Port of San Francisco Hosts Cruise Symposium
Effort to Increase Cruise Business Seen as a
Boon to City’s Visitor Industry
With the City’s cruise business at record
levels, the Port of San Francisco co-hosted a symposium
aimed at building relationships between the City’s visitor
industry and the cruise lines calling San Francisco. Over
two hundred people, representing more than a hundred Bay
Area businesses, attended the event at the Hyatt Regency
Hotel on January 26. Along with the Port, other sponsors
included WHERE San Francisco Magazine, the Hyatt Regency
Embarcadero, Boudin at the Wharf, Cline Cellars, Artesa
Vineyards, and Cable Car Charters.
Representatives from the mayor’s office,
the San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau, and the Port
Commission made opening remarks, and each commented on the
significant impact of the cruise lines on the local economy.
“There is no doubt that the growth in San Francisco’s
passenger cruise market has significantly benefited the
City’s travel trade industries,” stated John Marks,
president of the Convention & Visitors Bureau. “And that
directly translates into more jobs, more enrichment, and
more opportunities for all Bay Area residents. The average
cruise ship spends $650,000 on wages and benefits, as well
as on goods and services every time they are in port.”
“The Port’s cruise business is important
not only to our maritime industries, but also to the City’s
overall economy,” remarked Michael Hardeman, vice president
of the Port Commission. “It’s important that the Port
continue to aggressively attract cruise ships to San
Francisco and construct our new cruise terminal at Piers
30-32, which we expect to open in 2009.”
Celebrity Cruises, Crystal Cruises,
Holland America, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Princess Cruises
each participated in the symposium panel discussions and
product presentations. Each line featured a trade show
exhibit where the attendees could network and meet cruise
line contacts in order to develop future business. Norwegian
Cruise Line and Princess Cruises provided free cruises for
two as grand prizes in a drawing that was held for those in
attendance.
This year, San Francisco will host twenty-three different
cruise ships representing twelve different cruise companies.
More than 200,000 passengers will come to San Francisco by
cruise ship in 2005, making it the biggest year for cruising
in Port history. Five different ships will homeport at San
Francisco, making regular round-trip sailings throughout the
year. They include:
> Celebrity Infinity, offering
12-day round- trips to Alaska
> Celebrity Mercury, offering 7-,
8-, 10-, and 12-day round-trips to Mexico
> Crystal Harmony, offering 12-day
round- trips to Alaska
> Dawn Princess, offering 10-day
round- trips to Mexico
> Regal Princess, offering 10-day
round- trips to Alaska
The Port of San Francisco, an enterprise agency of the City
and County of San Francisco, oversees a broad range of
maritime, commercial, and public-access facilities along the
City’s waterfront that are held in public trust for the
people of California.
