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Courtesy of Freeport Container Port
Freeport Cruise terminal |
Once the new cruise termianal opens, it expects to welcome over a million cruise ship passengers a year step ashore in Freeport Harbour. Its close proximity to the Florida coast makes Grand Bahama an ideal destination for either a one-day cruise out of Miami, or the first call on a Caribbean cruise.
Two recently renovated cruise terminals receive more than 150 vessel calls a year.
Freeport Harbour Company (FHC) operates eight berths totaling 2,501 meters with two dedicated cruise terminals. It is a joint venture between the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) and Hutchison Port Holdings Ltd. In addition to cruise ships, the facility handles the high-speed ferry service from Florida.
“Providing top quality modern cruise facilities is a key policy of FHC as it evolves into one of the leading cruise destinations in the region. Freeport has everything required to be a home port for cruise vessels thanks to the high standard of facilities on Grand Bahama Island,” said Terrance Roberts, Director of Business Development, Ministry of Tourism Grand Bahama Island.
In addition, Freeport can handle the largest vessels afloat today thanks to its deepwater harbor, with a wide entrance and easy access.
Grand Bahama is on the itinerary of many leading cruise lines including Carnival, Discovery, Holland America, Norwegian, Regal, Royal Caribbean International and Silversea.
“A key aim of Freeport’s developers is to provide a first-class cruise facility that is a destination in its own right. This has already been achieved to some extent at Freeport Harbor, but there are plans to take this a step further with a completely new facility that would not only cater to incoming cruise ships but would act as a focus for both passengers and local people, becoming a cultural ‘hot spot’ for Grand Bahama Island,” said Roberts.
A 300-acre site has been earmarked for this development, which will be along the southern shore of Lucaya, the centre of the main tourist areas. This would also be one of the few cruise destinations anywhere to provide a beach experience just a few steps from the ship.
At present, the cruise complex is a 10-minute drive from downtown Freeport. This is not particularly inconvenient, but eventually G.B.P.A. would like to relocate its cruise facilities away from the working harbor and closer to Freeport’s main attractions.
The new facility would consist of a seaward pier together with an extensive onshore retail and entertainment complex featuring museums and cultural attractions. Although no dates have been set, this development is high on the agenda for Freeport. |
