PORT OF PHILADELPHIA AND CAMDEN EXPANDS CRUISE OFFERINGS FOR 2005
Royal Caribbean International Will Enter Market With Sailings To Canada And New England

PHILADELPHIA, September 17, 2004 – Beginning in summer 2005, cruisers from Philadelphia will have more options when Royal Caribbean International (RCI) begins sailings to Canada and New England. Based on strong customer demand and a large number of potential first time cruisers, RCI, the world’s second largest cruise line, has decided to bring some of its business to Philadelphia. The line has announced that it will offer five-, six- and seven-day sailings to Canada and New England from Philadelphia on its Enchantment of the Seas, starting on July 19, 2005. This addition to the 2005 schedule means that 32 cruises will depart from Philadelphia next year, compared with 22 cruises in 2004.

The 1,950-passenger vessel will be the largest ship to operate out of the Port of Philadelphia and Camden (PPC) and the first to sail the New England/Canada itinerary on a regular basis. The Enchantment will make six trips in 2005, operating through August 21, 2005. These new sailings will provide passengers from Philadelphia with more itinerary choices and a newer ship with a variety of activities such as a rock climbing wall, shopping boutiques and a state-of-the-art gym and spa complex.

“We are thrilled that Royal Caribbean is coming to Philadelphia. We’ve gotten great feedback from customers about the new route and feel that we’ll be able to offer a strong season of bookings and excellent pre- and post-cruise experiences,” said John Matheussen, CEO of the Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA), the parent agency of PPC. “This development just shows how much Philadelphia has grown as a port city and the huge potential we offer in terms of new passengers. It also helps us diversify our offerings, giving cruisers a regular season of both Bermuda and Canada/New England sailings.”

“Philadelphia is a vibrant and exciting city,” said Adam Goldstein, executive vice president for RCI. “We are pleased to offer our guests this outstanding new departure port from which to experience a Royal Caribbean cruise aboard the ‘new’ Enchantment of the Seas.”

To accommodate Enchantment of the Seas, PPC is making upgrades to the terminal and adding new equipment, including enhancements to its disembarkation facility. The 74,000-ton Enchantment of the Seas debuted in 1997 and will be stretched and extensively refurbished in spring 2005. The ship will sail from Philadelphia to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts; Bar Harbor and Portland, Maine; Halifax, Nova Scotia; and Saint John, New Brunswick. RCI is now accepting bookings for the new itinerary.

Visitors who want to extend their stay in the Philadelphia region can take advantage of the PPC’s CruisePhilly First package, which offers discounts at the Philadelphia Marriott in Center City and a variety of restaurants, shops and attractions. 

For more information about cruising from Philadelphia or the CruisePhilly First program, contact the PPC at (856) 968-2052 or visit www.cruisephilly.com. For information about travel to Philadelphia, call the Independence Visitor Center, located in Independence National Historical Park, at (800) 537-7676 or visit www.gophila.com.

The Philadelphia Cruise Terminal at Pier 1 is operated by The Port of Philadelphia and Camden, a department of the Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA). DRPA owns and operates the Benjamin Franklin, Walt Whitman, Commodore Barry and Betsy Ross bridges, the PATCO Speedline and the AmeriPort Intermodal Rail Center and the RiverLink Ferry System. By virtue of a 1992 federally authorized charter amendment, the DRPA has taken a leadership role in the commercial and industrial revitalization of the Philadelphia-Camden Waterfront and in economic development projects within the Port District of Southeastern Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey.

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC), Philadelphia's regional tourism marketing agency, is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to building the region's economy and positive image through tourism and destination marketing. For more information about travel to Philadelphia, call the new Independence Visitor Center, located in Independence National Historical Park, at (800) 537-7676, or visit www.gophila.com. For information about arts and cultural attractions in the region, click on the CultureFiles link.

Note to Editors: For photos of Greater Philadelphia, visit the photo gallery of gophila.com/pressroom.  

September 2004

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