Tampa's cruise market expands

A unit of Royal Caribbean is planning to introduce a 1,240-passenger ship, the Zenith, in November 2001.

By JEFF HARRINGTON

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 19, 2000

Royal Caribbean International likes the Tampa cruise market more than it let on last week.

Celebrity Cruises, a cruise operator owned by Miami-based Royal Caribbean, is quietly preparing to bring a 1,240-passenger ship called the Zenith to Tampa for five months of western Caribbean sailings starting in November 2001.

Celebrity spokeswoman Liz Jakeway confirmed plans for the cruise ship, which is mentioned on the company's Web site. But others involved are keeping mum until a formal announcement is made.

Last week, Royal Caribbean made its first splash in the Tampa Bay market, announcing plans to bring the 2,000-passenger Rhapsody of the Seas for a test run here starting in January 2002. At the time, cruise officials hailed Rhapsody as their first regularly scheduled cruise from the Gulf Coast, making no mention of Zenith's debut.

Port of Tampa officials said they are eager to talk about the economic impact of adding Zenith to the mix when Royal Caribbean gives them the green light. "It's still a very tender area before we can make an official announcement," said Gina Rathbun, port manager of cruise marketing.

The Zenith is scheduled for seven-night sailings out of Tampa between Nov. 11, 2001, and April 7, 2002. Ports of call include Key West; Grand Cayman; Cozumel, Mexico; and Costa Maya, just south of Cozumel.

Tampa's cruise industry rose to 430,000 passengers last year and is on pace to move 1-million passengers a year within a few years.

Carnival Cruise Lines dominates with the 2,000-passenger Sensation and the 1,000-passenger Tropicale, which it is replacing with a 1,500-passenger vessel. Holland America operates a seasonal 1,200-passenger ship here.

Coming this fall is the Big Red Boat II, owned by discount operator Premier Cruise Lines. Celebrity, the newest entrant, has an industry reputation on the higher side, both in cost and quality.

"Celebrity ships are a little more upscale, nicer food," said Peter McMullin, who covers the cruise industry for Ryan, Beck Southeast Research, an investment firm. "It wasn't marketed very well, but (Celebrity) has a young fleet and with Royal Caribbean's help is doing much better than it could on its own."

McMullin said Celebrity, like other cruise lines, typically uses a smaller vessel such as the Zenith to minimize its risk when it enters a new market.

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