Yesterday Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas made a visit to Port Canaveral and during the occasion, the head of Port Canaveral indicated the port wants Royal Caribbean to homeport a ship as big as Quantum of the Seas there.

Port Canaveral CEO John Walsh is hoping to convince Royal Caribbean that Port Canaveral is the perfect home for a Quantum or Oasis-class cruise ship.  Both the Quantum and Oasis class ships are among the largest in the world.  

Currently, Port Canaveral is home to Freedom of the Seas, which is a member of the Freedom class and small than Quantum or Oasis class.

Royal Caribbean does have a few new cruise ships coming online, two more Quantum-class ships and two more Oasis-class ships over the next few years.

The new Cruise Terminal 1 in Port Canaveral will be delayed by more than a month due to construction problems on the terminal's waterside area.

Florida Today is reporting that Port Canaveral Chief Executive Officer John Walsh says the new terminal will open December 27.

The change will force cruise ships originally slated to use the new terminal during November and December to shift to other cruise terminals.

Royal Caribbean was planning on using Cruise Terminal 1 for Enchantment of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas. In addition, Quantum of the Seas would be stopping in Port Canaveral as part of its Bahamas itinerary.

Reporter Dave Berman cites among the issues plaguing the construction site is it's taking longer than expected to remove 90-foot-deep piles that are remnants from former cargo piers that were on the site.

More and more, it looks like Royal Caribbean is poised to move a cruise ship to Port Canaveral that is even larger than what they currently have stationed there.

Consider these recent news items

1. Port Canaveral has had plans to build a new cruise terminal to accomodate even the largest cruise ships in the world, such as Oasis-class
2. Two weeks ago Port Canaveral announced Royal Caribbean had signed a 10-year agreement to stay in Port Canaveral

Currently Royal Caribbean operates Freedom of the Seas and Enchantment of the Seas from Port Canaveral, with Explorer of the Seas joining the duo later this year.

Royal Caribbean has two more cruise ships on order that have no home port announced yet, a third Oasis-class ship and a third Quantum-class ship.  Nor has it said if any changes to the deployment of the existing Oasis or Quantum class ships would be changed when these new ships arrive.

Travel Weekly is reporting Port CEO John Walsh said Royal Caribbean and the port are finalizing a letter of intent that would raise Royal Caribbean's minimum annual payment. It guarantees the port $7 million a year in the current agreement that expires in December. That would increase to $10.7 million next year and ultimately $18.4 million by the last year, Walsh said.

Royal Caribbean will also collect a per-passenger fee dedicated to financing the terminal complex, which includes a 1,000-car garage. 

Royal Caribbean has signed a 10-year agreement with Port Canaveral to keep a cruise ship presence there for quite a while.

Florida Today reports Royal Caribbean will also provide an additional $48 million to Port Canaveral over the next 10 years as part of an agreement to become the primary user of the new Cruise Terminal 1, scheduled to open in November.

The $48 million will come from a $4 to $5 fee on tickets for Royal Caribbean passengers using Port Canaveral, according to Florida Today. The port plans to use the $48 million to help pay for construction of the $68.5 million terminal complex, which is just east of the Cove restaurant district. That cost includes site work, the gangways and an adjacent 1,000-vehicle parking garage.

The new decade-long agreement will more than double the guaranteed annual revenue to Port Canaveral. By 2024, Port Canaveral will get $18.4 million in guaranteed money compared to just $7 million in 2013.

For Royal Caribbean, the new agreement will allow for more flexibility to move ships into Port Canaveral and even open the door to the cruise line bringing even larger ships to Port Canaveral.

Port Canaveral Chief Executive Officer John Walsh is excited about the new deal, “I’ve literally heard four or five scenarios” on how the shifting of Royal Caribbean ships could affect Port Canaveral For us, it’s a win-win, without tying their hands on flexibility.”

Walsh also indicated that Royal Caribbean will get preferred scheduling at the 188,514-square-foot Cruise Terminal 1, which is being designed to accommodate the world’s largest cruise ships. But other cruise lines also will use the terminal.

Walsh said port commissioners likely will vote on the Royal Caribbean deal next month.

Royal Caribbean will move Explorer of the Seas out of Bayonne, New Jersey and right into Port Canaveral, Florida in November 2014.

Explorer of the Seas will offer a range of four- to nine-night Bahamas, and Western and Southern Caribbean vacations.  Explorer will join Freedom of the Seas and Enchantment of the Seas, which are based in Port Canaveral year-round.  Explorer of the Seas’ 2014 holiday season cruises from Port Canaveral are now open for sale.

Explorer of the Seas will sail four Western Caribbean cruises roundtrip from Port Canaveral through Jan. 4, 2015. On these five-night itineraries, guests call at Cozumel, Mexico, and Nassau, The Bahamas, or CocoCay and Cozumel. Vacationers also can choose two Southern Caribbean sailings on a nine-night itinerary that call at each of the ABC Islands and Labadee.

Additionally, a five-night Bahamas cruise, departing Dec. 13, 2014, will call at Nassau, Grand Bahamas Island and CocoCay. Guests on a special four-night sailing, departing Dec. 23, will call at Labadee on Christmas Day. The following eight-night Caribbean itinerary will herald in the New Year in St. Maarten, as well as call at San Juan, Puerto Rico, St. Croix and Labadee. Vacationers also can choose an extended 14-night Southern Caribbean itinerary, departing Nov. 1, 2014, which repositions Explorer of the Seas from Cape Liberty to Port Canaveral via the Southern Caribbean.

Explorer of the Seas, a Voyager class ship, had spent 8 consecutive years in the New York metro area.

Port Canaveral, Florida has Enchantment of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas calling it him and it announced that it is expecting a third Royal Caribbean ship to be based out of the port for the winter of 2014-15.

Port Interim CEO John Walsh indicated that Royal Caribbean will make an official announcement regarding adding a third ship to the port in about two weeks.

Port Canaveral, Florida is ready to welcome a new Royal Caribbean ship that will call the Atlantic hub home.  Enchantment of the seas will begin offering year-round three- and four-night Bahamas cruises starting this week.

Enchantment of the Seas is replacing Monarch of the Seas, which Royal Caribbean recently transferred to sister cruise line Pullmantur, which occurred earlier this month.

The 2,252 passenger ship first debuted in 1997 and was recently refurbished as part of Royal Caribbean's Royal Advantage program. Its signature features include a pool deck with interactive splash pad with dual suspension bridge on either side of the ship. It also features the popular rock wall and a bungee trampoline attraction.

The December 2012 refurbishment added Royal Babies & Tots Nursery, '60s-era R Bar and new dining option, the Park Café gourmet deli.

Other enhancements include Wi-Fi service throughout the ship, flat panel TVs in each stateroom, interactive digital signage and an outdoor, poolside movie screen that proved popular on the Oasis-class ships. Also new to the ship are the Concierge Club lounge for suite guests and Diamond Club for the line's loyalty program members.

Enchantment of the Seas first cruise out of Port Canaveral will be a four-night Bahamas cruise on April 25th.  It then will begin its normal Monday-Friday, four-night and Friday-Monday, three-night itineraries year-round. The three-night itinerary also makes stops at Coco Cay and Nassau.

Royal Caribbean has another ship year-round that calls Port Canaveral home, which is Freedom of the Seas.  Enchantment of the Seas is the first new Royal Caribbean ship at the port in four years.

Port Canaveral, Florida received approval from a federal panel to widen and deepen the channel.

The United States Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works Review Board gave unanimous approval of the port's feasibility study and that the project may continue to seek approval from other state and federal agencies.

The project need the approval of the Corps of Engineers to receive federal assistance for future maintenance of the channel.

The proposed project would widen Port Canaveral's 400-foot-wide channel by 100 feet and deepen it by 2 feet along its 3.5-mile length.  Work is expected to begin in July and be completed by the fall of 2014.  The widening and deepening of the channel would allow Port Canaveral to accommodate larger cruise and cargo ships.

Tom Weinberg, Canaveral Port Authority Chairman, said the decision by the review board, “is a huge deal. This is a significant milestone to have this level of approval so quickly.”

Port Canaveral estimates that, if its cargo and cruise business increases as projected, this project and related developments at the port could generate nearly 3,500 permanent jobs for Brevard County. It also will mean an estimated 3,413 temporary construction jobs.

Royal Caribbean announced it is planning on home porting Enchantment of the Seas in Port Canaveral in 2013 to do 3 and 4 night cruises to the Bahamas.

Enchantment of the Seas will begin sailing from Port Canaveral on April 25, with three- and four-night itineraries to the Bahamas.  Enchantment replaces Monarch of the Seas, which is being transferred out of the fleet.  Monarch’s last sailing from Port Canaveral is scheduled for March 29.

Canaveral Port Authority Chief Executive Officer Stan Payne commented on the news, "I’m really very excited about this, and you should be, too."

Enchantment will join Freedom of the Seas in Port Canaveral and is scheduled to be upgraded in December, with added onboard amenities and other renovations.

Photo by Scott Ladewig