Cruise passengers can pay $15 to $20 a day to park their car at a port, adding upwards of $100 to the cost of a seven-night vacation, a situation that in some cases has set up a tug-of-war between ports, off-site parking operators and the cruise lines. Ports complain that when passengers use private lots, it diverts revenue that they need to finance cruise infrastructure improvements. Ports have fought back by imposing fees on off-site drop-off vans and by making arrangements with cruise lines to steer passengers to port-owned facilities — for a piece of the action. That’s the case at the Port of Galveston, where Carnival Cruise Lines gets 25% of the parking revenue after the port’s initial $2.5 million in collections.
At least five private lot operators vie for revenue with a variety of incentives. Galveston Port Director Mike Mierzwa said he has been working to get a more direct link to his parking garage from Carnival’s website and to see if Carnival reservations agents could refer callers to his spaces first when they’re asked about parking. "We’re still in discussions about it," he said. Carnival said it provides a Web link to the Galveston port and has agreements with ports that give it an incentive to assist them with marketing, but a spokesman said it didn’t have any further specifics about Galveston. Competition for port-developed parking comes from airport-based chains such as Park ’N Fly and Park ’N Go, independents and nearby hotels that offer guests bargain rates. At Port Everglades, there is competition from owners of small lots on recently cleared industrial land, port spokeswoman Ellen Kennedy said. "At one point we welcomed it, because our parking lots were overflowing," she said. But in the last 10 years, the port has expanded both its garage and lot capacity and can now accommodate about 7,600 vehicles. Parking revenue fell $60,000 last year, to $8.17 million, but Kennedy said the cause is unclear. In addition to more competition, Port Everglades is seeing more international passengers who don’t drive to the port. Port Everglades charges $15 a night for parking.
Perhaps the biggest parking controversy erupted at Port Canaveral, where private lot operators have been charging between $6 and $8 a night. That compares to a port schedule of $60 for three days, $75 for four days, $90 for five days and $100 for seven days, according to its website. In June, the Canaveral Port Authority voted to stop issuing new permits to off-site parking providers and to assess a $50 fee on shuttle buses coming from hotels and off-site lots.
The vote followed airing of a study by consultant Lumin Advisors that said private operators threatened the port’s financial health. An uproar ensued, and in July the authority rescinded the $50 fee and appointed a panel to advise it on parking issues. Although parking fell from 20.4% of port revenue in 2010 to 17.8% last year, it has since rebounded, said authority Vice Chairman Tom Weinberg. "We’re not in any trouble with revenues on our parking," he said. Private lot operators say their selling point isn’t always price. "We’re a little cheaper — not much," said Tom Gamelin, manager of Discount Cruise Parking, about three miles from the Port of Galveston. Seven nights of prepaid parking costs $50, compared with $70 at the port. Gamelin said first-time cruisers often bypass him. "I’m like Mom & Pop’s hamburger, not like McDonald’s," he said. "When people are traveling, they want something familiar."
His market is the more experienced cruiser who knows that he has a gas station and that his location near the interstate saves time getting on and off Galveston Island. "They appreciate what I’ve got to offer," he said. For more information contact TheCruiseOutlet.com at 203-288-1884
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