Port of San Diego Welcomes New Cruise Business with Royal Caribbean International

Port of San Diego Welcomes New Cruise Business with Royal Caribbean International

Wednesday, 14 May 2008
Contact: Marguerite Elicone (619) 686-6222

The 2009-10 cruise season promises to be a busy one with the addition of cruises from Royal Caribbean International. The cruise line announced last week that it will begin offering seasonal four and five-day cruises to the Mexican Riviera onboard the vessel Radiance of the Seas beginning in September 2009. In addition, cruise travelers will be able to sail on the Radiance of the Seas from San Diego to Valparaiso, Chile, in December 2009.

Another Royal Caribbean cruise ship, the Serenade of the Seas, will be making trips across the Panama Canal in 2009. These itineraries include a trip from San Diego to Miami in October 2009 and a voyage to San Juan, Puerto Rico in November.

“These international cruises add an excellent variety to San Diego’s growing list of cruise offerings,” said Stephen P. Cushman, Vice Chairman of the Board of Port Commissioners. “Royal Caribbean International will be bringing in thousands of new visitors to our region which adds up to more business for area hotels, restaurants, stores and entertainment venues.”

Each homeport cruise ship call at the Port of San Diego has an economic impact of about $2 million. This figure is derived from the average amount that a cruise ship passenger spends while in the San Diego region, along with the employment associated with serving the cruise ship and the many businesses and services that support it. They include food companies, linen services, trucking companies, fuel companies, landside tour companies and florists.

The Radiance of the Seas and the Serenade of the Seas each have capacity for about 2,500 passengers and nearly 900 crew members.

In 2007, the Port of San Diego had 238 cruise calls with over 700,000 passengers. By the end of 2008, the Port anticipates that number to jump to 252 cruises and over 800,000 passengers. The Port currently has nine cruise lines making calls here.

To accommodate the growing cruise business, the Port will be building a cruise ship terminal on Broadway Pier. The design for the new terminal was approved at the December 2007 Board of Port Commissioners meeting and features a two-story structure with a modern design. It will include areas for passenger check in, baggage processing and Customs and Border Protection. Construction for the approximately 50,000-square foot structure is planned to begin around late spring of 2009.