Joined: Feb 21, 2006 Posts: 4196 Location: Sanford, Fl
Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 9:53 am Post subject: Disney Resigns Deal, Announces Mega-Ships!
Quote:
Disney To Bring Megaships To Port Canaveral
Royal Caribbean Also Agrees To Pact With Port
PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Disney Cruise Line has agreed to make Port Canaveral home for both of the newest super liner cruise ships in its fleet beginning in 2011, Local 6 News partner Florida Today reported.
In addition, Royal Caribbean International has signed a letter of intent to bring its Freedom of the Seas to be home-ported at Port Canaveral in 2009.
The deals are the culmination of a year of negotiations.
In 2011 and 2012, Disney will put both of its mega-size 4,000-passenger ships at Port Canaveral in a deal in which the cruise line will pick up the $22 million cost for improvements to its land-side terminal at the port and construction of a new parking garage.
Under terms of the 15-year deal, the ships will remain at Port Canaveral at least until 2014, at which time Disney has the option to move the ships. At least two of the four Disney ships will remain at Port Canaveral for the duration of the contract.
"This is the most exciting development," said Stan Payne, chief executive officer of Canaveral Port Authority. "The trend in the cruise industry is to put the bigger ships at the strongest ports in the country, and for Disney to put both of its newest ships here is a big statement."
With Royal Caribbean, the deal to bring Freedom of the Seas to Port Canaveral in 2009 was critical to replace the Mariner of the Seas, which leaves for Los Angeles that year.
The five-year deal, which includes two one-year contract extensions, is the longest term of any contract the port has had with Royal Caribbean. It took a year to work out the Disney deal because of issues related to the overall deal, particularly financing the terminal construction, which needs to be completed by October 2010.
In February 2007, Disney announced the deal with Germany's Meyer Werft Shipyards to build the two 122,000-ton ships.
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