NEW ORLEANS -- It's a good time to cruise New Orleans, with three cruise ships making the city their new homeport this month.
Royal Caribbean Cruise Line is returning to the city for the first time since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
It's more than 3100 passenger ship "Voyager of the Seas" docks at the port's Julia Street ship terminal this weekend.
The "Voyager" joins Carnival Cruise Lines' 2100 passenger "Elation," which sailed out of the Erato Street terminal for the first time last weekend.
Port of New Orleans CEO Gary LaGrange said the new ships increase the passenger capacity in the city from 5,500 to 11,000 per week.
"$228 million a year is the economic impact right now," said LaGrange. "That's going to more than double with the two new ships arriving this weekend."
Carnival is also bringing its 3000 passenger "Conquest" back to New Orleans, where it made its maiden voyage in 2002.
All three new ships plan to sail out of the city year-round.
The city is now on pace to attract more than a million cruise ship passengers in 2012.
"The average passenger on our cruise ship spends almost two nights, 1.9 nights per passenger in the city," said LaGrange. "They spend about $335 a day compared to $95 a day at other ports."
Riverwalk Mall manager Frank Quinn hopes the new ships will help revive the shopping center on the New Orleans riverfront.
In recent years, the Riverwalk has struggled to attract shoppers and lost many of its anchor stores.
"I think it's an incredible opportunity for us," said Quinn. "The Julia Street cruise terminal, which hasn't been in use since 2004, that's going to be reopened this Saturday. It's directly below our food court. You're going to have thousands of passengers coming on and off the ship each Saturday and Sunday."
The three new ships join Norwegian Cruise Lines' "Norwegian Spirit," which is currently sailing seven-day cruises to the western Caribbean from New Orleans.
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