Baltimore - any news on the Pride replacement?

[RSLeesburg]

I read that Baltimore was looking for another line to replace Pride when she leaves next year. Has anyone heard any rumors or news about who will be coming in?

[CruiserBruce]

I would be researching this on the Carnival board, as it is a policy issue for Carnival.

[RSLeesburg]

I would be researching this on the Carnival board, as it is a policy issue for Carnival.

 

My understanding was that Canival announced that it would be removing Pride from Baltimore at the end of 2014, and the Baltimore Cruise Port announced that they were in discussions with several other cruise lines to bring another ship into Baltimore. There was speculation on RCI forum about Celebrity bringing in a ship, so I was curious to see if anyone heard anything further on this. I assumed that Pride leaving was a given. But From your post, it sounds as if Carnival may be rethinking their position, or did I misunderstand? Or have they been discussing which ships may replace the Pride in Baltimore?

[CruiserBruce]

I was thinking you were asking which Carnival ship would replace Pride, which would make it a Carnival board issue. But your explanation makes sense.

[jcl410]

I was thinking you were asking which Carnival ship would replace Pride, which would make it a Carnival board issue. But your explanation makes sense.

 

 

If I remember right, the Carnival decision was made in response to a new requirement which will make ships burn cleaner, but much more expensive, fuel all the way down the Chesapeake Bay.

 

It will be interesting to see which cruise line(s) decide to go to Baltimore - I'm sure Norfolk is also approaching the same lines.

 

Aloha,

 

John

[MrBanana1240]

I don't think they are.

 

I heard some speculation about Norwegian coming. That would be a cool to try :-)

[RSLeesburg]

I was just looking over some older threads, and the Norwegian forum definitely were more excited about hem bringing a ship into Baltimore. The Celebrity Forum would love to see one of their ships cone in, but doubted I would happen.

 

It seems a shame, everyone seems to agree that Baltimore is a great port, and I think both Grandeur and Pride sail almost completely full each cruise, so the demand is there. I think the itineraries are limited - some people would like to see some longer cruises out of Baltimore. I am taking my first cruise this Friday, but already love the idea of just driving to the port. If we get hooked, I would love to have two choices of ships. I know Bayonne is not that far away, but...

[CruiserBruce]

If I remember right, the Carnival decision was made in response to a new requirement which will make ships burn cleaner, but much more expensive, fuel all the way down the Chesapeake Bay.

 

It will be interesting to see which cruise line(s) decide to go to Baltimore - I'm sure Norfolk is also approaching the same lines.

 

Aloha,

 

John

 

This fuel requirement is true on the West Coast- all of the coast, Alaska, and Europe. Nothing new.

[RSLeesburg]

This fuel requirement is true on the West Coast- all of the coast, Alaska, and Europe. Nothing new.

 

Yes. Isn't this true for any ship sailing with a certain range of the shore? I think Carnival applied for a waiver - with State of MD, and they were turned down, so this may be partly cost driven, and partly out of spite.

[jcl410]

This fuel requirement is true on the West Coast- all of the coast, Alaska, and Europe. Nothing new.

 

 

The difference is that it's 120 miles from Baltimore to open ocean, which increases the amount of time that a ship must burn cleaner fuel by 50%.

 

At the time Carnival decided to pull the Pride, they were still "discussing" with the US Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) to allow them to use scrubbers to reduce emissions instead. The Pride's schedule needed to be set for 2014, so she is leaving Baltimore.

 

In August, the EPA agreed to Carnival's scrubber plan; so ... Carnival mght be back in 2015.

 

BTW - the Grandeur of the Seas already has permission to use scrubbers to meet the emissions requirements.

 

 

Aloha,

 

John

[RSLeesburg]

The difference is that it's 120 miles from Baltimore to open ocean, which increases the amount of time that a ship must burn cleaner fuel by 50%.

 

At the time Carnival decided to pull the Pride, they were still "discussing" with the US Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) to allow them to use scrubbers to reduce emissions instead. The Pride's schedule needed to be set for 2014, so she is leaving Baltimore.

 

In August, the EPA agreed to Carnival's scrubber plan; so ... Carnival mght be back in 2015.

 

BTW - the Grandeur of the Seas already has permission to use scrubbers to meet the emissions requirements.

 

 

Aloha,

 

John

 

Ah, thanks for the update. I know that some people were sad to hear Pride was leaving, hike others were eager to see a new ship come in.

[bmore cruiser]

here is an article that ran in the Baltimore Sun about the agreement that was reached between Carnival and the federal government. It seems like there is a possibility that Carnival will return to Baltimore. :)

 

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2013-09-05/news/bs-gr-carnival-cruise-pollution-20130905_1_tom-dow-largest-cruise-company-ships

[Glamourgal]

I did a ship tour in Port Canaveral earlier this month and a Carnival rep did say they were planning on bringing another ship back to Baltimore but I do not recall him giving an exact date and he didn't mention what ship.

[RSLeesburg]

I did a ship tour in Port Canaveral earlier this month and a Carnival rep did say they were planning on bringing another ship back to Baltimore but I do not recall him giving an exact date and he didn't mention what ship.

 

Thanks for the update.

[bus man]

I was just looking over some older threads, and the Norwegian forum definitely were more excited about hem bringing a ship into Baltimore. The Celebrity Forum would love to see one of their ships cone in, but doubted I would happen.

 

Both Norwegian and Celebrity have sailed from Baltimore in recent years, but no longer do so. I don't know why either of them left, so I couldn't say if they would be interested in returning.

 

Personally, I wouldn't mind if Royal Caribbean added a second ship and gave us a wider variety of itineraries. But I would be rather surprised if that were to happen.

[Gailerina]

If carnival came back I don't think it he until late 2015 or in 2016.

 

 

 

 

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[Eng23]

How soon Carnival could return to Baltimore depends on the timeframe of installing the "scrubber systems" on their ships. After that it would depend on the ships available to reposition to Baltimore. Just remember that the largest Carnival ship class that can go into Baltimore is a Spirit Class ship.

Edited November 8, 2013 by Eng23

[Underwatr]

How soon Carnival could return to Baltimore depends on the timeframe of installing the "scrubber systems" on their ships.

I'm not sure that's the case. The deal to install scrubbers during upcoming refurbishment periods includes a waiver on the emissions requirements.

 

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2013-09-05/news/bs-gr-carnival-cruise-pollution-20130905_1_tom-dow-largest-cruise-company-ships

 

The ships that will be refitted with the scrubbers are exempt from the emissions requirements until mid-2016.

[chengkp75]

I'm not sure that's the case. The deal to install scrubbers during upcoming refurbishment periods includes a waiver on the emissions requirements.

 

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2013-09-05/news/bs-gr-carnival-cruise-pollution-20130905_1_tom-dow-largest-cruise-company-ships

 

The ships that will be refitted with the scrubbers are exempt from the emissions requirements until mid-2016.

 

I find it disheartening that the EPA and USCG have given Carnival this exemption. Everyone in the maritime industry knew these restrictions were coming into force, and NCL and RCI actually ponied up the money to outfit some of their ships with scrubbers in advance of the implementation date. Carnival was betting that the EPA would back down, and lost. At least the government has made Carnival make financial commitments to scrubbers to get the exemption.