Miami Expecting 52,000 Cruise Passengers in One Day

Norwegian Getaway

PortMiami is hosting an estimated 52,000 cruise passengers on Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018.

This sets a one-day record for passenger traffic at PortMiami, the port said, in a statement.

PortMiami will be welcoming the following cruise vessels:

  1. Carnival Cruise Lines Carnival Horizon
  2. Carnival Cruise Lines Carnival Magic
  3. Disney Cruise Line Disney Magic
  4. FRS Caribbean San Gwann
  5. MSC Cruises MSC Divina
  6. Norwegian Cruise Line Norwegian Getaway
  7. Oceania Cruises Oceania Riviera
  8. Royal Caribbean International Empress of the Seas
  9. Royal Caribbean International Allure of the Seas

It’s definitely a busy time for PortMiami,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez. “I want to welcome all cruise visitors to Miami-Dade County and encourage them to explore all that our community has to offer. Cruise passengers are essential to the continued growth and development of the tourism industry in Miami-Dade and contribute millions of dollars to our local economy annually. That includes air travel, hotel nights, entertainment and shopping. I want to thank the more than 52,000 passengers we’re expecting this Sunday for selecting Miami as a destination.”

“PortMiami is home to the world’s most renowned cruise lines,” said Chairwoman of the Economic Development and Tourism Committee Rebeca Sosa. “Last year the Cruise Capital of the World handled more than 5.6 million cruise passengers, welcoming each and every one with open arms and a smile. We’re more than ready for the 2018-2019 cruise season!”

Edge of Space Flight incentive from Norwegian Cruise Line

Image result for MiG-29

Love2shop vouchers… a bunch of flowers… a food hamper… travel agents get the chance to win some great prizes by making bookings. But has Norwegian Cruise Line just announced the mother of all incentives?

Norwegian Cruise Line will reward any agent who makes 499 bookings of its current £99 roundtrip airfare offer with a flight to the edge of space.

Last month, the line revealed passengers could upgrade to a cruise-fly fare to more than 25 European destinations for just £99 up until January 4.

Today, to further incentivise agents, NCL is offering a string of rewards for those making bookings – with the top prize a chance to reach the very tip of the Earth’s atmosphere.

Five bookings will earn agents a Time Together giftbox, which includes a champagne helicopter tour, worth up to £79.

Ten bookings will give agents an iFly Indoor Skydive and a three-course meal for two, worth up to £99.

But, if agents can upgrade 499 bookings from a cruise-only fare to a cruise-fly one, they will earn the chance to fly to Russia, strap into a G-suit and soar 80,000ft on board a MiG-29 aircraft.

Nick Wilkinson, NCL’s vice president and UK & Ireland managing director, said he was “lucky” to have a team around him to develop such “sexy” plans to reward agents.

“We are very excited about introducing this new incentive,” he said. “This idea had an incredible wow factor.

“I go back to our partners-first approach. We value our travel partners. We are always thinking of ways that we can incentivise them.

“We try to make sure that NCL is at the front of their mind. This offer gives agents the chance to do something that has never been done – it is sexy.”

The Edge of Space flight is scheduled to take off at the end of March or early April, Wilkinson said.

Norwegian Jade cruise interrupted by a mechanical problem

 Norwegian Jade by Dave Jones

Norwegian Cruise Line has cancelled a 10-day Norwegian Jade cruise that departed Miami on Nov. 16 because of a mechanical issue.

The ship is in San Juan, where it will disembark passengers on Tuesday, Nov. 20.

It had been scheduled to depart San Juan on Sunday night for St. Thomas on a cruise that was to include St. Kitts, Barbados, St. Lucia and St. Maarten.

After disembarking passengers, the Jade will sail back to Miami for repairs.

A Norwegian spokeswoman said the line is working to fly guests back to Miami and to points beyond, helping to modify travel arrangements to their final destinations.

Norwegian said guests will get a full refund of the fare for the abbreviated cruise and a 100% credit toward a future cruise.

“We are very sorry for the inconvenience and disappointment this unexpected situation has caused,” a statement said.