Deal will keep Disney cruise ships at Port Canaveral for 15 years (Updated)

[crazy4wdw]

From the Orlando Sentinel:
Deal could keep Disney cruise ships at Port Canaveral for 15 years
Jason Garcia | Sentinel Staff Writer
12:55 PM EDT, March 19, 2008

Disney Cruise Line and Port Canaveral are expected to announce this afternoon a deal that would keep Disney cruise ships ported in Brevard County for the next 15 years.

The deal would ensure that two new mega-size cruise ships Disney is building will begin their lives sailing out of Port Canaveral.

Under the terms, the Canaveral Port Authority will make a host of improvements to Disney's cruise terminal, including extending piers and building a multi-level parking facility.

Canaveral Port Authority directors are expected to vote on the pact later this afternoon.

[crazy4wdw]

Update:

Deal will keep Disney cruise ships at Port Canaveral for 15 years
Jason Garcia | Sentinel Staff Writer
2:43 PM EDT, March 19, 2008

After more than a year of negotiations, Disney Cruise Line and Port Canaveral struck a deal this afternoon that will keep Disney ships sailing out of Brevard County for the next 15 years.

Under the deal, Disney will commit to basing the two mega-cruise ships it is building -- which are scheduled to arrive in 2011 and 2012 -- at Canaveral through at least 2014.

Disney also agreed that all of its vessels will make a combined 150 calls a year at Canaveral through 2022.

Disney also will pay $22 million in port upgrades -- including dock extensions, terminal expansion and environmental upgrades. The port will borrow the money for the upgrades tax-free, but Disney has pledged to pay the debt service.

Canaveral will spend between $8 and $10 million to build a 1,000-space parking garage.

The upgrades must be complete Oct. 1, 2010.

Canaveral also announced an agreement with Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. to deploy a freedom class cruise ship to Port Canaveral in May 2009. It will immediately become the largest cruise ship sailing from Brevard County.

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

It was a natural that Disney would keep at least 2 ships at Port Canaveral. They realistically can't offer Cruise/Disney World packages and force passengers to get on ships in Fort Lauderdale.

Very happy to see Royal Caribbean bringing a Freedom-class ship to Port Canaveral. Will be interesting to see if this replaces a Voyager-class ship or whether it's going to be an additional ship.

BobK/Orlando