Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Port Finance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Port of Milwaukee says 2025 cruise passenger tariff will be $11; staff outline comparisons and 2026 growth tied to new terminal
Summary
Port staff told the Public Works Committee the 2025 per‑passenger tariff is $11, presented historical increases and compared Milwaukee’s fee to peer Great Lakes ports. Staff said passenger counts dip in 2025 due to lines repositioning but forecast a large increase in 2026 tied to returning lines and a new terminal.
Port of Milwaukee Director Jackie Cuicardo and Trade Development Representative Corey Garceau briefed the Public Works Committee on Feb. 20 about the port’s passenger tariff and near‑term cruise projections.
“The 2025 tariff is $11,” Corey Garceau told the committee, describing the charge as a per‑head fee collected for each passenger who debarks or embarks during turnaround visits. Garceau traced the port’s rate from $7.50 in 2019, noting smaller increases through 2022 and a $2 jump to $10 in 2024 before the 2025 increase to $11.
Garceau said the per‑passenger fee accounted for about 31% of total cruise revenue for turnaround visits and 77% for transit visits. He provided comparables for 2025: Duluth at $12.50 and Toronto at about $10.56 (U.S. dollars). Garceau noted some large ocean ports such as Miami charge higher fees but also have much larger infrastructure needs.
On volumes, port staff presented recent and projected passenger counts: about 13,568 passengers in 2024, an expected decline to 11,137 for 2025 due to some lines reducing Great Lakes service, and a projected rise to roughly 18,004 in 2026 because some lines (including Victory Cruise Lines) plan expanded Great Lakes itineraries and a new cruise terminal opening in 2026.
Cuicardo told aldermen that the tariff and other port fees are reviewed annually and are approved at the Board of Harbor Commissioners level before inclusion in the city budget. Committee members asked whether the 2025 tariff adequately anticipates the added service and facilities when the new terminal opens in 2026; staff said the tariff is reviewed annually and adjustments can be proposed in future budget cycles.
