European cruise line makes three New Orleans port calls

A massive cruise ship carrying European travelers docked in New Orleans recently, the first of three unique port calls by ships from the United Kingdom-based P&O Cruises. According to the Port of New Orleans, the 3,100-passenger Azura docked last week at the Erato Street cruise terminal. Its passengers spent the day touring South Louisiana before departing. On Thursday, P&O’s Ventura arrives. One thousand passengers will disembark and another 1,000 will board, all of them flying in and out of Louis Armstrong International Airport on chartered flights from London. And on Jan. 26, P&O’s Oriana will arrive with 1,900 passengers for a two-day stop in New Orleans. “These unique port calls by cruise ships are an important part of the cruise and tourism industry for the Port and for the city,” says Gary LaGrange, president and CEO of the Port of New Orleans. “Passengers spend their time and money touring South Louisiana and experiencing all of the unique cultural, culinary and historic destinations we have to offer.” The passengers on each ship are expected to spend about $150,000 while in port, and the total economic impact will be about $2.5 million over a six-day period. “Cruising is an important part of Louisiana’s tourism economy,” says Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne. “In addition to the economic impact of passengers, it gives visitors a taste of our great state which all but guarantees another trip to Louisiana in their future.” The Port of New Orleans handled about 500,000 cruise passengers in 2010, but expects to top the 1 million-passenger mark in 2012.