Sydney ports hinder Celebrity operations
The lack of cruise ship berths in Sydney hampered the creation of Celebrity Century's Australian cruise program with the deployment described as "sub optimal" by senior executives.
Royal Caribbean yesterday announced that Century will operate alongside Celebrity Solstice in Australia in 2014/15, with the number of cruises rising 50% from the 2013/14 season.
Celebrity regional vice president and managing director Gavin Smith used the announcement to again press government authorities to address the lack of infrastructure at Sydney Harbour.
"The ports minister will see the introduction of a second Celebrity ship and say Smithy, I thought you told me (the poor infrastructure) was an inhibitor to growth," Smith said.
"But what happens with the deployment of Century is that ultimately we have a sub optimal deployment because we are confined to the availability of slots at Circular Quay. But we make it work and we merchandise it in such a way that it works, but it is sub optimal."
A second cruise terminal west of the bridge remained critical, he said.
"No one will leave Sydney because it's a successful place to be. What the government doesn't see is the ships that don't come (because of lack of infrastructure)," he said.
Smith admitted that the inability to provide detailed economic data to demonstrate the financial benefit of improved facilities and additional cruise ships was a "current weakness of the industry".
It is something the industry is working on with an economic assessment report hopefully completed by October, he said.
Smith added he was hopeful the introduction of a $20 per passenger charge in Sydney from July 1 would result in improvements at the Overseas Passenger Terminal.
"We have not been advised on what investment is being made at the OPT just yet. We are reckoning next month we'll have an announcement about some physical modifications," he said.
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