Port Tampa Bay Opens New Center for Crew Members

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Port Tampa Bay has recently opened a new Seafarers Center outpost, offering a wide range of support and services to international cruise ship workers visiting the port.

The center, located in Cruise Terminal 3, will serve as a hub for package and mail delivery and provide free WiFi and communication services to the workers. 

The opening of the crew center marks a significant step in providing support and services to the cruise ship community and meeting the diverse needs of seafarers.

Seafarers Centers Supporting Cruise Ship Crew

Seafarers centers have always played an important role in supporting international cruise ship workers and, all crew members who are away from their families and friends for extended periods. 

These centers provide various services, including short-term accommodation, communication facilities, recreational opportunities, and medical care. The aim of seafarers’ centers is to support the well-being of cruise ship workers and offer a supportive community while they are away from home.

Port Tampa Bay is celebrating the opening of a new Seafarers Center Outpost at its Cruise Terminal 3, offering the thousands of crew members that visit the port each week a way of taking care of themselves for a change.

Tampa Bay Port, Terminal 3
Tampa Bay Port, Terminal 3 (Photo Credit: VIAVAL TOURS / Shutterstock)

The center provides free services, including transportation to other locations, medical and legal aid assistance, and a free clothes closet. The center also offers a small convenience store, recreational opportunities, and a place for workers to connect and socialize.

In addition to its new location at Cruise Terminal 3, the Seafarers Center sends and receives more than 26,000 packages each year and conducts around eight shopping trips per week for the crew members. 

The center is staffed by volunteers and receives over 10,000 visits annually, with cruise ship workers using the facilities for physical and social support. Many Seararers centers also offer mental and spiritual support, something that is becoming increasingly necessary as so many crew members battle being away from family and friends for up to nine months. 

The new center at Cruise Terminal 3 will be especially beneficial for cruise ship workers sailing from Port Tampa Bay, providing them with a supportive community and a “home away from home” while they are away from their families and friends.

Busy Year Ahead for Port Tampa Bay

Port Tampa Bay is expecting a busy year in 2023, with a total of 212 cruise ship calls from 12 cruise ships, after an already strong start of the Caribbean cruise season.

Cruise Ships in Tampa
Photo Courtesy: Port Tampa Bay

The cruise ships visiting the port in 2023 include Carnival Paradise, Brilliance Of The Seas, Serenade Of The Seas, Norwegian Dawn, Celebrity Constellation, Carnival Pride, Grandeur Of The Seas, Marella Discovery, Radiance Of The Seas, Norwegian Jade, and Enchantment Of The Seas.

The busy year ahead for Port Tampa Bay highlights the continued growth of the cruise industry and the importance of providing support and services to crew members. The Seafarers Center at Port Tampa Bay will play an important role in helping to meet the needs of these crew members. 

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Robert McGillivray
Robert McGillivray
Robert has been involved in the cruise industry since January 2007. He joined his first ship, the Seabourn Pride, in Miami Florida, and never looked back. Robert started his cruise career as a bar-waiter and worked his way up to being a corporate trainer for the same luxury 6-star cruise line. After a short break from ships in 2013, Robert has worked as a Hotel Director onboard several different cruise ships worldwide and even in Antarctica, and on the North Pole. As a writer for Cruise Hive Robert stays on top of all current developments and brings you breaking news, facts, and special reports. As an avid traveler and photographer, Robert has visited no less than 101 countries worldwide and stepped on to his 7th continent on his 30th birthday. His photos have been published by news media like Bloomberg and The New York Times, and are used by Celebrity and Azamara Cruise lines for their promotional materials. Robert currently resides in the Philippines on the tropical island of Panglao, with his wife and two daughters. Find out more about us here.

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