Cruise industry booming in New Orleans

The two newest additions to the New Orleans-based cruise ship lineup helped set a new passenger record for the port. In a two-day span, 24,705 passengers either boarded or disembarked four cruise ships and two sternwheelers. On Nov. 10, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s “Navigator of the Seas”replaced the Voyager of the Seas. The ship has a capacity of 3,114-passengers and is the largest cruise ship ever to call at the port. On Nov. 11, Norwegian Cruise Line’s 2,348-passenger “Norwegian Star”replaced the 2,018-passenger Norwegian Spirit as the cruise line’s New Orleans-ported ship. Port officials expect to hit the million-passenger mark this and surpass it in 2013. The port recently completed a transfer agreement with the U.S. Maritime Administration for two berths at the Poland Avenue Wharf. They will be the site of the port’s third cruise terminal, just downriver from the French Quarter. (http://www.NewOrleansCityBusiness.com)