Norwegian Cruise Line is betting that its new PhilaPort Cruise Terminal in Tinicum will bring customers from the Northeast and mid-Atlantic, writes Emma Dooling for Philadelphia Business Journal.
On April 16, the Norwegian Jewel set sail to Bermuda from Tinicum on the first cruise trip out of Philadelphia in more than 15 years.
Norwegian has a seven-year exclusive operating deal through 2033 with the Port of Philadelphia.
From Philadelphia, the cruise line can reach passengers from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, New York, Connecticut, Maryland, Washington D.C., and Virginia.
Philadelphia is “uniquely positioned” because of its “exceptionally good drive market.” That refers to the number of people located within a four-hour drive of a city.
More people are looking for cruises they can drive to, not fly to.
“We listen to our clients. We listen to what they want. We listen to what they ask, and clients are asking for home port options where they can drive,” according to company President Marc Kazlauskas.
The company’s closest East Coast ports are in New York and Boston, and then Jacksonville, Florida.
The Norwegian Jewel hosted 1,900 guests on its Philadelphia voyage, about 80 percent of its capacity.
Read more about Norwegian Cruise Line’s Philadelphia schedule and possible future plans in the Philadelphia Business Journal.
