Bahamas-bound but afraid to fly?
Relax.
The Port of Palm Beach expects to launch daily passenger ferryboat service in May to Freeport Harbour, Grand Bahama Island.
The cost: $100 to $140 for a round-trip ticket, depending on the day. That’s about half what it costs to fly from West Palm Beach.
But the trip by boat is much longer — about three hours each way.
A new Miami company called Party Cruise Line plans to start service aboard the 123-foot, 367-passenger Cloud X, company general manager Antoine Gurrey said. The company is working out details of the service.
Customers already are waiting, port marketing director Jarra Gould said.
“We get calls daily from people who want to take a boat over to the Bahamas,” she said.
The ferry also will offer touch-screen gambling, food, and a duty-free shop, Gould said.
Announcement of the ferry deal came four days after the Texas Treasure gambling ship’s last cruise. The company has moved its operations back to Texas, citing financial problems.
With the Treasure gone, the Cloud X will help make up lost revenue. The Treasure was expected to bring in $1.2 million a year.
Gould said the ferry service should pay the port at least $500,000 a year. The port is giving the ferry a “start-up” discount on passenger and docking fees to help it get established.
The ferry will employ 54 people on board in 18 different jobs, according to company documents.
Another ferry venture was tried at the port about three years ago and left after just a year. Gould said the previous ferry was foreign-made, making it more difficult and costly to get parts. Gurrey said the Cloud X is newly built and American-made. He said Palm Beach County has strong potential and that he also will try to draw travelers from Orlando.
“We think it’s a location which has a lot to offer,” Gurrey said.
By Thomas R. Collins, Palm Beach Post
