Future of Tampa Cruising

[mariemorgan]

I seriously doubt Carnival will build any more Spirit-class-sized ships, as their purpose was to fit through the Panama Canal and the Panama Canal is being widened.

 

Well I don't know.. John Heald has been asking his facebook followers what size they would like the next class of ships to be.. Many of the answers were spirit class size..

[pomm1972]

Perhaps a spirit class type ship can be built on a wider hull. Then height would not be an issue. Don't think width is an issue for the Skyway.

 

As far as a port in Manatee county. That would work great for a Megaship. It less than 1 hour from Tampa Intl and less than an hour from Sarasota airport.

[jessemon]

Tampa will be a useful cruise ship port for many years to come. Several of the cruise lines have already said that some new designs will be in that 90,000 ton class with more of the upgrades that the larger ships have. Remember, not many posts around the world can handle these mega monster ships so that leaves many ports that still need the smaller ships. If 90,000 is small...lol...

[tinkerbell_82]

Further, the Skyway might make it 50 years (2037), but IMHO that's pushing it. The bridge was poorly built and is plagued with corrosion and structural issues.

 

I live in Manatee county and work in St. Pete, so I drive over the Skyway 10 times a week. I'll be thinking about this post in about an hour and 15 mins when I'm on top. :p

[mcwebber]

Perhaps a spirit class type ship can be built on a wider hull. Then height would not be an issue. Don't think width is an issue for the Skyway.

 

As far as a port in Manatee county. That would work great for a Megaship. It less than 1 hour from Tampa Intl and less than an hour from Sarasota airport.

 

How do you get a ship into the Port of Manatee without going under the Skyway bridge?

http://www.portmanatee.com/tours.aspx

[ChefSusan]

Oh well... I thought that the port of Manatee was south of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and not north of it...

 

Back to the drawing board I guess!

[Islandbuoy]

All I need is for Holland Am to bring the Westerdam class in here. to do that they might have to shorten the stacks,same as Miracle& Legend did. The Ryndam and Veendam are out of date.

[gtalum]

I live in Manatee county and work in St. Pete, so I drive over the Skyway 10 times a week. I'll be thinking about this post in about an hour and 15 mins when I'm on top. :p

 

Heh. Don't mean to scare you. ;) It's not going to fall down anytime soon. The predicted life certainly won't pan out, though.

[gtalum]

Well I don't know.. John Heald has been asking his facebook followers what size they would like the next class of ships to be.. Many of the answers were spirit class size..

 

I know what the passengers want. However, Carnival wants maximized profits. Without a need for Panamax-sized ships, Canrival will probably stick with larger builds because they're more profitable.

[Blind Squirrel]

At the rate they are sending the Spirit Class ships overseas. First the Spirit down under and possibly the Miracle to Europe. It will only be a couple of years and all Spirit Class ships are abroad. That might mean the next NEW Carnival ships may be of a smaller design.:)

[DocF]

Further, the Skyway might make it 50 years (2037), but IMHO that's pushing it. The bridge was poorly built and is plagued with corrosion and structural issues.

 

Exactly. The only state where this type of construction became common in the 50s through the 80s was Florida. Piles driven to bedrock or until they are so securely into the sand that they will not move provide a sound base. The reason the Skyway bridge fell when it was struck by the ship was that the screw piles were so insecurely placed that they pulled out of the sand. This is a design peculiarity common only to screw piles.

 

Screw piles are literally screwed into the sand. This is much cheaper than driving traditional piling. This may be ok for a county road over a small creek. It is not sufficient for a major bridge.

 

Bridges falling down is a special area of interest to me. A friend was killed in the collapse of the Silver Bridge over the Ohio River.

 

Doc

[Islandbuoy]

Although we are frequent CCL & HAL (sometimes princess) cruisers, we are going on the NCL Star this fall to foster competition.

 

John Heald promised us some new itins for the legend (which haven't materialized.

In a week we are doing the CCL Dream on a western from Port C. . If they can do western from canaveral, why not eastern from tampa??

[pomm1972]

Although we are frequent CCL & HAL (sometimes princess) cruisers, we are going on the NCL Star this fall to foster competition.

 

John Heald promised us some new itins for the legend (which haven't materialized.

In a week we are doing the CCL Dream on a western from Port C. . If they can do western from canaveral, why not eastern from tampa??

 

Looks like they are trying out some eastern itins on The Legend around the holidays.

[tinkerbell_82]

Heh. Don't mean to scare you. ;) It's not going to fall down anytime soon. The predicted life certainly won't pan out, though.

 

Haha, no worries. :) I agree- It does seem a little "flimsy" to be not only the highest point in the State of Florida, but to be crossing such a large span.

[Cuizer2]

How would that help? The problem is the height of the ships not the draft of the ships...

 

Lowering the bottom would lower the water level. That would increase the distance between the water and the bridge, allowing taller ships to pass underneath the bridge.

[Islandbuoy]

What do you guys smoke in LA?

[Santaa]

Tampa is the best Port!!!

 

 

 

 

[CT Cruiser10]

Lowering the bottom would lower the water level. That would increase the distance between the water and the bridge, allowing taller ships to pass underneath the bridge.

 

I'm pretty sure that no amount of dredging is going to change the sea level.

[RuthlessBoss]

How lucky Tampa is to even have a convenient port. It seems that is not enough. Now, people want the mega ships delivered to their doorsteps, no matter the cost or inconvenience to make this possible. It's not a huge inconvenience to drive to other ports for these ships. Think of it, how many cruisers must fly in from other parts of the U.S. just to reach a port! We are in driveable distance to many ports.

[Cuizer2]

What do you guys smoke in LA?

 

I'm a non-smoker. That said, being from LA - smog. What do you smoke?

[Cuizer2]

I'm pretty sure that no amount of dredging is going to change the sea level.

 

Here is an example of what I am talking about. The ship I am on is cruising through a specially dredge channel so it can pass under a bridge that is ahead of it ...

 

[Islandbuoy]

wanna buy a bridge?

[Cuizer2]

wanna buy a bridge?

 

1) Is shipping an handling extra?

 

2) Where would I put it?

 

3) What kind of guarantees does it come with?

 

4) What is the return policy?

[Serangel71]

I too, think that the "Spirit Class" vessels have a lot of life, and years left in them. They are almost everybodys favorite, and I can't imagine Carnival scrapping them before absolutely necessary. Having said all that, I would LOVE to see Carnival build some new ships along the lines of the "Spirit Class", although, frankly, I doubt that they will ever do that. Just too much money to be made by putting 4000 to 6000 souls aboard one ship!

Only time will tell, but I have to believe that the Port of Tampa will be serving those of us in this area, and those who know how great it is, for a long, long time. :cool:

 

"SKY"

 

I, too, would like to keep Tampa - even tho I keep missing the turn off 275 & go to the cargo area. :D It is further than Pt Canaveral for me.

 

Carnival & other cruise companies need to keep the smaller ships -- from what I remember, Europe needs them, unless, this is now changing.

[jessemon]

Lowering the bottom would lower the water level. That would increase the distance between the water and the bridge, allowing taller ships to pass underneath the bridge.

You're pulling my leg, right???

This is an ocean full of water...Tampa Bay is connected to all the water in all the oceans of the entire world...By making the channel under the bridge deeper it isnot going to change the level of the water....They make the channels deeper here all the time by dredging and believe me it does not change the level of the water in all the oceans of the world....;)