This year, 16 lines will visit with more than 100 calls that are expected to bring a total of more than 300,000 passengers in what should be a fifth consecutive record year.
Highlighting the silver anniversary is the first sailing today by the newly home-based Norwegian Dawn which will operate 22 weekly Bermuda cruises. The 2,224-passenger ship is 10% larger than predecessor Norwegian Spirit, and recently underwent significant renovations.
Last fall, Massport officials unveiled $11m in upgrades to the Black Falcon Cruise Terminal.
‘Since 2006 the number of passengers taking a Bermuda cruise has jumped nearly 60%,’ said Thomas Kinton, Jr., Massport ceo and executive director. ‘Norwegian Cruise Line has responded to this increased demand by repositioning larger and larger ships to Boston. Norwegian Dawn is our third upgrade in the last four years.’
‘Cruising from Boston just got better with the arrival today of Norwegian Dawn,’ enthused NCL president and ceo Kevin Sheehan, citing the ship’s just-completed multimillion-dollar refurbishment paired with the Black Falcon Cruise terminal make-over as offering an ‘exceptional cruise experience.’
In addition to the Bermuda program, Norwegian Dawn will sail a two-night cruise to nowhere on Oct. 28.