Did you know? Impact of Cruise Terminal to our area.

That article in the Pilot...well, actually the comments about the article... made me want to know what the impact to the region has been from the cruise terminal.

According to Stephen Kirkland from Cruise Norfolk:

• The terminal has recorded more than 800,000 passengers since 2001
• This represents $85 million in total spending (hotels, restaurants, etc.)
• $9.4 million in spending in 2008 alone
• $16 million in projected combined spending for 2009 and 2010
• 190 local jobs on-site for cruise call (stevedores, processors, security, etc.)
• 15-20 tractor-trailer loads of provision (average) per cruise – many are local providers

Plus, reviews from people who have cruised from norfolk speak to the quality of the experience especially compared to other ports. On CruiseCritic.com, one person writes "This was the best cruise terminal I have ever cruised out of. We were literally on the ship within five minutes!! The port personnel were very friendly and finding our luggage after we disembarked was a breeze." (more here >)

I have heard this echoed from our customers and my friends and family who have taken a cruise here too.

The most unique aspect is that unlike other terminals, this one was built entirely devoted to people. It's not like other stuffy, large, bare warehouses that are adapted for people during cruises but are used extensively for loading and unloading supplies or products. When Norfolk built the terminal they listened to comments from travelers about the things they liked and disliked about other ports and incorporated that in their decision-making.

All things considered, Norfolk is a "young" cruise port with a lot of potential.

Congratulations Norfolk - Top Cruise Port Ranking!!

Posted today on PilotOnline, Norfolk was voted top cruise port in the country according to Royal Caribbean's weekly passenger ratings! Full article Here >

Of course, this is a weekly poll, but according to the article, it is gathered from "..up to 4800 passengers" who cruised from Norfolk on May 30th.

We hear similar comments about the beautiful terminal and the ease of the process compared to other ports. The port here, unlike most cruise terminals, was built specifically for people and not for loading/unloading goods as well as people. And you can really tell the difference...ask anyone who has sailed from Norfolk and another port, and they will tell you there is a distinct difference.

There are some comments on PilotOnline for the article that are negative...mostly about there not being enough sailings from Norfolk. I see that actually as a positive, that there is demand for more sailings. In fact, if the only thing one can say negative about the Norfolk Cruise Terminal is that there aren't enough cruises, then we are in good shape for expansion.

I happen to know that representatives from Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Lines, as well as other cruise lines, read this blog. So, a quick message to them: Give Us More Cruises! More Destinations! More Variety! If you bring it - they will sail! Just check out the article above...and contact Stephen Kirkland - he'll make it happen for your cruise line and for the area.

The last cruise royal caribbean cruise for 2009 is about to set sail!

On June 13, Royal Caribbean's Grandeur of the Seas will set sail from Norfolk for it's last cruise. Next year, Royal Caribbean returns with the Enchantment of the Seas - it's a bigger ship, with more oceanview balcony cabins and was refurbished in 2005. They brag about having the very first (bungee) trampolines at sea, so you can't do that anywhere else. I honestly don't know how i feel about that.... to jump or not to jump while at sea. It should at minimum be a hoot to watch!!

Besides that, there are a number of other things that the Enchantment offers that are new (to us):

• Bungee trampolines, serious fun for thrill-seekers
• Massive suspension bridges spanning the expanded Pool Deck
• Pools for swimming and one dedicated to sports
• Splash fountain with 64 water jets controlled by a kid friendly touch-pad system
• Latté-tudes,SM a specialty coffee house featuring Seattle's Best Coffee®
• Glass-walled Viking Crown Lounge

By the way, my favorite place to be when we first set sail from the port on any Royal Caribbean cruise is in the Viking Lounge while sipping a dirty martini. Many people prefer being out on the deck, but for some reason, this really sets my vacation off on the right foot!

Please feel free to comment and share the place that you like to be on a cruise when it first sets sail....

9-Night E. Caribbean Cruise from Norfolk Port Highlights - Labadee, Haiti

Labadee is Royal Caribbean's private island, although it is actually contiguous with the rest of Haiti and is a private resort leased to Royal Caribbean. As such, it is fenced off from the surrounding area. However, when you get to Labadee, you don't really notice that.

Great beaches, charming shops, lots of water activities - this is what you will see. There is even a new Aqua Park for kids. Among available activites are kayaking, snorkeling, parasailing, and jet skiing, all available as shore excursions.

Or, simply relax in a hammock or on the beach. It's a great, stress-free retreat, especially if you have been busy exploring the other ports of call on this cruise, you should definitely take advantage of the time at Labadee.

Haiti itself has an interesting history. I pulled this from Wikipedia:

"It was the first independent nation in Latin America, the first post-colonial independent black-led nation in the world, and the only nation whose independence was gained as part of a successful slave rebellion. Haiti is the only predominantly Francophone independent nation in the Americas, and one of only two (along with Canada) which designate French as an official language..." For more, click here.

Welcome Back - and Bon Voyage!

Welcome back to passengers on the May 21st Royal Caribbean cruise from Norfolk to the Eastern Caribbean! And Bon Voyage to those on the May 30th Royal Caribbean sailing to Bermuda AND the May 31st Carnival sailing to the Bahamas!

I always love to see the ships when they are in port and this weekend we get treated to both ships coming and going! There's just something about driving down Waterside Drive, coming around off the highway and around the bend, when the ship appears in your sights. Maybe it is just living vicariously and thinking it would be great if I was going on the cruise that day (note that i am never thinking, ahh if only i could be getting OFF the ship today -ha ha). Or maybe it is just seeing a cruise ship, and thinking about my past and future vacations just never gets old. Whatever the reason, I plan to find a reason to drive down there this weekend just to see them...

9-Night E. Caribbean Cruise from Norfolk Port Highlights - Samana, Dominican Republic

Columbus sighted its coral-edged Caribbean coastline on his first voyage to the New World and pronounced: "There is no more beautiful island in the world." The first permanent European settlement in the New World was on November 7, 1493, and its ruins still remain near Montecristi in the northeast part of the island.

Much of what Columbus first sighted still remains in a natural, unspoiled condition. One-third of the Dominican Republic's 869 mile coastline is devoted to beaches. The best are in Puerto Plata and La Romana, although Puerto Plata and other beaches on the Atlantic side of the island
have dangerously strong currents at times.

The people of the Dominican Republic are among the friendliest in the Caribbean, and the hospitality here seems more genuine than in more commercialized Puerto Rico. The weather is nearly perfect year-round. And the Dominican Republic's white-sand beaches are among the finest in the Caribbean. Punta Cana/Bávaro, for example, is the longest strip of white sand in the entire region.

The Dominican Republic has its own distinct cuisine and cultural heritage. Its Latin flavor is a sharp contrast to the character of many nearby islands, especially the British- and French-influenced ones.

The verdant peninsula of Samana is paradise found for nature enthusiasts. Somewhat remote and removed from the tourist trail, this patch of paradise is home to one of the most important rain forests and mangrove reserves in the Caribbean. And its crystal-clear coast features some of the best diving on the northern side of the Dominican Republic. So pop on your flippers. In some spots you can see up to 150 feet!

May 2 - May 7 Bermuda Cruise from Norfolk

Welcome back to all of those who cruised on the May 2nd sailing to Bermuda! Hopefully the weather in Bermuda and at Sea was better than what we had here...and you remembered to roll up your car windows before you left.

If you have just returned from the sailing, please write a review here or share your tips for future cruisers.