Vancouver’s ailing cruise-ship industry took a hit Wednesday with news that Disney Cruise Lines – and its 90,000 passengers – will not return to the city in 2012.
The company’s 2009 decision to have 20 sailings from Vancouver to Alaska this summer was seen as a shot in the arm for the city’s cruise-ship industry, which has suffered a number of losses to Seattle.
However, starting in 2012, the 2,400-person Disney Wonder will be based in Seattle, the company announced Wednesday.
“They haven’t even sailed out of Vancouver once yet and now we get this news – it’s really a devastating blow to the cruise-ship industry,” said Claire Newell of Jubilee Travel.
Newell says Disney’s 2011 sailing season is worth about $40 million to the local economy.
That’s because each cruise ship that stops in Vancouver injects between $1 million and $2 million into the area, such as money spent on hotels, restaurants and attractions like the Capilano Suspension Bridge.
Cruise ship traffic and passengers in 2010 fell by about 30 per cent compared to 2009, though a Port Metro Vancouver spokeswoman says bookings for 2011 are looking good.
“We’re seeing a 15 per cent increase this year, with about 200 calls and 650,000 passengers,” Carmen Ortega said. “We anticipate good news for 2012.”
Sanjay Goel, president of Vancouver Cruise Connections, said the relatively high cost of flying to Vancouver has led Disney to look to Seattle, where U.S. passengers can get a better deal on airfare.
“As a family brand, Disney is going to have more people per cabin than most,” he said. Flying to Seattle, rather than Vancouver, from the East Coast could be $800 cheaper for a family of four.
Given that, it’s likely that Disney saw it could make more money by moving south.
“It’s all about the money,” Goel said. “Moving to Seattle allows Disney to keep its pricing as strong as possible.”
Industry representatives said there’s no question Vancouver is a premium city due to its amenities and access to the spectacular Inside Passage.
Unfortunately, cruise passengers from the U.S., Australia and England may be more concerned with their pocketbooks than our mountain views.
“Disney chose Vancouver because it’s a superior product,” Goel said. “Unfortunately, the market has said it’s just too much of a premium for current market conditions.”
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