Red Hook, Line, and Sinker-Part II
March 16, 2006
On April 15th, the ceremonial ribbon will be cut at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal in Red Hook when Carnival Corporation.s Queen Mary 2 sails into New York Harbor and anchors in Buttermilk Channel.
The Brooklyn Cruise Terminal is expecting almost 40 departures this year from four Carnival Corporation cruise ships, namely Cunard Cruise Line.s Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth 2 and Princess Cruises. Crown Princess and Star Princess.
It.s all part of New York.s $150 million investment in its cruise facilities, which includes a remodeling of Manhattan.s West Side terminal and the construction of the Red Hook terminal, which was designed with wider and deeper channels to accommodate even the biggest of cruise ships.
The terminal will be state-of-the-art. Bermello Ajamil and Partners designed the 180,000-square-foot terminal to be one of the most efficient in America. Located very close to Kennedy Airport, there will be parking for 594 cars and 20 buses, and the city is making improvements to signs and intersections in the neighborhood to make it easy for eager passenger to find their way.
Carnival and Norwegian Cruise Lines, which will also be part of the Red Hook scenery, promise to bring a whopping 13 million passengers and $200 million in port fees to New York through 2017. But for now, the Red Hook port will be used solely by Carnival Corporation. Carol Marlow, Cunard Cruise Line.s president, said she is thrilled that the QM2 will inaugurate the completed terminal.
"The views from Brooklyn will be a great way to start and end the voyage," she said. "We.ve had challenges in Manhattan," Marlow said. "As it will be new and perfectly built, the Brooklyn terminal will be appropriate for a luxury brand like Cunard."
Although Red Hook was once was a bustling port community centuries ago, that-until recently-has no longer been the case. The neighborhood has seen many warehouses renovated into loft apartments and restaurants and bars crop up among them. While those will still exist, some of the area will return to its former grace.
"We are thrilled to see the waterfront used for a maritime purpose," said David Sharps, president of the Waterfront Museum.
Business owners and Brooklyn officials also believe that Red Hook will benefit from the ships. crew members and cruise passengers, who are likely to explore the neighborhood. Also, a spokesman for New York.s Economic Development Corp. said the terminal will provide 330 jobs for deep-sea longshoremen, stevedores, parking attendants, security guards and management, as well as 100 transportation-related jobs.
Of course, besides the benefits to the community, there will be the added benefit to cruise passengers who want to see some of the Big Apple before or after their cruise. This new port gives them yet another place from which they can begin a transatlantic adventure or be welcomed back to the States upon their return.
Call Cruise Network at 1-888-267-1232 to ask about cruises sailing in and out of Red Hook.
