cruise ship gateway bridge

Cruise Ship Bridge: Fully Explained (inc Bridge Tour)

You might hear the bridge of the ship mentioned in passing, but it’s not an area of the ship most passengers ever get to see.

So, what goes on in the bridge, why is it called that, who works there, and what do they do?

Well, read on to find out the answers to all your bridge-related curiosities.

What Is The Bridge On A Cruise Ship?

The cruise ship bridge is the command center,  located at the front of the ship on the upper decks.  It’s the area of the ship where all the ship’s controls to navigate the ship is located, it’s the equivalent of a large cockpit area.

It is from here that the cruise captain and bridge crew members take their positions and carry out their navigational duties.

The bridge area is typically made of reinforced glass, giving a clear wide view of the waters and conditions ahead.

Accordingly, the bridge of a ship is the area from which the primary functions of directing and controlling the speed are actioned.

Why Is It Called A Bridge On a Ship

The term “bridge” originates from the days of paddle steamers when a raised walkway was put up across both paddle houses, creating a bridge so that both sides and paddle wheels of the ship could be viewed by the captain from the quarter-deck.

For a full history of the bridge’s origins on a ship, watch this video .

Even though nowadays, a more modern term might, cruise ship control room, might have been used, the nautical term has stuck.

Cruise Ship Bridge Crew Members

There several deck officers working on the bridging, including:

Cruise captain:  is the head of the navigational bridge teams and carries out or oversee’s all navigational elements of the ship.

Officer of the Watch :  is responsible for watching the ship’s navigation, ensuring a smooth sail.  Basically the person currently in charge of driving the ship.

Assistant Officer of the Watch : Assisting the OOW.

Quartermaster Lookout : Lookout for obstacles as well as other navigational duties.

Harbor Pilots: Come aboard from local ports with expert knowledge of the local waters and conditions and assist the bridge team in docking or departing.

Interestingly, when a harbor pilot comes abroad is one of the few times a deck officer takes the helm and uses the ship’s wheel .

Bridge teams work in rotation, with teams working a set number of hours off while replaced by another.  Usually, three teams are working the rotation. 

In Captain Kates’s video, she stated that “three different teams worked every 4 hours on and 8 hours off”.

Although there is only one captain, who can be contacted 24/7 if required, the captain’s quarters can be accessed directly from the bridge.  

Cruise Ship Bridge Layout

The cruise bridge has a central cockpit from which all the ship’s maneuvers can be controlled.

When coming or leaving a pier, the command controls can be transferred to either one of the bridge wings.

Cruise Ship Bridge Wing

Cruise bridge wings is a glass surround extension on either side of the bridge.  

Whichever side the ship is coming into port, port or starboard , the bridge wing gives an excellent view of the port and the length of the cruise ship.  

There is often a glass floor on the bridge wing so the crew can even see what’s directly beneath them.

It’s much like a wing mirror on a car, just one you can walk into.

Each bridge wing has its own set of command controls which gives the bridge crew an important and clear first-hand view of when they are docking or when a harbor pilot is coming onboard via the shell door or departing the ship.

Cruise Ship Bridge Tour (Who Offers Them, How Much, Any Videos)

Some cruise ships offer cruise tours to passengers onboard, so check your onboard activities to see if you can book one.  The numbers are limited, so they quickly sell out.  

However, for now, what better bridge tour than the one by Captain Kate?  

In the video below, she gives a bridge tour of Celebrity Edge.

Open Bridge Policy

Some cruise ships, typically smaller ones or expedition cruise ships, have an open bridge policy that allows passengers to go up to the bridge area outside of busy periods, such as when undertaking docking maneuvers that require full attention.

Cruise lines with known open bridge policies include:

• Star Clippers

Bridge Equipment

These days the vast majority of the navigational equipment is electrical.  There is little or no need for any paper maps or charts.

A cruise ship bridge is made up of multiple stations. 

There are also multiple monitors displaying varying navigational information.  As well as some other monitors displaying the live status of key areas of the ship.

Navigation Displays include showing:

• Compass – gyro magnetic compasses
• Radars – with various ranges
• Route to destinations
• Satellite Navigation Systems indicate the global positioning
• Estimate time of arrival at the destination
• Ships speed
• Wind speed & direction
• Clock for time
• Echo Sounder
• Engine room alarm panel

There will be individual controls and monitors for the current status of:

• Azipods for propulsion
• Ballast Control Unit
• Bow Thrusters for maneuvering
• Dynamic Positioning System

There will also be extra related rooms near the bridge used by deck offices, including:

• Meeting room
• Safety Room

Why is A Cruise Ship Bridge Dark At Night?

It is a legal requirement for cruise ship bridge lights to be turned off at night.  If the lights were on it would make it more difficult for the deck officers, including the lookout, to get a clear view of what’s around and some possible obstacles that could be missed.

Although there are no main lights on in the bridge, all the controls and monitors are lit up and the ship’s navigational lights are on as well.

Here’s a video of bridge controls at night to give you an idea.  Although it’s not a cruise ship, it gives you an idea of what some stations would be like.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between a wheelhouse and a bridge.

A wheelhouse and a bridge on modern-day ships essentially refer to the same thing, the only difference being their size.

On a large cruise ship, the ship’s command center spans the front of the upper decks, referred to as a bridge.

On a smaller vessel, for example, a river cruise ship, the much smaller command room will more likely be referred to as the Wheelhouse.

Related Posts

What is the Draft of a Cruise Ship? (and Why Does it Matter?)

How Many Doors on a Cruise Ship? (Yes, I Counted)

Leave a comment cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Ship Webcams
• Port Webcams
• World Map Of Port Webcam Locations

Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.

Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.

• Guest Register If you are reading this it means you have not yet registered. Please take a second to REGISTER (it's FREE). You will then be able to enjoy all the features of Cruising Earth .

Norwegian Cruise Line Webcams / Live Cruise Ship Cameras - Cruising Earth

Norwegian cruise line cruise ship webcams.

Select From These Norwegian Cruise Line Ship Cameras

View one of these 19 Norwegian Cruise Line ship cameras by selecting the camera link below.

Some cruise ship cameras are live streaming video cameras. Those that aren't live streaming cameras display static images which are updated between once every 30 seconds to once every 15 minutes. To make sure you don't miss any updates from the static image cameras we automatically look for a new image every 30 seconds. This will ensure you always have the latest image without having to manually reload/refresh any page.

At the bottom of each cruise ship & cruise port camera page you will find a button to "Report An Issue". Clicking on this link will create and send an issue report for that specific camera. It's that easy and it will help us to keep all our camera links fully functioning.

It looks like you may be utilizing ad blocking software or another ad filtering technology while visiting Cruising Earth. Certain areas of this site may not work properly because of this, particularly live updates of ship trackers and webcams.

We work hard to strike a balance between content and ads and as a free site we greatly appreciate your support in permitting ads to render. Ads help us cover our server and maintenance costs, which helps us continue to keep this site free to use. You also don't want to miss out on any specials or discounts posted from the Cruise & Travel Industry! For the best site experience please disable your ad blockers for cruisingearth.com, then click the button below. Thank you.

Princess Bridge Cams

• Caribbean Princess
• Coral Princess
• Crown Princess
• Diamond Princess
• Discovery Princess
• Emerald Princess
• Enchanted Princess
• Grand Princess
• Island Princess
• Majestic Princess
• Regal Princess
• Royal Princess
• Ruby Princess
• Sapphire Princess
• Sky Princess

**Satellite images are refreshed automatically every 5 minutes. Please do not refresh your browser. Image availability is subject to visibility, weather condition and satellite connectivity.**

Charlottetown, PE

Pressure kPa

Visibility km.

• Port Schedule
• Fees & Tariffs
• General Info

Getting Here

• Port Policies
• Independent Tour Operators Form
• Our Evolution
• Annual Report
• Message From the CEO
• Cruise Schedule
• About Cruises
• Info for Cruise Lines
• Info for Cruise Passengers
• Info for Local Businesses
• Cruise FAQs
• Cruise Counts
• Intineraries
• Seaport Vendor Market
• Shore Excursions
• Destination: Charlottetown
• Interactive Walking Map
• Explore The City

Regional Map / Nautical Distances

How far is it? To help you put your itinerary together, the following are the distances in nautical miles from Charlottetown to our partner ports.

Hover over the highlighted ports to see their nautical distance from Port Charlottetown.

796 nautical miles from Charlottetown

700 nautical miles from Charlottetown

Saint John, NB

707 nautical miles from Charlottetown

445 nautical miles from Charlottetown

222 nautical miles from Charlottetown

Corner Brook

322 nautical miles from Charlottetown

681 nautical miles from Charlottetown

724 nautical miles from Charlottetown

Trois-Rivi è res

680 nautical miles from Charlottetown

563 nautical miles from Charlottetown

Baie-Comeau

422 nautical miles from Charlottetown

373 nautical miles from Charlottetown

Havre-Saint-Pierre

357 nautical miles from Charlottetown

670 nautical miles from Charlottetown

617 nautical miles from Charlottetown

535 nautical miles from Charlottetown

Îles de la Madeleine

526 nautical miles from Charlottetown

Saint-Pierre et Miquelon

332.5 nautical miles from Charlottetown

258 nautical miles from Charlottetown

Navigation under the Confederation Bridge

Transport Canada website:

Click to download the   Guidelines for Navigation under the Confederation Bridge .

The most important aspects for cruise ships are:

• It is a mandatory pilotage zone
• The maximum cruise vessel speed is 11 knots for 2 km each side of bridge
• The maximum passenger vessel displacement is 33,500 long tons
• The vessel maximum air draft is 48 m
• The main navigation corridor is 172 m wide. There are many aids to navigation including daymarkers, sector lights, racons, and fairway bouys.

Cruise Updates: Want to be the first to know of any changes and updates to cruises coming in? Subscribe to our SMS text alerts!* Text the word “CRUISE” to (855)-912-1051

• Princess Cruises

Pacific Dawn -v- Gateway Bridge, Brisbane.

By dickwho , April 10, 2010 in Princess Cruises

Recommended Posts

Sydney Sunday Telegraph 4/11/10.

Cruise ship Pacific Dawn stops just 70m from Gateway Bridge

PASSENGERS on the cruise ship that stopped just 70m from the Gateway Bridge in Brisbane today have paid tribute to the captain who saved them from disaster.

Brisbane Marine Pilots Captain Peter Liley was at the helm of the 245m-long Pacific Dawn on Saturday morning when the liner lost all power and steering just 700m away from the six-lane bridge over the Brisbane River.

Two tugboats got the Pacific Dawn under control, bringing her to a complete standstill 70m shy of the bridge, which is 1.6km long and 64.5m high.

A Logan reader said: "The situation was handled very well by Captain Turnbull and his crew, and passengers were informed of all developments."

Capt Liley said he managed to stop the ship before it got to the Gateway.

"I was piloting the ship and we lost all propulsion. It's unusual, but we are trained for these sorts of things. If it was under the Gateway we could have drifted clear but it was before the Gateway."

Capt Liley said a ship without power was prone to drift, and there was a danger it could not be stopped before hitting the bridge's pylons.

He said the ship's captain was investigating what caused the fault, saying he believed a fuse had been affected by a saltwater leak. "There's an investigation into what occurred," he said. "We used two tugs to pull the ship up, and we pulled up before the Gateway. W e waited on the chief engineer on what services he could provide, but he couldn't provide any services so we devised a plan to take the `dead' ship back to Hamilton."

A spokesman for Carnival Australia, which operates the Pacific Dawn, said the cruise liner had suffered power problems but the fault was not a major one and she would set sail again on Saturday afternoon.

"It was a temporary loss of power," the spokesman said.

"It was a controlled situation.

"The ship is OK and will set off for a South Pacific cruise today."

Gee, I hope they get the brakes checked!

Link to comment

Share on other sites.

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

• Welcome to Cruise Critic
• New Cruisers
• Cruise Lines “A – O”
• Cruise Lines “P – Z”
• River Cruising
• Cruise Critic News & Features
• Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
• Special Interest Cruising
• Cruise Discussion Topics
• UK Cruising
• Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
• Canadian Cruisers
• North American Homeports
• Ports of Call
• Cruise Conversations

Announcements

• New to Cruise Critic? Join our Community!

Write Your Own Amazing Review !

Click this gorgeous photo by member SUPERstar777 to share your review!

Features & News

LauraS · Started 2 hours ago

LauraS · Started 20 hours ago

LauraS · Started Friday at 07:21 PM

LauraS · Started Friday at 03:17 PM

LauraS · Started Thursday at 04:15 PM

• Existing user? Sign in OR Create an Account
• Find Your Roll Call
• Meet & Mingle
• Community Help Center
• All Activity
• Member Photo Albums
• Meet & Mingle Photos
• Favorite Cruise Memories
• Cruise Food Photos
• Cruise Ship Photos
• Ports of Call Photos
• Towel Animal Photos
• Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos
• Write a Review
• Live Cruise Reports
• Member Cruise Reviews
• Create New...

• CruiseMapper
• Cruise Ports
• Australia - New Zealand - Pacific Ocean Islands Cruise Ports

Brisbane (Queensland Australia)

Cruise port schedule, live map, terminals, news.

Region Australia - New Zealand - Pacific Ocean Islands

Local Time 2024-05-01 08:08

Port Brisbane cruise ship schedule shows timetable calendars of all arrival and departure dates by month. The port's schedule lists all ships (in links) with cruises going to or leaving from Brisbane, Queensland Australia. To see the full itineraries (ports of call dates and arrival / departure times) and their lowest rates – just follow the corresponding ship-link.

Brisbane cruise port is located in Southeastern Queensland. It is the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast gateway. The city is Australia's 3rd most populous - after Sydney (New South Wales) and Melbourne (Victoria)  and is followed by Perth (Western Australia) and Adelaide (South Australia) . Trends show that the Australian cruising market is growing at a rapid pace. It has some of the industry's highest penetration rates nationally. The Australian cruise ports' strongest competition today comes only from Singapore and Hong Kong (China) .

Brisbane is geographically the only cruise port from which can be operated 7-day roundtrip Queensland cruise itineraries that visit 2-3 Australian ports (like Airlie Beach , Cairns , Port Douglas ). The shorter the itinerary - the lower the price, which means more potential customers able to afford a Queensland cruising vacation. The city's location additionally gives year-round good weather, plus a large number of local residents living within 4 hours drive from the cruise port.

Port Brisbane

The seaport is located in one of city's suburbs and on Fisherman Island - man-made, with land reclaimed from the islands group at Brisbane River's. Brisbane is ranked Australia's 3rd busiest and also Queensland's largest and fastest-growing cargo port (followed by Gladstone and Townsville ) with annual international shipping trade over AUD 50 billion. The port is managed by the private company Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd under a 99-year lease from the state's government. The port has a total of 29 berths including 9 deep-water (for container ships) and 3 deep-water (for bulk carriers), plus 17 other for bulk and general cargo ships. The annual traffic is over 2600 vessels, with handled over 28 million tons of cargo.

The port area also includes the shipping channel across Moreton Bay - extending 90 km (56 mi) north to Mooloolaba . Port's channels and berths are dredged annually to maintain the 14 m (46 ft) depth at lowest tide.

Beside its cruise terminals, the port has facilities to handle cargo ships (oil tankers, bulk carriers and  container ships ) and dry-dock facilities for major marine vessel refurbishments and repairs.

• UN-LOCODE (United Nations location code) - AUBNE
• supported by excellent road, rail and air infrastructure
• deepwater berths
• sheltered harbor area
• access unrestricted by tides
• Gateway Bridge restricted access (185 ft / 56,4 m clearance)

In bad weather (15+ knot winds - 17 mph / 28 kph) turning around cruise ships in the Brisbane River is impossible since the ship's side acts as a sail).

capability to accommodate 2 vessels at a time

Port pilot assistance is provided by "Brisbane Marine Pilots Pty Ltd" (privately-owned company). Port pilotage is compulsory for vessels of 164 ft / 50 m LOA length or more and also for any vessel when directed by Harbour Master.

The Brisbane cruise ship terminal doesn't provide shore-to-ship power (shore-side electricity supply) which could reduce significantly the levels of emissions, noise and vibration in port.

The cruise port is accessible the whole year round – 24/7, 365 days a tear.

Cruise ships usually arrive in Brisbane in early morning (6 or 8 am) and depart from Brisbane in the late afternoon and early evening (at 2, 4 or 5 pm).

Among the Port's main cargoes is coal, of which roughly 60% originates from the open-pit mining site New Acland Mine. Cruise wharves are two. Portside Wharf (2006-opened) is the international terminal for smaller cruise liners. The facility has restaurants, coffee bar, gift shops. Due to Gateway Bridge's height restrictions, larger liners dock at the industrial Multi User Terminal.

In January 2008, Port of Brisbane Corporation signed an agreement with Brisbane Container Terminals (subsidiary of Hutchison Whampoa) to operate cargo berths 11 and 12 for 42 years (until 2050).

The completed in 2 years and inaugurated in August 2018 "Port Drive Upgrade" was Brisbane Harbour's ever-biggest infrastructure development project (budgeted AUD 110 million). The project was crucial as 3,1+ million vehicles use its roads annually.

On April 5, 2018, the new China-built gantry crane (by ZPMC / "Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries") started operations at Brisbane Container Terminal. Same ZPMC cranes were also delivered and installed in Sydney (one, in April) and Melbourne (two, in March).

• The equipment (all 9 gantry cranes) was ordered by DP World Australia (Australia's main and largest container port and supply chain operator) ’to serve the country's container terminals. By this USD 180 million project were also delivered 20x straddle trucks, 4x RTGs (rubber tyred gantry cranes), 38x forklifts (industrial trucks).
• Each of the 9x ZPMC cranes costs USD 14 million, has rated capacity 65 tons (under spreader) and 75 tons (under heavy lift beam), rail gauge 25,3 m, above rail hoist height 38 m, hoist speed 90 m per min (loaded) and 180 m / min (unloaded).
• In June 2018, Port Brisbane launched a pilot project for recycling garbage from international vessels. Before that, crews separated recyclable garbage on the ships, but have limited options to offload the materials for recycling at Australian seaports. Upon offloading, any garbage is combined and either incinerated, autoclaved or deep-buried, without any recycling alternatives, thus creating a disincentive for vessels to discharge it in Australian ports.

Brisbane cruise port

(statistics) In 2006 (first year of operation), the cruise port handled 55 ships and 45000 passengers, making it Australia's second largest - after Sydney. In 2014, passenger numbers increased by 207% in comparison to 2006 - up to 138000.

(statistics) in the period between October 2013 and April 2014, the cruise port was visited by 24 unique ships (from a total of 71 ship calls). Those cruise ships disembarked here over 138,000 passengers plus over 50,000 crew.

(statistics) Queensland is Australia's second-largest cruise market that supports over 2100 jobs. In 2015 it generated around AUD 590 million in direct/indirect local expenditure from 239 ship calls and 442253 passenger days at port.

In March 2013, the City Council approved a new cruise port terminal plan at Myrtletown Precinct. It will be capable to welcome the world's largest cruise vessels. In November 2014, "Portside Wharf Hamilton" cruise terminal welcomed its millionth passenger.

During season 2015-2016, Queensland was visited by a record number of cruise ships - 329, ranking it Australia's most visited state. In April 2015, Princess Cruises (second largest Carnival Corporation brand) announced that for season 2016-2017 the company homeport 5 ships in Australia - Emerald , Golden , Sun , Sea and Dawn . The new deployment expanded the company's capacity by 20%. The vessels were deployed for departures from Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. Each of the Princess Cruises Australia deals offers two optional "Land and Sea Vacation" packages. The "Australian Outback" package offers the opportunity to immerse in the Aboriginal culture and tradition on cruises to Great Barrier Reef and Uluru (aka Ayers Rock, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park). The "Ultimate Australia" package includes Sydney city tour, visiting Great Barrier Reef, port Darwin, plus the "Australian Outback" package inclusions.

In February 2016, PBPL ("Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd") confirmed the Queensland Government's approval for building the new Luggage Point cruise ship terminal. The new facility (at the mouth of Brisbane River) allows longer ships to dock in a location closer to the city. Bigger vessels currently berth at the multiuse (grain) terminal, which is a cargo area. Currently, the port has no place where large ships (longer than 885 ft / 270 m) can be berthed. By year 2020, the port's new passenger terminal Luggage Point will be able to accommodate even the world's biggest cruise vessels, which will represent ~60% of all calls. The new terminal will also act as a gateway to South East Queensland for many thousands of additional tourists every year.

In 2016, Royal Caribbean (the world's second-largest cruise ship owner) increased its Australian passenger capacity by 20%. Scheduled were more than 90 AU departures (by the company's 3 brands - RCI, Celebrity and Azamara). RCI deployed Legend of the Seas (now Marella Discovery 2) in Brisbane. However, in mid-April 2016 was announced that with the Legend's re-deployment from Australia to Europe (2017), Royal Caribbean will discontinue offering Brisbane departures as the bigger-sized RCI ships can’t dock at the Portside terminal. The company will not offer cruises out of Brisbane until the new "Luggage Point" terminal (east of Gateway Bridges) is constructed. Also, due to a lack of appropriate transportation to downtown, many passengers prefer to stay on the ship rather than going downtown. Unfortunately, Legend was the only RCI ship small enough to berth at Portside.

In December 2016, here arrived RCI's newest Quantum-class ship Ovation of the Seas . In 2017, NCL Norwegian homeported  Norwegian Star  for regular departures out of Brisbane and Auckland NZ .

For season 2017-2018, the cruise port handled a total of 78 ship calls. For season 2018-2019, their number grew to 94 (out of Queensland's total 520 calls). The port plans to create a new (bigger) cruise terminal by relocating the current terminal to a permanent building part of a retail precinct (adjacent to Portside Wharf) where can be found fine dining venues, cafes, supermarket, fashion boutique, beauty services.

In February 27, 2018, ACCC (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission) made a proposal to allow port development arrangements between Port Brisbane and Carnival Cruise Line for AUD 158 million (USD 113 million) port development project that will result in building a new cruise terminal. By this 15-year lease deal, Carnival will pay a fixed price to use the facility, and in exchange will receive preferential berthing. ACCC's conditional authorization for the deal was granted in May 2018.

In 2018, the port handled 151 cruise ship calls. For 2019 were booked 155 calls. Most operations are homeport (roundtrips). Nearby-located tourist attractions include Australia Zoo (Sunshine Coast), Gold Coast Theme Parks (Australia's largest theme park), Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary (in Brisbane's Fig Tree Pocket suburb).

In 2018 started works (AUD 650 million project) for upgrading Kingsford Smith Drive (boulevard and esplanade) connecting Pinkenba suburb to the city's central business district (Breakfast Creek). The boulevard was upgraded from 4-lane to 6-lane and a riverside boardwalk was added. The project resulted in easier cruise terminal access, improved parking and public transportation.

In December 2022, the Brisbane Cruise Terminal was temporary closed for conducting a USD 20 million (~AUD 30M) revamp of the Portside Wharf. During the renovation works, Port Brisbane accommodated ships at Pinkenba Wharf's new Brisbane International Cruise Terminal (2022-opened/inaugurated). Between 2006-2022, Portside Wharf's Brisbane Cruise Terminal handled 1250+ vessels (of various types) and around 3,3 million cruise tourists.

Cruise itineraries to and from Brisbane Australia

Follows a list of destinations visited by cruise ships leaving out of Brisbane:

• World Cruises – from Brisbane are offered around the world voyages by bigger luxury lines (mainly by Cunard, P&O, Princess). Full-length itineraries (eastbound or westbound) can be up to 110+ days round-trips and usually start from the UK (out of Southampton ). On those, Australia is only a mid-itinerary destination offering one-way departures from Fremantle-Perth , Adelaide , Melbourne , Sydney or Brisbane back to Southampton (disembarkation port). The length of such segment itineraries is up to 2 months (UK disembarkation). Smaller segments offer between 14-30+ days long itineraries to ports in Asia ( Singapore , Hong Kong , Dubai ) or eastbound to USA ( San Francisco , Los Angeles ). Longer segments may end in some of the biggest Mediterranean ports (Piraeus-Athens, Venice, Civitavecchia-Rome, Barcelona) and on eastbound routes - in the USA (Miami, Fort Lauderdale, NYC New York).
• Eastbound world cruise segments from Brisbane may include Panama Canal transition and even Transatlantic crossing to Europe (UK). Segments with westbound routes may include Suez Canal transition .
• Longer (up to 2-weeks) itineraries between Brisbane and Singapore (or extensions to Hong Kong) usually visit ports in Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines.
• "Circle Australia" cruises are longer (up to 15-days) one-way itineraries between Brisbane and Fremantle.
• "Around Australia" cruises with round-trips from Brisbane are up to a month long and do a full circumnavigation of the continent. The itinerary includes most of Australia's big ports plus Hobart Tasmania (overnight stay), New Guinea, and often Indonesia.
• Themed "Barrier Reef Discovery" and "Queensland Cruise" itineraries are round-trips from Brisbane to Airlie Beach , Yorkey's Knob , Cairns , Willis Island (Coral Sea) , Hamilton Island , Port Douglas , and of course - the Great Barrier Reef itself.
• Round-trip Australia to New Zealand cruises out of Brisbane are 14-days in length, with Auckland NZ as turnaround port.
• "South Pacific Islands" itineraries are mostly 7-day round-trips (some up to 12-days) visiting ports in New Caledonia, Fiji, Vanuatu, Espiritu Santo, Papua New Guinea.
• Cruise to Nowhere Brisbane deals are on 3-day round-trip itineraries without any ports of call along the route. Generally, these are themed voyages with themes like "food and wine", comedy, sports, wellness, music, "Australia Day", etc. There are onboard pre-scheduled theme events and activities like parties, concerts, meetings, presentations, tastings, etc.
• Short-break ("Mini Cruises") visit Moreton Island (3-4-day), Airlie Beach (4-day), Hamilton Island (4-day), Moreton Island and Gladstone (4-day).

Australia's ship relocations (RepositionCruises.com) are considered most of the one-way itineraries between Australia and Asia and the USA (Hawaii-Alaska-California), and also when ships change their Australian homeports. The latter include short one-ways between Sydney-Brisbane-Melbourne, also Adelaide and Fremantle. Brisbane to Sydney mini-cruises are offered as 2-day relocation voyages.

Brisbane cruise terminal

Brisbane cruise terminal is in service since August 29, 2006, and it is the second biggest Australian cruise port. The terminal building was part of an AUD 750 million port development project by Brookfield Multiplex.

(NEW) Brisbane International Cruise Terminal (Luggage Point)

The facility is located near Myrtletown (across Fisherman Island, southeast of Multiuser Terminal), at the mouth of Brisbane River, on Gateway Bridge's ocean side, near Brisbane Airport. With berth length 1130 ft (345 m), here can dock some of world's largest passenger liners  - like RCI's Quantum-class (4100 passengers).

• In March 2013, a plan for a new passenger terminal at Myrtletown Precinct was approved by City Council. The land (owned by Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd / PBPL) was designated for the future facility and included in City Plan 2014.
• In January 2016, Queensland Cabinet opened a discussion about the port's proposal to allow building of a new cruise ship docking facility at Luggage Point.
• In February 2016, Southeast Queensland PBPL (Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd) confirmed it had received first stage of approval from Queensland Government to build an USD 100 million terminal at Luggage Point.
• The final agreement between Port Brisbane and Queensland Government over the construction was announced on April 9, 2017.
• On June 6, 2018, Carnival Australia signed the commercial agreement for the "Brisbane International Cruise Terminal (BICT) project.
• In February 2019, for the wharf construction was contracted "Brady Marine & Civil" (Brisbane-based marine infrastructure and engineering company). For the terminal building construction was contracted Hindmarsh (Australian company). Works were scheduled to start in April 2019.

The facility is privately built by Carnival Corporation (via its subsidiary Carnival Australia) and RCG-Royal Caribbean Group (via the subsidiary RCCL Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd). The project is 100% privately-funded, with budget AUD 177 million (USD 130M). By the deal signed with Carnival (May 2018), the company is limited in the number of weekend days dockings and not given the first option on which days to berth in case the terminal is expanded. Carnival also pays the seaport a fixed fee for 15 years (until 2035) in return for the preferential berthing rights.. As of 2018, Carnival Australia is the only company homeporting in Brisbane. Carnival Australia signed a long-term agreement with Port Brisbane committing to purchase a max of 100 ‘berthing days of no more than 4 per any week for 15 years (until 2035), and in exchange receives priority berthing rights.

After its completion (2019-2020), in the first 5 years, the new cruise terminal will handle projected 1,8 million passengers and over 1100 vessels. By 2020, mega liners will represent approx 60% of all ship calls.

When built, the new terminal at Luggage Point will also take ships that currently can't dock in Sydney NSW due to its own infrastructure challenges.

• The new facility is at no risk to the Government and will potentially triple the size of the Queensland cruise industry over the next 20 years. The project will generate over 3750 new jobs. Annually are expected over 766000 cruise ship visitors, contributing around AUD 1 billion in gross output to state's economy (fees and charges, fresh produce purchasing, passenger spending).
• Among new terminal's features are sufficient berth length and turning basin, deep-water frontage (minimizing dredging costs), separation from port's main cargo-shipping, airport-close location, avoiding air draft issues (Sir Leo Hielscher bridges restrictions).
• A second swing basin (ship turning basin) could be needed after year 2022. It should be closer to the mouth of Brisbane River (where it's deeper), with minor impact to the nearby mangroves. The current swing basin can support up to 150 cruise vessels planned for the new terminal.
• Port's road infrastructure will be upgraded. New roads to Luggage Point will be built (project cost USD 10 million) to upgrade its road connections (Main Beach Rd, Pipe Rd and the roads leading into the terminal).

The first cruise ship to dock at Brisbane's International Cruise Terminal had to be Pacific Dawn/now Ambassador Ambience (scheduled for October 3, 2020) but the call was prevented by the global Coronavirus crisis.

(NEW) Gold Coast Cruise Ship Terminal (Wavebreak Island)

In April 2014, Wave Break Island was proposed as the place for Brisbane's new cruise terminal and casino complex. The project was officially named "Broadwater Marine Project" (the below photo /click to enlarge). Among the 12 bidders is the consortium ASF Group. ASF is an Australian investment company (ASX-Listed) joint venture between Australia and China. ASF wants to build an AUD 7,6 billion Gold Coast development project, without digging an underwater tunnel. Such channel was previously planned to connect Wavebreak Island with The Spit. The no-digging plan saves Doug Jennings Park.

According to the plans, cruise ships will dock on the island's north-eastern side, where the cruise ship terminal and the casino complex will be positioned. The idea is supported by the 1640 ft / 500 m turnaround circle (swing basin south of Gold Coast Seaway).

• By this project, Wavebreak Island will be expanded, a new (man-made) island will be created and the north of Southport Spit will be developed.
• Land dumping options were estimated at AUD 365 million. Project's total cost was estimated at around USD 450 million (AUD 610M), to be entirely funded by private investments. An environmental impact study will be completed by the end of 2018.
• On the new island (called "Moon Island") will be constructed a total of 35 resort villas plus a clubhouse. Its total commercial space will be 333,680 ft2 (31000 m2) plus twice that size retail space.
• Landscape plans for the island show as centrepiece a 50-story tower building and a large marina (south), plus several smaller towers on the island's north side. Among the project's features are luxury hotels, modern casinos, yacht marinas, waterfront parks.
• Approvals are expected to be granted by 2017. By the new plans, the construction is set to finish in 2026.
• Plan updates revealed that the Gold Coast cruise terminal is unlikely to be built before 2019.
• The Broadwater Marine Project will be delivered in 9 stages. Stage 1 (by July 2019) includes canal dredging, environmental offsets, eco-marine park and part 1 of the Wavebreak's integrated resort. Stage 2 (by January 2021) includes the resort, “southern Spit Hotel” and residential developments. Between Jan 2021 and July 2026 on the Wavebreak island will be built residential and commercial buildings, retail district, leisure attractions (incl international street, art museum and school).
• The Gold Coast Cruise Ship Terminal (at the top-page photo) and the adjacent resort will generate full time jobs for over 12,000.

The Wavebreak Island was artificially created in 1985 as part of the Gold Coast Seaway to protect the Broadwater's western foreshore and to stabilize the entry.

Gold Coast is a port city located approx 66 km (41 mi) south-southeast of Brisbane.

Portside Wharf Hamilton cruise terminal

• address - "Port Office, 3 Port Central Avenue, Port of Brisbane QLD 4178, Brisbane, Australia"
• location - on Brisbane River (upstream from Gateway Bridge, at the river's north bank), at approx 6 mi / 10 km drive distance from the city's center and 4,5 mi / 7 km from CBD (central business district). The terminal offers easy access to Gateway Motorway leading to Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast (both at 1 1/2 hours drive distance). The cruise ship terminal is also close to the Brisbane International Airport. 
• Located across Brisbane River is a working dry-dock facility.
• 1 berth (max ship length 886 ft / 270 m)
• River channel depth (and berth depth) is 30 ft / 9 m (max draft).
• jet bridge gangway
• The terminal (max capacity 3000 passengers) was privately developed. Its owner and operator is Brookfield Residential. The facility was inaugurated in August 2006. Its construction cost was USD 750 million.
• Hamilton Portside cruise terminal is part of a premium retail-dining precinct (Hamilton being one of city's most luxurious suburbs). Portside Wharf is the commercial international cruise ship terminal, with adjacent car parking, large taxi area, bus parking (capacity 40 tour buses). The area also has a luxury residential and retail shopping precinct with restaurants, boutiques, cinema complex (Dendy Portside), public plaza, fish shop, supermarket. Precinct's visitors are mostly cruiseship tourists, but also locals arriving from Bretts Wharf by CityCat ferries.
• Portside Wharf attracts some of the world's top-rated luxury vessels. Once a week (on average), here dock also expedition cruise ships, as well as mega yachts.
• Across the Brisbane River there is a working dry-dock shipyard.

(Grain) Multiuse Terminal (for large cruise ships)

Gateway Bridge has a height restrictions and because of that larger ships berth at the Multiuse Terminal (the Grain Berth at Fisherman Islands) or Pinkenba Wharf.

• location - at the mouth of the Brisbane River, at ~ 16 mi / 25 km drive distance from CBD, (central business district) and at ~ 14 mi / 23 km drive distance from Brisbane Airport. The nearest train station (Wynnum North) is at 10–15 min drive distance. From there to go to the city takes around 30 min. The Brisbane port's Visitors Centre (3 Port Central Ave) is at 5-min drive distance from the Terminal. The Centre is open Monday to Friday (between 8.30 am - 3 pm) and offers educational displays, port tour program, Observation Cafe (with panoramic views).
• This terminal is also at 15‐min drive from the Wynnum and Manly suburbs, both offering multiple shopping and dining options and beautiful parks overlooking Manly Boat Harbour and Moreton Bay.
• 3 berths are available (total length 2300 ft / 700 m), berth max depth is 46 ft / 14 m
• Due to Gateway Bridge's height restrictions (185 ft / 56,4 m clearance), large cruise liners can not to pass underneath to proceed and dock at Portside Wharf. Instead, they dock either at Pinkenba Wharf (QLD) or at Port of Brisbane (Multiuser Terminal, Grain Berth) at the Fisherman Island's Cargo Terminal. The Pinkenba suburb (in the city's eastern part) is on Brisbane River (northern banks, some 6 mi / 10 km from the CBD district).
• The Multiuser Terminal is equipped only for periodical day ship calls, which means it has limited facilities in comparison to the Hamilton cruise terminal at Portside Wharf. There is only a small cafe bar for coffee, tea, cold beverages and light snacks (no EFTPOS facilities, public telephones, postal office, ATM, car-rental). The closest ATM machine is at Caltex Truck Stop (Port Drive), at 5‐min drive distance from the terminal.
• The facility (Australian Customs) operates 24/7 (CCTV onsite security). Road access is from Port Drive. The terminal can handle general cargoes (excepting drybulk and wetbulk). The machinery includes a Gottwald mobile crane and a Deer Park gantry crane.

Multiuser Terminal doesn't offer regular public transportation services. For cruise passengers are available the following options: pick up / drop off by family/friends (free parking), taxis (waiting at the terminal;s taxi rank) and shuttle bus arrangements (must be made by Shipping Agent).

Howard Smith Wharves (CityCat ferry terminal)

In early-November 2018, Port Brisbane announced plans to build a new CityCat ferry terminal at Howard Smith Wharves (HSW). The facility will become Brisbane’s 26th passenger terminal.

The project is budget USD 12 million and is part of Howard Smith Wharves USD 100 million development project. The CityCat terminal was co-funded by Brisbane City Council ($9 million) and Howard Smith Wharves Consortium ($3 million). Joint funding agreements with private developers is a new policy to keep building and maintenance costs down.

Brisbane's new CityCat terminal was scheduled for completion in 2020. In mid-September 2020,  Brisbane City Council contracted a single supplier to construct Howard Smith Wharves Ferry Terminal and to upgrade South Bank Ferry Terminal.  The South Bank project is for combining all ferry services (including CityCats and smaller boats) into a single passenger terminal that serves both berths.  HSW terminal project was co-funded with USD 3 million  by HSW (Howard Smith Wharves) and The Fantauzzo Brisbane Hotel Group. The reconstructed ferry terminal will allow dual berthing - for CityCats and monohull boats.  The USD 25 million (~AUD 34,1 M) tender for building both terminals was won by Fitzgerald Construction Australia. F or Howard Smith Wharves, works were scheduled to start in 2020 (off-site production) and early-2021 (on-site construction). South Bank terminal works start in mid-2021.

QLD's government in 2020 announced a plan to extend (with 3 new pontoons) the HSW ferry terminal and start from there regularly scheduled daily direct ferry crossings to North Stradbroke Island (aka Minjerribah, in Moreton Bay) . Travel time is ~2 hours, covering the distance of 35 mi (56 km) from downtown Brisbane.

Cruise ship terminal directions and parking

• (to Multiuser Terminal) - follow the street signs to "Port of Brisbane". Continue along Port Drive. Look on the left for tall grain silos. Turn left into Seafarers Str. Security will guide to the Grain Wharf's entrance gate. For dropping off / picking up cruise passengers, the onsite security will assist and direct through to the terminal's parking area.
• (to Portside cruise terminal) the facility has a taxi rank. It is also at some 10 min walking distance to a City Council bus station and a CityCat ferry stop.
• (from Portside Terminal to the city) Council Bus - walk around 650 ft / 200 m to the Bretts Wharf bus stop and catch bus line 300 (runs every 15 minutes Monday to Friday). Getting into the city takes ~ 25 min.
• (from the city to Portside Terminal) - catch bus line 300 on Adelaide Str (City Hall, bus stop 18) and travel to Bretts Wharf (bus stop.Riverview Tce).
• (by CityCat ferries) - Bretts Wharf ferry stop is around 650 ft / 200 m from Portside cruise terminal. CityCat ferries run every 10-15 min (during all the week). It it takes around 30 min from the Portside Terminal to the city.
• (by train) two train stations (Ascot and Doomben) are at ~ 30 min walking distance from Portside Terminal. Trains run at 30 min intervals (Monday to Saturday only).
• Car parking areas are available at the Brisbane Cruise Terminal and at the "retail and dining precinct". The number of parking spaces is 350 (some shaded). However, both car parks are short-term only and free of charge up to 3 hours.
• The list of available long term car parks in the area (which is close to Brisbane Airport) includes: Portside Parking, Abel Park, Kingsford Smith Parking, Brisbane Airport Parking, Gateway Parking, Alpha Car Parking. Each of those has a website and also offers car cleaning services (for a fee). Some of those even offer car repair services.

River cruise: explore the city with a tour by City Cats. The trip is 19 km from Lucia to Hamilton and you can bargain the price.

Riverlife Adventure Centre: a lot of sun and adventure activities in Kangaroo Point (Brisbane’s inner city).

Moreton Island: get wild or just laid back, the Island won’t disappoint you.

Cuddle a koala: go to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary and catch a cutie, located half an hour from downtown Brisbane.

Brekky Creek Hotel: Queensland’s most popular watering hole. Try amazing steaks and taste “beer off the wood.”

Stradbroke Island: quiet place with beautiful sand. Explore amazing nature and lakes with fresh water.

Story Bridge Adventure Climb: you will need two hours and a half to climb to reach the bridge’s eastern side. The view from the top will take your breath away.

Go to a park: 25% of the area in Brisbane is green. The city is proud of its public gardens and parks (nearly 1,500). Visit the City Botanic Gardens, walk along Energex Brisbane Arbour to South Bank Parklands or just smell rose aroma at New Farm Park.

The Museum of Brisbane: explore the people, the culture and the heritage of Brisbane. The museum is located at the King George Square in the City Hall, ground floor.

Queensland Art Gallery/ Museum of Modern Art: you will find one of the biggest Aboriginal and Asian art collections in the world.

The Brewery at Milton: you will go through all the process of beer making and you will have the opportunity to try it at the Ale House bar.

Brisbane tours, shore excursions, hotels

City tours and shore excursions.

RCI-Royal Caribbean unveils 2025-2026 Australian ships and homeports

RCI-Royal Caribbean International unveiled its upcoming 2025-2026 itinerary from Australia. Holidaymakers can anticipate a diverse range of...

Royal Caribbean and The Wiggles partner for family cruises in Australia

RCI-Royal Caribbean and The Wiggles, two renowned family brands, are collaborating to offer an extraordinary family holiday experience in Australia...

Brisbane Council aims for electric ferries by 2027

The Schrinner council has unveiled plans to potentially introduce electric-powered ferries on the Brisbane River, aiming for a clean cross-river...

CCL-Carnival Cruise Line's new Transpacific Journey on Carnival Luminosa ship (2025)

CCL-Carnival Cruise Line has unveiled its latest addition to the Carnival Journeys program, announcing the launch of a new transpacific cruise aboard...

DCL-Disney Cruise Line deploys in Australia (2024-2025) Disney Wonder ship

Following a successful inaugural season in Australia, DCL-Disney Cruise Line is set to return for a second season of 2- to 7-night cruises, offering...

Cyclone Jasper disrupts Queensland cruise itineraries: Carnival and Royal Caribbean alter plans

Cruise itineraries along Queensland Australia's coast are facing disruptions as Cyclone Jasper approaches, causing rough seas and storm surges. CCL...

CCL-Carnival opens 2025-2026 Australia cruises from homeports Sydney and Brisbane

CCL-Carnival Cruise Line has unveiled new cruise options for the 2025-2026 season from its Australian homeports, Sydney NSW and Brisbane QLD, as of...

RCI-Royal Caribbean's ship Quantum OTS returns to Brisbane (Queensland Australia)

RCI-Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas has returned to homeport Brisbane QLD, offering a range of 3- to 9-night cruises to the South Pacific and...

DCL-Disney cruise ship sails in Australian waters for the first time

MS Disney Wonder arrived in Sydney Harbour on Friday morning, October 27, in anticipation of her inaugural Australian season. This marks the...

RCI-Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance OTS arrives in Sydney NSW Australia for the first time

A new season in Australia has begun, with RCI-Royal Caribbean International launching its extensive 2023-2024 holiday program Down Under. Brilliance...

•   show more news

Brisbane - user reviews and comments

Cinco de Mayo! Join us on Moe's Southwest Grill Fiesta Float!

Gateway Clipper Fleet

Sightseeing tours & riverboat dining cruises in pittsburgh, pennsylvania, sightseeing tours & riverboat dining cruises in pittsburgh, pa, take a cruise on pittsburgh’s #1 riverboat.

THREE RIVERS SIGHTSEEING CRUISE & TOUR

Captain’s dinner cruise & tour, st. patrick’s day cruise with bon journey, featured cruises, cinco de mayo moe's southwest grill fiesta float.

Calendar Available: Sunday, May 5th

• 2024 Schedule

Trolls & Pup Patrol Cruise & Tour

Calendar Available: Wednesdays & Sundays

100.7 Star Boozy Brunch

Star 100.7 and the Gateway Clipper Fleet bring you Sunday Funday!

CELEBRATE WITH US

A fun, unique & top-rated event venue.

ALL ABOARD THE GATEWAY CLIPPER!

For the best in Pittsburgh riverboat tours, choose to cruise with Gateway Clipper! For over 50 years, we’ve sailed the Three Rivers hosting Pittsburgh sightseeing and dining cruises.  The original Gateway Clipper became Pittsburgh’s first official sightseeing boat in 1958. The Gateway Clipper Fleet has since expanded to include five boats, and has become one of Pittsburgh’s most popular attractions!

For the best in Pittsburgh riverboat tours, choose to cruise with Gateway Clipper Fleet. For over 50 years, we have been sailing the Three Rivers hosting Pittsburgh sightseeing and dining cruises.

The original Gateway Clipper became Pittsburgh’s first official sightseeing boat in 1958, and the Gateway Clipper Fleet has since become one of Pittsburgh’s most popular attractions! Join us to experience the best tours that Pittsburgh has to offer.

Star Outline SAFETY

Our crew’s first priority is to provide a safe and enjoyable cruise

Cruise Ship HOSPITABLE

Welcome aboard! We are so happy you’re sailing with us

Users TEAMWORK

As a team, we strive to deliver an exceptional experience every time

Water COMMUNICATION

We love to interact with our guests and can’t wait to see you again

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM

gatewayclipper

BOOK NOW! CALL: 954-349-2800

VIEW CRUISES

Go away travel proudly presents:, acbl sectionals, featured bridge cruises.

2024 New York to Greenland & Iceland Sectional at Sea

New york to reykjavík.

Book by March 31 st , 2024 and get $400 per suite in shipboard credit!

2024 New York to Bermuda Sectional at Sea

Round-trip new york.

Don’t delay! Book today!

2024 Texas Fall Sectional at Sea

Round-trip galveston.

Don’t delay! The first 24 save $224! 

2024 Fall Caribbean Sectional at Sea

Round-trip miami.

Book now and receive $400/suite shipboard credit!

Best Bridge at Sea

Go Away Travel has been the bridge cruise leader since 1997. We offer comprehensive bridge programs aboard luxurious cruise ships. You will receive instruction from our world-class experts and have the opportunity to win masterpoints in our ACBL-sanctioned duplicate games. Come see for yourself why, for over 25 years, we have been the Best Bridge at Sea!

Sectionals at Sea

• 2024 New York to Greenland & Iceland Sectional at Sea June 2 - 20, 2024
• 2024 Mediterranean Sectional at Sea - CANCELLED August 31 - September 14, 2024
• 2024 New York to Bermuda Sectional at Sea September 1 - 8, 2024
• 2024 Greenland Sectional at Sea - CANCELLED September 7 - 22, 2024
• 2024 Texas Fall Sectional at Sea November 8 - 18, 2024
• 2024 Fall Caribbean Sectional at Sea December 6 - 13, 2024
• 2024 Christmas Sectional at Sea December 17 - 27, 2024
• 2025 Texas Winter Sectional at Sea February 10 - 20, 2025
• 2025 Spring Caribbean Sectional March 21 - April 4, 2025
• 2025 Alaska Sectional at Sea May 28 - June 11, 2025
• 2025 Fall Caribbean Sectional December 11 - 22, 2025

• Enable Accessibility

• 00800 0310 21 21 1-855-577-9489 1-877-288-3037 1-877-288-3037 1-877-474-2969
• | NCL Travel Blog">11-Reasons to Cruise to Alaska this Summer | NCL Travel Blog
• | Norwegian Cruise Line">14-Day Authentic Alaska - Northbound Cruise Tour | Norwegian Cruise Line
• | Deck Plans | Norwegian Cruise Line">14-Day Authentic Alaska - Southbound Cruise Tour | Deck Plans | Norwegian Cruise Line
• | Norwegian Cruise Line">20-Day Transpacific from Tokyo (Yokohama) & Alaska | Norwegian Cruise Line
• | NCL Travel Blog">11 Reasons to Cruise to Alaska this Summer | NCL Travel Blog
• View All Results
• Preferences
• Latitudes Rewards
• Special Offers
• Personalised Recommendations
• Make reservations before you cruise
• 1 (current)

* Terms & Conditions Package not available on sailings less than 5 days or charter sailings.

Cruise Ship Details

Norwegian Getaway

• DESTINATIONS
• Mediterranean
• Northern Europe
• Transatlantic
• Extraordinary Journeys
• Canada & New England
• Greek Isles
• What’s On Board?

{{selectedMeta.name}}

{{submeta.name}}.

• Accommodates: {{submeta.occupancy}}
• Total Approx. Size:
• Balcony Size:

DECK(S) {{getDeckNumbersForSubMeta(submeta).join(", ")}}

LOCATION {{getLocationsForSubMeta(submeta)}}

0"> {{selectedDeckPlan.name}} - Staterooms

• Accommodates {{submeta.occupancy}}
• Total Approx. Size {{submeta.approximateSize}} sq. ft
• Balcony Size {{submeta.balconySize}} sq. ft.
• Deck {{getDecksFromStateroomCategories(submeta.stateroomCategories).join(', ')}}
• Location {{getLocationsForSubMeta(submeta)}}
• Comment {{getCommentsFromSubMeta(submeta).join('. ')}}

{{selectedDeckPlan.name}} - Public Rooms

• Accommodates {{(publicRoom.accommodationLimit == null || publicRoom.accommodationLimit == '') ? '-' : publicRoom.accommodationLimit}}

Cuisine {{publicRoom.cuisine}}

• Price per Guest {{getPricePerGuestForPublicRoom(publicRoom)}}

{{selectedOnBoardCategory.title}}

{{publicroom.displaytitle}}.

• Price Per Person: {{getPricePerGuestForPublicRoom(publicRoom)}}

Accommodates {{publicRoom.accommodationLimit}}

Duration {{publicRoom.duration}}

DECK {{publicRoom.deckNumber.split(',').join(', ')}}

• Read Today's Paper

Cruise ship Pacific Dawn stops just 70m from Gateway Bridge

PASSENGERS on the cruise ship that stopped just 70m from the Gateway Bridge today have paid tribute to the captain who saved them from disaster.

Don't miss out on the headlines from News. Followed categories will be added to My News.

Couriermail.com.au readers say the Pacific Dawn was not out of control when it lost power 700m from the bridge.

Brisbane Marine Pilots Captain Peter Liley was at the helm of the 245m-long Pacific Dawn on Saturday morning when the liner lost all power and steering just 700m away from the six-lane bridge over the Brisbane River.

Two tugboats got the Pacific Dawn under control, bringing her to a complete standstill 70m shy of the bridge, which is 1.6km long and 64.5m high.

A Logan reader said: "The situation was handled very well by Captain Turnbull and his crew, and passengers were informed of all developments."

Capt Liley said he managed to stop the ship before it got to the Gateway.

"I was piloting the ship and we lost all propulsion. It's unusual, but we are trained for these sorts of things. If it was under the Gateway we could have drifted clear but it was before the Gateway."

Capt Liley said a ship without power was prone to drift, and there was a danger it could not be stopped before hitting the bridge's pylons.

He said the ship's captain was investigating what caused the fault, saying he believed a fuse had been affected by a saltwater leak.

"There's an investigation into what occurred," he said.

"We used two tugs to pull the ship up, and we pulled up before the Gateway."

"We waited on the chief engineer on what services he could provide, but he couldn't provide any services so we devised a plan to take the `dead' ship back to Hamilton."

A spokesman for Carnival Australia, which operates the Pacific Dawn, said the cruise liner had suffered power problems but the fault was not a major one and she would set sail again on Saturday afternoon.

"It was a temporary loss of power," the spokesman said.

"It was a controlled situation.

"The ship is OK and will set off for a South Pacific cruise today."  

Add your comment to this story

To join the conversation, please log in. Don't have an account? Register

Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout

Israel PM warns of Rafah offensive ‘with or without’ truce

Benjamin Netanyahu says he will launch a ground offensive against Rafah “with or without” a truce deal with Hamas. Warning: Graphic

‘Beast boy’: Horror find in man’s home

Police have raided the home of a man they allege is “one of the biggest self-producers of bestiality content” including the sexual abuse of dogs, sheep and a dead kangaroo.

First container ship arrives at Port of Baltimore since Key Bridge collapse

B ALTIMORE -- The first container ship arrived at the Port of Baltimore since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed more than a month ago.

The MSC Cargo Passion III made it through the 35-foot temporary channel on Sunday, carrying nearly 1,000 containers.

"Another milestone today! First container ship to arrive at Seagirt Terminal since the crisis began," the Port of Baltimore said on social media.   

Four temporary channels have been opened since the bridge's collapse on March 26.

This fourth channel will only be open for a few days, but at 35 feet deep and 300 feet wide it will allow several ships that are stuck in the Port of Baltimore to get out.

"Around that 35-foot draft is where you're really starting to get some of the inventory that's coming onboard that had really been some of the hallmarks of The Port of Baltimore," Maryland Governor Wes Moore said.

The opening of these channels follows the largest of four recent openings on Thursday, which restored 15% of the pre-collapse commercial activity at the Port of Baltimore. The adjustment will allow large commercial ships that were stuck to depart and others to enter, including those carrying containers, vehicles, and farm equipment.

Recreational boats allowed

Recreational boats will also be able to pass through the Key Bridge collapse salvage area during specific hours.

Larry Lewis has spent the last 20 or so years on the water. He says the opportunity to pass through the collapse site is important for recreational boaters, not just chartering businesses.

"We have boaters and owners who are stuck on the other side of the bridge, and some who are trying to get out for maintenance and things done," Lewis said.

Traffic through the temporary channels will be strictly one-way, with outbound movements scheduled from 3:30 to 4:30 PM and inbound from 4:30 to 5:30 PM.

"There's going to be plenty of people out there that's going to be directing and keeping this a very safe and orderly passage," Lewis explained.

Salvage effort at Key Bridge site ongoing 

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is leading the salvage effort. The branch said its priority is to clear the main channel through the river to reopen access to the Port of Baltimore. 

Massive floating cranes  are being used as wreckage and debris removal continues. Engineers have to break the mangled bridge into smaller pieces to lift them away, and Navy  sonar images  revealed wreckage in the deepest part of the channel. 

Gov. Wes Moore  announced Friday  that over 1,300 tons of steel from what used to be the Francis Scott Key Bridge have been removed from the river so far. 

The rubble and debris are going to nearby Sparrows Point for processing and recycling.

Main shipping channel timeline remains end of May

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers expects to reopen the main shipping channel - which is 700 feet wide and 50 feet deep - by the end of May. 

"There's no way around it that in terms of the impact on the local and the state economy, we want to resume 100 percent of pre-collapse activity because it just contributes to so many jobs in the economy, contributes to so much income that flows through both the city, the county and the rest of the state," DePasquale said.

With the main channel closed, businesses have had to use alternative methods to transport their products. 

With nearly half of the 700-foot main shipping channel cleared, salvage teams are now focused on the portion of the span on top of the Dali.  

2 bodies remain missing 

The  men killed  in the Key Bridge collapse were working for Brawner Builders, filling potholes on the center span of the bridge. 

"Most were immigrants, but all were Marylanders." President Joe Biden said shortly after the collapse. "Hardworking, strong and selfless. After pulling a night shift fixing potholes, they were on a break when the ship struck."  

As  a memorial  grows on Fort Armistead Road for the six men killed in the accident, recovery efforts to locate the two workers still missing under the wreckage are ongoing. They have been identified as Miguel Luna, of El Salvador, and Jose Maynor Lopez, of Guatemala.

Three of the victims recovered were identified as: Dorlian Cabrera, 26, who was originally from Guatemala and lived in Dundalk; Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes ,  35, who lived in Baltimore and was from Mexico; and Maynor Yasir Suazo-Sandoval, 38, of Guatemala.

A fourth body was recovered last week. He has not been identified at the request of his family, but he is known to be from Mexico.

New deep-water channel allows first ship to pass Key Bridge wreckage in Baltimore

• Show more sharing options
• Copy Link URL Copied!

The first cargo ship passed through a newly opened deep-water channel in Baltimore this week after being stuck in the harbor since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed four weeks ago, halting most maritime traffic through the city’s port.

The Balsa 94, a bulk carrier sailing under a Panama flag, passed through the new 35-foot channel Thursday, headed for St. John, Canada. Two more commercial ships followed later that day, including a vehicle carrier headed to Panama.

Their long-awaited voyages marked an important step in the ongoing cleanup and recovery effort as crews have been working around the clock to clear thousands of tons of mangled steel and concrete from the entrance to Baltimore’s harbor.

Five vessels that have been stranded for weeks are expected to finally leave Baltimore through the new, temporary channel. Other ships are scheduled to enter the port, which normally processes more cars and farm equipment than any other in the country.

World & Nation

First vessel uses alternate channel to bypass wreckage at the Baltimore bridge collapse site

A fuel barge has become the first vessel to use an alternate channel to bypass the wreckage of Baltimore’s collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge.

April 2, 2024

Thousands of longshoremen, truckers and small-business owners have seen their jobs affected by the collapse, prompting local and state officials to prioritize reopening the port and restoring its traffic to normal capacity in hopes of easing the economic ripple effects of the collapse. Officials have also established various assistance programs for unemployed workers and others affected by the closure.

On Thursday morning, the Balsa 94 moved through the channel guided by two tugboats, one in front and one behind. It glided slowly past the fallen bridge and grounded Dali, the massive container ship that caused the collapse when it slammed into one of the bridge’s support columns.

Pieces of the steel span are still blocking other parts of the port’s main channel, which has a controlling depth of 50 feet, enough to accommodate some of the largest cargo and cruise ships on the water.

Salvage crews have begun removing containers from the ship that collapsed Baltimore’s Key bridge

Salvage crews have begun removing containers from the cargo ship that crashed into and collapsed the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.

April 8, 2024

The Balsa 94 is expected to arrive in Canada on Monday.

The Dali lost power and veered off course shortly after leaving the Port of Baltimore bound for Sri Lanka last month.

Six members of a roadwork crew — all Latino immigrants from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras — plunged to their deaths in the collapse. Four bodies have been recovered from the underwater wreckage; two remain missing.

A memorial for the victims near the south end of the bridge has grown in recent weeks. It now includes six large wooden crosses decorated with flags from the victims’ home countries and other personal items, including the hardhats and work boots that allowed them to provide for their families and chase the American dream. A painted canvas backdrop displays abstract scenes from the bridge collapse and salvage efforts as well as handwritten notes from the men’s loved ones.

Efforts underway to remove Baltimore bridge ruins; search suspended for 4 workers presumed dead

Cleanup the wreckage of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore begins and authorities announce suspension of the search for four workers.

March 28, 2024

“We want to send a message to the world that we’re here and we care,” said the artist, Roberto Marquez, who was visiting the memorial late Thursday morning. “We will be here working until they are all recovered.”

The new channel will remain open until Monday or Tuesday and then close again until roughly May 10. During the closure, crews will work to remove steel spans from the deck of the Dali and refloat the ship, which will then be guided back into the port, officials said this week.

The port’s main channel is set to reopen next month after the Dali has been removed from the collapse site. That will allow for a normal flow of traffic to resume through the port.

But for now, the 35-foot depth is a substantial increase over the three other temporary channels established in recent weeks. It puts the cleanup effort slightly ahead of schedule, as officials previously said they hoped to open a channel of that depth by the end of April.

A hulking vehicle carrier named Carmen that is nearly as long as the Dali became the third commercial ship to traverse the channel Thursday afternoon. Viewed from the deck of a nearby passenger boat, it appeared to sail steadily between the marker buoys, dwarfing the cranes, barges and other wreckage removal equipment that was stationed nearby.

The Baltimore bridge collapse reminds us immigrants often do unheralded and dangerous work

Immigrants built America, but some politicians and pundits would like us to believe that the great contributions of immigrants stopped somewhere in the late 1800s.

March 29, 2024

Even with commercial ships chugging past, crews continued the arduous process of clearing debris from the collapse site. On Thursday, they were using a crane apparatus to smash the fallen roadway into more manageable pieces that could be lifted from underwater with a giant claw.

In a court filing Monday, Baltimore’s mayor and City Council called for the Dali’s owner and manager to be held fully liable for the bridge collapse, which they said could be devastating for the regional economy. They said the port, which was established before the nation’s founding, has long been an economic driver for Baltimore and the surrounding area. Losing the bridge itself has also disrupted a major East Coast trucking route.

The filing came in response to an earlier petition on behalf of the two companies asking a court to cap their liability under a pre-Civil War provision of a maritime law — a routine procedure for such cases. A federal court in Maryland will ultimately decide who’s responsible and how much they owe.

In the meantime, the FBI and the National Transportation Safety Board are conducting probes to determine what caused the ship to lose power and strike the bridge.

Skene writes for the Associated Press.

More to Read

Ship that caused bridge collapse had electrical issues while still docked, AP source says

April 15, 2024

Biden tours collapsed Baltimore bridge and declares, ‘Your nation has your back’

April 6, 2024

Channel opens for vessels clearing wreckage at Baltimore bridge collapse site

April 1, 2024

Start your day right

Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.

You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.

More From the Los Angeles Times

4 officers killed in N. Carolina were at disadvantage as shots rained from above, police say

U.S. drug control agency will move to reclassify marijuana in a historic shift

Qatar’s mediation efforts in Israel-Hamas war come under fire

April 30, 2024

Netanyahu vows to invade Rafah ‘with or without a deal’ for a cease-fire

City Politics | Norfolk cruise center getting multiple upgrades…

Share this:.

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on X (Opens in new window)

e-Pilot Evening Edition

• Latest Headlines
• Environment

City Politics

City politics | norfolk cruise center getting multiple upgrades ahead of year-round traffic.

NORFOLK — City Council voted Tuesday to approve enhancements to the Half Moone Cruise and Celebration Center in anticipation of becoming a year-round cruise destination in 2025.

The changes are huge, said Stephen Kirkland, who runs the cruise terminal as the executive director of Nauticus.

“A cruise ship will be here every single week, embarking and debarking passengers, and we need to be prepared for that heightened activity,” Kirkland said.

Starting Feb. 15, Carnival Sunshine will begin its weekly cruises leaving from Norfolk. The 12-deck ship is 893 feet long and can carry over 3,000 passengers — leading to a turnover of more than 6,000 people when the ship is at full capacity, setting sail and returning in a single day.

Modifications to the terminal include expanding the walkway from Waterside Drive , adding a circular drop-off lane, a revised bus lane and canopies for passengers — changes that will enhance pedestrian and vehicle circulation downtown. The city earmarked $12 million for the project.

The most advantageous change, according to Kirkland, is a sloped walkway from the first to second floor that will allow guests exiting the ship to move quickly downstairs to go through customs, collect their luggage and make their way to the ground transportation loop.

“The quicker and more efficient we can be with that process, the better the whole day is,” Kirkland said. “That allows us to embark sooner which allows that ship to set sail on time.”

Currently, there’s one elevator, one escalator and a set of stairs connecting the first and second floor.

Construction on the enhancements is due to begin in June, but additional cruise traffic from ships diverted by the Francis Scott Key bridge collapse in Baltimore has added complications: the terminal was supposed to be closed for 14 months at the conclusion of the 2023 season.

Those ships originally bound for Baltimore will not delay the construction schedule, Kirkland said. Half Moone cruise terminal had a “window” during which it was able to support Royal Caribbean and Carnival with diverted ships, but those ships will not continue to arrive after construction begins in June.

With Norfolk set to become a year-round home port for the world’s largest cruise line, passengers are anticipated to travel from across the country to catch their ship. That brings economic impact in the form of more flights to Norfolk, hotel stays the night before and after the voyage, restaurants, transportation and more.

“That’s a big deal for us as a community. It’s a game changer,” Kirkland said.

Cianna Morales, 757-957-1304, [email protected]

More in City Politics

Election | Hampton Mayor Donnie Tuck won’t seek reelection; vice mayor plans to run for seat

City Politics | Virginia Beach to vote on collective bargaining for city employees

City Politics | Virginia Beach will create a dedicated pot of money for funding the arts

City Politics | Norfolk taps 40-year veteran as new fire chief

Trending nationally.

• 77-year-old grandfather crushed to death by own SUV in spat over parking spot
• Northwestern University reaches agreement with protesters
• 86% of Great Lakes litter is plastic, a 20-year study shows. And the plastic is ‘just getting smaller and smaller.’
• Student from Newport Beach killed at party near University of Arizona
• 20 least-affordable US cities to buy a home are all in California