Black Meetings and Tourism

November / December 2016

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C arnival Cruise Line has signed an agreement with landlord Urban Commons and the City of Long Beach, Calif., to expand the Long Beach Cruise Terminal facility to accommodate larger ships in the future and enhance its terminal opera- tions. The deal will nearly triple the size of Carnival's current terminal facility from approximately 66,000 sq. ft. to 142,000 sq. ft. Carnival has operated the Long Beach Cruise Terminal since 2003 using a partial area of the Geodesic Dome that was the former museum housing Howard Hughes' "Spruce Goose" attraction. The agreement gives Carnival 100 percent use of the Dome, allowing for larger ships and providing additional space needed to accommodate two-way opera- tions, enabling embarking guests to access the terminal prior to comple- tion of disembarkation. Constructio n is slated to be completed in late 2017. During the construction period, measures will be taken to ensure a continued smooth operational flow and high standard of customer service for cruise guests. "For years we have been working toward reaching an agreement to expand the Long Beach Cruise Terminal to accommodate larger ships on the West Coast, and we're thrilled to finally be able to move forward wi th our plans to assume full usage of the Dome, making Long Beach one of our largest homeport facilities," said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. "We would like to thank the City of Long Beach and Urban Commons for their efforts in facilitating this expansion that will ultimately enhance the guest expe- rience and build upon our leadership posi- tion as the number one cruise operator from the West Coast." "The expansion of the Carnival Cruise terminal is great news for Long Beach and great news for visitors to our city," said Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia. "The added capacity will bring more tourism and economic activity to Long Beach, and we're pleased to continue working with Carnival for many years to come." Added Taylor Woods, co-founder of Urban Commons, "Carnival Cruise Line is a tremendous asset for the Long Beach community, and we are pleased to reach an agreement with their team that will support the exciting expansion of their operations immediately adjacent to The Queen Mary. We have big plans for the facility and the surrounding land, and Carnival's success will only add to the vitality and energy of what promises to be one of the top destinations in California. We look f orward to continuing to work closely with Carnival for many years to come." Plans also include expansion of portside cold-ironing capacity to accommodate larger vessels. The technology enables cruise ships to plug into the local electric grid and reduce exhaust emissions while docked. In addition, Carnival is working with Urban Commons on enhancements to the area surrounding the dome and the adjacent Qu een Mary attrac- tion, as well as ways to expand parking capacity to accommodate future growth. Currently, the recently enhanced Carnival Inspiration and Carnival Imagination operate year-round three- and four-day Baja cruises from Long Beach while Carnival Miracle sails seven-day voy- ages to the Mexican Riviera and 14- and 15-day cruises to Hawaii and Alaska round-trip from Long Beach. For additional information and reservations on Carnival Cruise Line, planners can contact your travel agent, call 1-800-CARNIVAL or visit www.carnival.com. B M & T ••• November/December 2016 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 46 C R U I S E N E W S CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE SIGNS AGREEMENT TO EXPAND TERMINAL OPERATIONS AT THE PORT OF LONG BEACH Deal Enables Full Use of Geodesic Dome Facility to Enhance Guest Services at Long Beach Cruise Terminal

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