RI General Assembly Allows Newport to Raise Cruise Ship Passenger Fees to $20

RI General Assembly Allows Newport to Raise Cruise Ship Passenger Fees to $20

In the sprint to the finish at the Rhode Island Island General Assembly, lawmakers allowed the City of Newport the ability to raise cruise ship passenger fees over 230%.

The cruise ship fees bill (2024-S 3021A, 2024-H 8027A) authorizes the city to raise the landing and boarding fees it collects from cruise ships that stop by the city. 

Currently, the city collects $3 for each passenger when a ship lands, and again when it embarks from the city. 

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The legislation enables the city to raise that fee to $10, for a total of $20 for each passenger when cruise ships visit. The fee has not been raised since 2014.

As GoLocal reported in 2023, “Over 60 Cruise Ships Coming to Newport This Year, and Economic Impact is in the Millions.”

By Discover Newport’s count, 117,071 cruise passengers stopped in Newport last year.

Increase in Focus 

“Cruise ships bring many thousands of visitors into our city, but since they aren’t staying in our hotels, and many, if not most, aren’t dining in our restaurants, landing and docking fees are essentially the only direct avenue the city has to benefit financially when cruise ships visit. Especially at a time when we need to make substantial investments in some of the infrastructure that keeps our shoreline intact and enables cruise passengers to visit, the city should be able to bring these fees in line with those of similar destinations,” said Senator Euer (D-Dist. 13, Newport, Jamestown).

Newport Mayor Xay Khamsyvoravong testified during legislative hearings that the city plans to raise the fee gradually over the course of several years, beginning in 18 months, and that $10 would be competitive with other ports in the region.

He said the funds would be used to cover the debt service on the bond for infrastructure upgrades at Perrotti Park, which is where passengers from large cruise ships arrive in Newport.