About a month ago I wrote a post about ports missing the boat. Cities that could/should think about developing ports for cruise ships to depart from. Interested mayors and city officials should take note of an article in The Daily News of Galveston County, written by Laura Elder. Perhaps they’ll change their minds and give us cruisers more port options to choose from.
GALVESTON — Five years ago, not a lot of island residents were praising the Port of Galveston.But on Wednesday, the tide had turned for the prospering deep-water port…
“The Port of Galveston is the lifeblood of this community,” Galveston Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas… In 2000, Carnival Cruise Lines’ ship Celebration began sailing from the island. Since then, the port — through public-private partnerships – has invested $46 million in cruise-ship terminals to become the top cruise port on the Gulf of Mexico. Last year, was a banner year for the port. For the first time since the late 1980s, when it began operating as a landlord port — meaning it generates revenues from leasing its facilities to other businesses — its operating income exceeded $20 million…
Cruise lines, their passengers and crews spend about $934 million on direct purchases yearly. About 84 percent of that amount is generated by the port of Galveston, according to industry statistics. The industry supports 15,807 jobs in the state. Port businesses employ about 1,300 people along the waterfront.
This certainly sounds like a win-win situation for all involved, the city of Galveston, (not to mention the 15,807 extra jobs for the State of Texas), and for the Cruise Lines and passengers as well.