New Cruise Ship To Visit Bermuda

Transport Minister Terry Lister announced today [Oct.6] that there will be a new cruise ship visiting Bermuda in 2013. Departing on Sundays, the Norwegian Breakaway will spend three full days in Bermuda, along with three days at sea

Mr Lister said, “Currently under construction at Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany, and with a carrying capacity of up to 4,000 passengers, the Norwegian Breakaway will be making 22 calls from New York City to Bermuda in the 2013 season.”

“Norwegian Breakaway will be the Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship and it is a credit to Bermuda that NCL wishes to deploy the ship here for her inaugural season.”

“This new ship will further strengthen our cruise industry. Bermuda’s cruise product is estimated to inject more than $80 million into our economy this year and approximately the same amount in 2012.”

In April of this year, Transport Minister Terry Lister spoke about the air and cruise arrivals, saying that ”Historically, Bermuda used to get as many as 650,000 tourists a year up to the 80s, and we kept the cruise passengers at 150,000, and we had 500,000 land passengers.”

“Last year we had 345,000 cruise passengers and 120,000 land passengers, it’s a huge, huge swing. We are working very hard – my ministry and tourism – on the land passenger side. We have been successful in getting AirTran here, and they are going to bring alot of seats, we are trying our best to hold on to lifts from other carriers.”

“But while all that is going on, the real bread and butter for us is the cruise ship passenger, and I need the people of Bermuda to understand that and all of us to work together on this,” said the Minister.

Minister Lister’s full statement follows below:

Good afternoon,

As we are gathered here for this press conference, a simultaneous press conference is being held in New York City.

At the New York Press Conference, Chief Executive Officer for Norwegian Cruise Line Kevin Sheehan is being joined by Mayor Michael Bloomberg to announce Norwegian’s newest cruise ship – the Norwegian Breakaway which will be based in New York.

For her inaugural season, the Norwegian Breakaway will be coming to Bermuda. Currently under construction at Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany, and with a carrying capacity of up to 4,000 passengers, the Norwegian Breakaway will be making 22 calls from New York City to Bermuda in the 2013 season.

Norwegian Breakaway will be the Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship and it is a credit to Bermuda that NCL wishes to deploy the ship here for her inaugural season.

This new ship will further strengthen our cruise industry. Bermuda’s cruise product is estimated to inject more than $80 million into our economy this year and approximately the same amount in 2012.

This amount includes Government fees, cruise visitor and crew purchases while on the Island, shore excursions such as taxi and bus tours, water sport excursions and other excursions popular with cruise visitors.

For 2013, the Norwegian Breakaway alone will generate an additional $8 million more to Bermuda’s economy, as compared to the ship she replaces. In total, the ship is expected to inject $21 million into our economy.

NCL CEO Kevin Sheehan has told us that Bermuda is one of their guests’ favourite summer destinations and they are excited that Bermuda will be the first destination for their new ship.

I would like to thank the staff of Department of Marine and Ports within the Ministry of Transport and the principals of NCL for working to make this happen.

This is good news for both the cruise industry and economy.

Thank you.

#BermudaCruises #BermudaTourism

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