15 decks. The draught is 28 ft (8.53 m). The 15 decks are the passengers; there are three more making a total of 18.

The passenger capacity of the Freedom of the Seas is 4,370 while the crew is 1,360. The speed is 21.6 knots (40 km/h or 25 mph). The power is derived from six Wärtsilä 46 V12 engines (diesel, 12.6 MW, 17,000 hp).

These drive generators at 514 rpm. The propulsion is provided by 3 ABB Azipod podded electric propulsion units. The ship cost $800 million to build.
Dimensions of the Liberty of the Seas

The size of cruise ship Liberty of the Seas is as follows: the length is 1,119 ft (338.9 m). The beam reaches 126.64 ft (38 m), and the draught is 28 ft (8.53 m). There are 18 decks. The speed of the Liberty of the Seas is 21 knots (25 mph; 40 km/h). The crew number 1,300 and the passenger capacity is 4,370.

The ship is owned by the Royal Caribbean International. It cost $800 million to build. Its first voyage was on May 18, 2007. This cruise ship is still active. Like the other cruise ships, the Liberty features first class rooms, sports centers and other facilities and accommodations.

The massive sizes of cruise ships make them a sight to behold. But as most people will tell you, their amenities are just as impressive.

Press Release - Holland America

Here's the press release Holland America sent out on bringing a ship to Anchorage for the first time.

http://www.hollandamerica.com/news/NewsRelease.action?newsReleaseId=712

Resistance to Cruises

Alaska group to sue Princess and Holland America

Posted by Anita Dunham-Potter On July - 3 - 2008

According to a report in the Anchorage Daily News, state inspectors are being denied access to waste treatment facilities on cruise ships operating in Alaska. The first report of the season on the state’s ocean ranger program found restricted access and/or a lack of cooperation on nine of 28 ships sailing Alaska waters.

Responsible Cruising in Alaska and Campaign to Safeguard America’s Waters says it plans to file suit against Holland America Line and Princess Cruises. Both groups say that the lines are restricting the access of the state’s ocean rangers, who go aboard ships operating in Alaska waters to monitor their adherence to environmental regulations.

Princess said it just recently received its first status report from Crowley Marine Services, the company retained by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) to carry out the new ocean rangers program.

In a statement Princess said: “We are continuing to work with the ADEC to ensure ocean rangers can and do fulfill all of their job duties while maintaining a safe and effective working environment on board all of our vessels in Alaska.”

Holland America stated it previously developed policies intended to provide ocean rangers the access they needed “while still giving due regard to safety and security concerns as well as the other work responsibilities of the ship’s crew.”

The line said it had not received complaints from ADEC or Crowley Marine Services prior to this week that had not been quickly resolved after meetings onboard the ship.

Based on this week’s report from Crowley, Holland America said it has already made changes to give unrestricted access to the ocean rangers. The line added that it is encouraging ADEC to send a staff member to sail with an ocean ranger to evaluate operations.

http://www.expertcruiser.com/blog/alaska-group-to-sue-princess-and-holland-america/