Cruises set to resume, bring millions in cash flow to SC Ports
Amid news that 48 people tested positive for COVID-19 aboard a Royal Caribbean ship docked in Miami this month, Carnival Cruise Line is readying to resume embarkations as long as the pandemic stays under control.
At the Port of Charleston, Carnival Cruise is preparing to re-launch Carnival Sunshine on Jan. 13, the S.C. Ports Authority said. Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Gem also has two port-of-calls scheduled for Dec. 21 and 28.
Resumption of embarkations can bring upwards of $8 million to $10 million in cash flow annually to the S.C. Ports Authority, which gets paid a passenger fee for every passenger on and off the ship, SCPA President and CEO Jim Newsome said.
“About 90% of that goes to our bottom line because we don’t have a lot of expenses related to it,” he said. “So it’s really good for us… It’s also operating cash and an important type of diversification.”







