RCCL Revenue UP for Galveston

[EastTexans2]

Maybe this will convince RCCL to keep a ship in Galveston????

Study: Cruise-Related Spending Up in '06

Wednesday August 29, 2:05 AM EDT

 

 

MIAMI (AP) — Cruise lines and their passengers spent $17.6 billion in the U.S. in 2006, and New York and Hawaii were among the fastest growing embarkation points for cruise travelers, according to a study released Wednesday.

Direct spending related to the cruise industry increased 9 percent in 2006 — down slightly from 10 percent growth the year before because of a slower rate of capacity growth and a drop in consumer discretionary spending, according to a report from the Cruise Lines International Association.

The report showed that 12 million passengers took cruise vacations worldwide in 2006, with U.S. passengers making up 78 percent of those travelers. Seven ships were added last year, and about 30 more are slated to be built by the end of 2011 as cruise lines anticipate there will be enough demand to fill some 80,000 new berths.

 

Florida — home base for Carnival Corp. and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. — led with nearly 56 percent of all embarkations and the top three cruise ports in 2006. The Port of Miami, Port Canaveral and Port Everglades accounted for more than 4.4 million passenger embarkations, the study showed.

The Port of Galveston in Texas ranked fourth with 617,000 embarkations, an increase of 16 percent from the year before.

New York ranked sixth with 536,000 embarkations in 2006, up 45 percent, with the opening of the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal.

The port in Honolulu also showed substantial growth, with passenger departures reaching 318,000, a jump of 34 percent.

Those increases were in contrast to a nearly 77 percent drop in passenger embarkations in New Orleans, whose port was hit hard by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. About 72,000 cruise passengers began their trip in New Orleans in 2006, down from 308,000 the year before, the report showed.

Other ports that saw a drop in embarkations were Boston, down 22 percent with 62,000, and San Diego, down 23 percent with 180,000. The study was done by Exton, Pa.-based Business Research and Economic Advisors, which gathered and analyzed data for the Fort Lauderdale-based CLIA.

 

 

[brn2crz]

But thank you for showing the article.I have posted other articles here of the same comments before,for the past 3 years..Folks rarely believe me when I tell them Galveston is the 4th busiest US cruise port:rolleyes: ..

But I will be saving this article for future proof:)

 

But this has been the trend here since 2003....And yet they are still choosing to leave us high and dry....And that ticks me off.

It also worries me for the City of Galveston,as you might not recognize it with all the new construction going on their.A new innovative custom home neighborhood..(not beachside..But very nice)

The new hotels and condos are shooting up everywhere..

 

I guess the reality is they are making a killing in the European and other distant port markets on on board spending..Otherwise...It makes no sense.

 

Come on RCI....support those who have supported you!!:eek: ;)

[ruskatab]

But thank you for showing the article.I have posted other articles here of the same comments before,for the past 3 years..Folks rarely believe me when I tell them Galveston is the 4th busiest US cruise port:rolleyes: ..

But I will be saving this article for future proof:)

 

But this has been the trend here since 2003....And yet they are still choosing to leave us high and dry....And that ticks me off.

It also worries me for the City of Galveston,as you might not recognize it with all the new construction going on their.A new innovative custom home neighborhood..(not beachside..But very nice)

The new hotels and condos are shooting up everywhere..

 

I guess the reality is they are making a killing in the European and other distant port markets on on board spending..Otherwise...It makes no sense.

 

Come on RCI....support those who have supported you!!:eek: ;)

 

I was wondering if youve heard anything about cruiselines signing on at the new port in Houston. I too cant believe if Galveston is the 4th busiest port they would not keep a ship there.

[Son of a Cruiser]

Hmmm - Let's see

 

No. 2 port is Port Canaveral - RCI pulls Mariner of the Seas, currently no replacement

 

No. 4 port is Galveston - RCI pulls Rhapsody of the Seas, currently no year round replacement.

 

What's up with that ???!!!!

[brn2crz]

Not a peep Ruskatab...Last I heard was that construction had all but stopped??? Not sure of the reason why...

[parrotthead]

I couldnt believe it when RCI all but stopped sailing out of Galveston (my home port)

It has forced some of us who like sailing out of a port close to home to turn to 'the other cruiselines' for our sailing Needs.

Come Back RCI !

{the Splendour was my first and favorite ship}

[islandchicklet]

DH said he has been hearing commercials this week for Voyager to sail out of Galveston. I saw it was "available" online but had been wondering if they would pull it, but with the commercials I guess it will be here some next year.

 

brn2crz, , I am right up the road in League City.

[brn2crz]

Ah cool...Hey Islandchicklet......How bout some more rain!!:rolleyes:

 

When I first started on this board I was almost the only one on here South of Houston..There would be 1 or 2 that would post occassionally,but very rarely...Now theres tons of folks here from LC,Friendswood,Pearland,Alvin.,Pasadena..The host on the Gulf Coast boards is from LaMarque...

 

I even met a lady yesterday at my hairplace..(where i get it cut) from Alvin that posts on another cruise board...

 

And yet...They still have the nerve to take our ships :mad: :)

[Rancher Dave]

Ah cool...Hey Islandchicklet......How bout some more rain!!:rolleyes:

 

When I first started on this board I was almost the only one on here South of Houston..There would be 1 or 2 that would post occassionally,but very rarely...Now theres tons of folks here from LC,Friendswood,Pearland,Alvin.,Pasadena..The host on the Gulf Coast boards is from LaMarque...

 

I even met a lady yesterday at my hairplace..(where i get it cut) from Alvin that posts on another cruise board...

 

And yet...They still have the nerve to take our ships :mad: :)

 

Then there are those of us in West Houston who comes to Dickinson to do business once in a while who would like to see the ships stay as well since driving the rest of the way from D on down to Galveston is far quicker than a flight and a night ahead in Miami. That said until they add some 10-11 night trips from here to Southern/Eastern Caribbean or even to the Panama canal...

 

Bayport is closer to the airports but slower getting to sea...

 

Until we get some more exciting destinations out of Galveston we will have to go to Florida for some of our cruises...maybe even next Summer down to San Juan to start a cruise.

[Schplinky]

Cruises sailing full is not the full answer, either. Many of the Texas cruises are so discounted that the line is not making as much per cabin, even when the ship sells out. We considered a Galveston sailing but it just wasn't very convenient, what with flying there and having to get to the port from Houston.

 

In the end, Galveston's being busy does not make it the most profitable. Look at what a week long cruise out of NYC costs compared to Galveston.

[islandchicklet]

Ah cool...Hey Islandchicklet......How bout some more rain!!:rolleyes:

 

When I first started on this board I was almost the only one on here South of Houston..There would be 1 or 2 that would post occassionally,but very rarely...Now theres tons of folks here from LC,Friendswood,Pearland,Alvin.,Pasadena..The host on the Gulf Coast boards is from LaMarque...

 

I even met a lady yesterday at my hairplace..(where i get it cut) from Alvin that posts on another cruise board...

 

And yet...They still have the nerve to take our ships :mad: :)

 

Ahh, the rain. But at least it wasn't hot yesterday. I have noticed quite a few Texans here.

 

Cruises sailing full is not the full answer, either. Many of the Texas cruises are so discounted that the line is not making as much per cabin, even when the ship sells out. We considered a Galveston sailing but it just wasn't very convenient, what with flying there and having to get to the port from Houston.

 

In the end, Galveston's being busy does not make it the most profitable. Look at what a week long cruise out of NYC costs compared to Galveston.

 

I must not know how to book because my cruise out of Galveston next month for a 5 day was higher than my 7 day on newer, bigger ships out of San Juan two years in a row.

[Schplinky]

 

 

 

I must not know how to book because my cruise out of Galveston next month for a 5 day was higher than my 7 day on newer, bigger ships out of San Juan two years in a row.

 

 

I'm sure you know how to book but every single sailing we saw out of G was dropped to five hundred bucks after final payment was due for everyone else. We passed because all of the reviews we read mentioned that the waters were rough until you got out of the Gulf and because of the limited port selection from Texas.

[brn2crz]

I have sailed out of Galveston 7 times...The only time we have had rough seas was Sept o4 for 2 days...40 ft waves due to Ivan...Many Many times we have had practically glass like conditions..Usually staying around the 8ft area.

Contrary to my 2 times in the Atlantic/Eastern route..Both times were rolling like the ""Texas Cyclone":D

 

Oh,and my last years trip on Mariner,in an E1 including airfare R/T from Houston (SW) and 1 night at hotel was 25 dollars cheaper than my Rhapsody sailing..

[Schplinky]

Godo to know. We're always looking to sail from different places.

[islandchicklet]

I'm sure you know how to book but every single sailing we saw out of G was dropped to five hundred bucks after final payment was due for everyone else. We passed because all of the reviews we read mentioned that the waters were rough until you got out of the Gulf and because of the limited port selection from Texas.

 

No, I am actually serious. I see and hear of people supposedly getting good deals but I am never one of them:confused: . I was (am) a little concerned about sailing out of Galveston because of the water because I am prone to motion sickness - I am hoping for the best. Sailing out of San Juan twice the water was so smooth but I still managed to feel sick a few times.

[tddragoon]

Our Rhapsody sailing had flat calm waters. We rarely saw white capped waves and seas were maximum in the 4-6 ft range. There was motion but it was smooth and not jerky.

As for replacing the Rhapsody, I still hear radio ads for "Galveston is practically my backyard" and the ship they mention is not Rhapsody. It may have been Voyager as someone mentioned earlier. And Galveston needs some Eastern and Southern Caribbean itineraries. Once on the Western route was enough. Could a canal itinerary be possible from Galveston?

One time cruiser and I still felt betrayed. Rhapsody is a Texas ship.

[frudutx]

We've sailed Rhapsody 3 times and Splendor once out of Galveston. Only once was the water rough (December cruise). The Splendor cruise was the Panama Canal cruise turn-around. Each cruise was full, only one cruise was discounted, and it seemed to me that there were people from everywhere on earth not just Texas. Yes Voyager is coming to Galveston but it will not be here year round only through April 08 and then she'll be back the end of 08 through April of 09'. Guess, RCCL does not want another Caribbean route in the summer especially one out of Galveston.

 

Even if we do. :(

 

d

[firefly333]

I must not know how to book because my cruise out of Galveston next month for a 5 day was higher than my 7 day on newer, bigger ships out of San Juan two years in a row.

 

What 5 day out of Galveston?? Only the Ecstasy, is that the one? Yes, prices are up because competition is down with so few ships now out of Texas.

[zantedeschia]

We passed because all of the reviews we read mentioned that the waters were rough until you got out of the Gulf and because of the limited port selection from Texas.

Huh. Smoothest seas I've encountered were in the Gulf, roughest were in the Caribbean.

 

As far as limited ports, I wish ships from Galveston still went to places like Costa Rica and Panama. You may be right about the discounted fares, my very first cruise (Dec 2003) was an 11 night Panama Canal cruise. I got an interior guarantee for $700pp. Even tho I didn't know then what I do now, I thought that was an extremely reasonable rate for the cruise and figured I had stumbled onto some sort of last minute booking deal. :D

[RMILLER4292]

My family and I just finished a Rhapsody cruise on 08/26. We have sailed several times on the Rhapsody and have several friends on board...I asked a few of them about Galveston, and the general response was that we would be getting a year round ship, but RCCL was not sure which ship it would be. We were also told that much of the "old" Rhapsody crew wanted to go to Voyager to stay in Galveston, but that the Voyager crew in general did not want to leave..They wanted to see what all the Rhapsody crew was raving about regarding sailing from Texas....

 

 

Ryan

[islandchicklet]

What 5 day out of Galveston?? Only the Ecstasy, is that the one? Yes, prices are up because competition is down with so few ships now out of Texas.

 

Yep, the Ecstasy.

[TahoeBob]

The Port of Galveston in Texas ranked fourth with 617,000 embarkations, an increase of 16 percent from the year before.

Just a point to keep in mind, Galveston really is not the fourth busiest port in the USA. If a town opened a port 2 miles from Miami, and Miamis numbers droped by 50%. and the new port picked up the drop off, did Mimai really lose. I say no they did not the money is still the same in the port area.

 

That said the port of LA in San Pedro by the same study was just a bit behind Galveston, but what about the port of Long Beach. two miles apart. different city, but same area.

 

 

when ever you see just raw numbers you are only getting part of the story.

Where did this 16% increas come from, My guess would be from N.O. with there huge drop.