Send us your tired, huddled masses, willing to see the sights and leave some dollars behind!

Wednesday May 17th launches another year of teeming masses wandering the streets of Podunk looking for the trinkets that just scream out and say Northwest experience. Its Cruise season in the city and the big ships are just over the horizon!

In a tourism year that potentially could suffer some serious hits with the lack of normal BC Ferry assets on the North Coast, the Cruise industry is one of the remaining bright lights for the local tourist industry.

The Daily has a front page story on next week’s bounty of tourism and the growth in the cruise sector over the last few years.

CITY CRUISING TOWARD ANOTHER BIG SEASON
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Friday, May 12, 2006
Page One

Some 6,600 passengers will be onboard ships docking at the Northland Cruise Terminal when cruise ship season gets underway in Prince Rupert next week.

On Wednesday, the port is expecting two 2,000 passenger ships from Celebrity Cruise Lines – the Infinity, which will dock at 8 a. m. and stay until 2:15 p. m. followed closely by the Mercury should dock at 2:30 p. m. and leave around 7:30 p. m.

Then, on Thursday, Norwegian Cruise Lines’ 2,000 passenger Norwegian Sun will dock at 4 p. m. and stay until 9 p. m. She will be joined by Raddison’s 600 passenger Seven Seas Mariner.

Other large ships that will be stopping this year include the Norwegian Star and the Holland America Lines vessel, the Westerdam.

“We are seeing good growth this season. We are not seeing growth in numbers of passengers, but we are seeing growth in the number of cruise lines,” said Shaun Stevenson, manager of business development at the Prince Rupert Port Authority.

Both Holland American and Silversea Cruises are new additions. The number of passengers is holding steady at 92,000.

Some of the new lines coming in give us an opportunity demonstrate our potential both through planning and visitor experience,” said Stevenson.

This will be the first time Holland America stops in Prince Rupert. The company has two stops scheduled for 2006. The Westerdam is a luxury 2,000 passenger vessel, whose art collection features pieces work on Dutch heritage in the New World as well as contemporary pieces including an original Andy Warhol portrait.

While the port had anticipated stops by Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines’ vessel the Serenade of the Sea, those were subsequently cancelled and shifted to Victoria. Norwegian Cruise Lines continues to have the most frequent stops at the Northland. Their ships are modeled for “free-style cruising”, a concept recently featured on an episode of the Donald Trump reality TV-show The Apprentice.

Free-styling cruising allows passengers to choose to do what they want, when they want – instead of following a schedule. It’s now being modeled industry-wide.

With Norwegian Cruise Lines, the port hit an all time high of 900 passengers participating in on-shore excursions last season.

“With Norwegian Cruise Lines we have demonstrated the success of our tour programs,” said Stevenson. “And we are working on more initiatives which will enhance Prince Rupert’s ability to handle visitors.”

Overall, the port is well positioned to take advantage of the growth anticipated within the cruise industry in the coming years, said Stevenson.

The industry has ordered and anticipates launching 20 new ships in the next four to five years.

He added that the construction underway at the Fairview Terminal Container Port project is not expected to pose any delays for cruise ships entering the harbour.

This year, the Prince Rupert Merchant’s Association will be operating the shopper’s bus that carries passengers throughout the community.

And plans for celebrations of Mariner’s Park are underway for the Wednesday season opening. Details will be released early next week. However, due to the fact the Mercury will be leaving before nightfall, no fireworks are planned.