HOUSTON, Nov. 5, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Princess Cruises' new service from the Port of Houston Authority's Bayport Cruise Terminal in Pasadena, Texas, launched today with a four-day benefit cruise to Progreso, Mexico. About 2,000 passengers supported "Cruising for a Cause." This first-ever fundraising cruise is expected to raise up to $1 million for two U.S. military veterans' organizations, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund and Operation Homefront.
A photo accompanying this release is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=22055
At that voyage's conclusion on Saturday, Nov. 9, regular cruises by the Caribbean Princess are scheduled to begin, with a total of 27 sailings from the Houston terminal. Princess' regular Western Caribbean cruise schedule includes calls at the ports of Costa Maya, Roatan, Belize City and Cozumel. Next year, the Emerald Princess will make Houston its home port for western Caribbean sailings.
Princess Cruises is scheduled to call the Bayport Cruise Terminal through 2016. Martin and Associates estimates an economic impact of $2 million from each sailing, $50 million annually and more than 200 jobs to the greater Houston region.
Princess Cruises is one of two cruise lines scheduled to regularly call the Bayport Terminal. Starting in fall 2014, Norwegian Cruise Line will bring its 2,374-passenger Norwegian Jewel to Houston to sail seven-day Western Caribbean cruises through the 2017 cruise season.
The activity from both cruise lines will have a significant positive impact on the economies of Harris County and the greater Houston area, attracting more than 400,000 passengers to the region over the next four years.
About the Port of Houston Authority
For nearly 100 years, the Port of Houston Authority has owned or operated the public cargo-handling facilities of the Port of Houston – the nation's largest port for foreign waterborne tonnage. The port is an economic engine for the Houston region, the state of Texas and the nation. It supports the creation of more than one million statewide jobs and more than 2.1 million nationwide jobs, and the generation of economic activity totaling more than $178.5 billion in Texas and $499 billion across the nation. For more information, visit the Port Authority website at: www.portofhouston.com
The Port of Houston Authority logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=719
The photo is also available via AP PhotoExpress.
Lisa Ashley Director, Corporate Communications Office: (713) 670-2644 Cell: (832) 247-8179 Email:
