Visit Jacksonville and the North Florida Hotel & Lodging Association have announced the marking of the 10 year anniversary of the cruise industry in Jacksonville with an evening celebration on Monday, Oct. 28.
In the last decade, close to 1.5 million passengers from all 50 U.S. states have sailed from Jacksonville. In 2012, a record-breaking 195,000 passengers cruised from the JAXPORT Cruise Terminal and the industry expects another successful year in 2013 and beyond.
“Being a cruise port truly gives Jacksonville an economic advantage over other coastal communities,” said Paul Astleford, CEO and President of Visit Jacksonville. “The local cruise industry generates more than $67 million in new annual economic impact for Northeast Florida, benefiting hundreds of local businesses including restaurants, hotels, transportation companies and many other attractions. We look forward to 10 more years and the continuous expansion of Jacksonville’s cruise industry.”
Jacksonville is the home port of the Carnival Fascination, a 2,052-passenger cruise ship sailing to the Bahamas and the Caribbean. A recent JAXPORT survey of Jacksonville cruise passengers found 95 percent of them would choose Jacksonville for their next cruise departure.
