SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - San Diego businesses near the cruise terminal are excited for a newly extended partnership between Disney Cruises and the Port of San Diego that will double the number of cruises sailing out of the port and bring a massive boost in foot traffic.
On Friday, passengers anxiously awaited their turn to get onto their Disney cruise. A ship in port means more business for places like Mike Hess Brewing, located just down the boardwalk in Seaport Village. On cruise days, the brewery usually has lines out the door.
"100% feel it every single time there's a cruise ship in port. We call it getting cruise shipped," said Kai Gehlsen, the director of tasting room oprations for Mike Hess Brewing.
For the brewery and other businesses near the water, more cruises mean more customers.
"It's more guests who've never heard of Mike's Brewing to come in and try our beers, try our tacos, and become new fans," said Gehlsen.
The excitement follows a new agreement between the Disney cruise line and the Port of San Diego that runs through at least 2031. The deal will roughly double the number of Disney cruises out of San Diego each year, allowing for more seasonal itineraries and more frequent departures to destinations including Cabo, Catalina Island, and Puerto Vallarta.
More than a million Disney passengers are expected to pass through the port during the course of the agreement. It marks the first time in more than 20 years that a cruise line has offered a minimum annual guarantee at the port.
Having a ship homeported in San Diego creates an approximate $2 million boost in the local economy, according to the port. In fiscal year 2023, the port’s cruise industry injected $184 million into the county’s economy.
Local businesses are eager for the increase in passengers to begin.
"100%… bring them on!" said Gehlsen of Mike Hess Brewing.
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