Construction begins this week on two new bay tour facilities at the Port of San Diego.
Two port tenants, Flagship Cruises & Events and Hornblower Cruises & Events, are relocating to new facilities, primarily to minimize conflicts with cruise ship operations.
Waterside improvements for both bay tour operators are anticipated to be completed in April, according to the port, with utility improvements to be completed in June.
Landside improvements, including new ticket kiosks and a sundries kiosk, are expected to be completed in 2013.
Flagship Cruises & Events, which currently operates at 1050 North Harbor Drive, is developing a new facility at 900 North Harbor Drive that’s expected to have 8,000 square feet of floats and gangways, as well as shoreside power, allowing the company’s fleet to plug into clean electricity.
At the same time, Hornblower Cruises and Events, now at 1066 North Harbor Drive, is building a gangway and dock along 400 feet of Navy Pier, located at 910 North Harbor Drive, to service bay tours, whale watching and public dining cruises.
Hornblower is also adding about 6,000 square feet of floating docks adjacent to the Grape Street Pier 3, located off of the foot of Grape Street and North Harbor Drive.
Construction fencing for the project is expected to be put up between Navy Pier and Broadway Pier on Jan. 27, according to the port.