Typo in the Carnival Currents Magazine

[Cruise Fanatic]

It all comes down to $$$$$. It takes a while for them to do marketing research on new ports. They're going to look at the demand and potential to fill a ship from those ports. They look at where the passengers are coming from now. They have to look at all the logistics,services,suppliers, needed in a port. Things like distance to the airport for the transfer program & setting up a supplier. Pre/Post hotels. How much money will they have to put into building a proper port terminal and parking facilities. In 1999 I went on a 1-nt cruise out of Newport New, VA. The terminal was just a big warehouse and check-in was at temporary tables set up. That certainly wouldn't work on a full time basis. After taking in all the considerations they have to look at the price point they could charge for the cruise to break even. You notice ships in ports without any competition (or little competition) like Galveston, are usually higher in price. Maybe eventually they may have full time out of Norfolk or Charleston, but it takes time.

[Jim C.]

That's the problem with Galveston, between Galveston and Houston terminals, there is plenty of terminal and dock facilities for more ships, but with the distance involved, they can really only effectively do western Caribbean cruises so maybe they feel its not worth putting more ships there... I am sure they could fill them or else they couldn't be charging the premiums that they do now.

[Dwayne]

When they do bring the ships to Charleston (twice a year) they too are priced rather high.

Dwayne

[Cruise Fanatic]

Celebrity will be putting the Celebrity Mercury in Charleston for a few months the beginning of 2010. It will do a series of long cruises 10 and 11 days.

[Dwayne]

Thanks!

I'll have to get adjusted to my first 9 day first though.

Dwayne