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This spring five passenger cruise ships will provide a welcome boost to the local economy. According to a Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) 2007 study, each cruise ship passenger spends an average of $123 per U.S. port-of-call visit. It is estimated that each crew member spends an average of $49 per visit.

 

Three American Cruise Line ships will grace the Wilmington riverfront during the month of May, weather permitting. On Sunday, May 9, American Spirit will arrive at approximately 1:00 p.m. with up to 100 passengers and 26 crew members, departing at 10:00 p.m. On May 16, American Glory will arrive at 1:00 p.m. with up to 50 passengers and 18 crew members, departing at 10:00 p.m. On May 23, American Star will arrive at approximately 1:00 p.m. with up to 100 passengers and 26 crew members, departing at 10:00 p.m. Passenger shore excursions, provided by Tours by Degrees, will include tours of Wilmington’s Historic District with stops at the Bellamy Mansion Museum of History & Design Arts and at Orton Plantation Gardens.

 

On May 24, American Canadian Caribbean Line’s Grande Caribe, with up to 96 passengers will arrive at 1:00 p.m. and depart the following morning at around 5:00 a.m. Passenger shore excursions will be provided by Tours by Degrees which will include a narrated tour of Downtown Wilmington with a stop at historic Thalian Hall. They will also take in the natural beauty and wildlife that abounds at Orton Plantation Gardens.

 

These small luxury cruise ships will dock along Downtown Wilmington’s riverfront near the Visitor Information booth, where visitor information specialists greet passengers, provide free Visitors Guides, and answer questions about the area. In addition to their shore excursions, passengers will have free time to shop, dine, and explore the destination at their leisure.

 

Another cruise vessel of German registry, the MS Hanseatic, will arrive at the North Carolina State Ports Authority’s Wilmington Port for a six-hour visit (8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.) on Monday, May 17. The ship is operated by Hapag-Lloyd Cruise Line and last visited Wilmington in 2008. The MS Hanseatic carries up to 185 passengers and 125 crew members. The Lower Cape Fear Historical Society will provide tour guides who will lead a bus tour of Wilmington with stops at Thalian Hall, St. James Church, and the Wilmington Riverwalk. Each tour will visit the Battleship North Carolina. Travelers not on the bus tours will shop, dine, or explore on their own.

 

“We welcome the ships’ arrivals and hope the passengers and crew will enjoy the history, charm and natural beauty of Wilmington and North Carolina’s Cape Fear Coast,” states Kim Hufham, President/CEO of the New Hanover County Tourism Development Authority. “When you add the passengers’ average daily expenditures to the fuel, ground transportation, tour services, and docking fees, these ships create an impressive local economic impact.”

 

The New Hanover County Tourism Development Authority d/b/a Wilmington/Cape Fear Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau is the official destination marketing organization of New Hanover County which stimulates economic development through the promotion of travel and tourism.

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 [Note to Media: Please be advised that Media interested in the MS Hanseatic’s arrival need to contact, in advance: Karen Fox, Vice President, Communications, North Carolina State Ports Authority, at 910-343-6491 (office), 910-520-5745 (cell), or Karen_fox@ncports.com.]