Shipping News - cruise lines depart from more cities, which may reduce travel costs for travelers - Brief Article

Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine, Jan, 2000 by Lynn Woods

TRAVEL / As more cities open ports to pleasure ships, CRUISES may be closer to home.

TAKING A cruise to Mexico or the Caribbean this year doesn't necessarily mean first catching a flight to Fort Lauderdale, Miami or San Juan. With nearly seven million people expected to take a cruise in 2000 (that's up from an estimated six million in 1999), the cruise industry is putting ships in new ports that may be closer to your home.

This fall, for example, Carnival Cruise Lines (800-327-9501) will offer four- and five-day cruises to Cozumel and Cancun from Galveston, Tex. Regal Cruises' 12-night cruise to the Panama Canal left for the first time from Savannah last October, while Holland America's (877-724-5424) winter and spring trips to the Mexican Riviera are departing from San Diego, instead of Los Angeles. Why San Diego? "Passengers are that much closer to the warmer weather, there's good air access, and the city has a lot of wonderful attractions," says Holland America spokeswoman Juli Chase.

But for many, the biggest benefit of more available ports will be cheaper trips. Taking a cruise usually means forking over a few hundred dollars for airfare (and easily more than $1,000 if traveling with a family), in addition to anteing up for the cruise itself.

The trend is picking up steam. Two years ago, Norwegian Cruise Line (800-327-7030) began sending cruises to Mexico from Houston; this year, it will base its Norwegian Majesty ship, which sails to Bermuda, in Boston. Next spring, Crown Cruise Line's (877-276-9621) Crown Dynasty will make 22 trips to Bermuda, originating in either Philadelphia or Baltimore.

Passengers can easily fly in and out of either city, notes Crown spokeswoman Laura Bennett, who adds that Baltimore-Washington International Airport has the extra advantage of being served by low-fare carrier Southwest Airlines. Out West, Norwegian Cruise Line is basing its brand-new, 2,000-passenger Norwegian Sky in Seattle. From there it will make seven-day, round-trip cruises to Alaska's Glacier Bay starting in May.

In the future, expect to see more ships sailing out of Gulf Coast ports, such as Corpus Christi, Mobile and Tampa, according to the Cruise Lines International Association. And expect more late-night departures, so passengers can enjoy the local nightlife.