By Kristin O'Meara Hillmann   NEW YORK -- When Norwegian Cruise Lines’ Norwegian Dawn began homeporting in the Big Apple during the winters, the ship practically had the New York Cruise Terminal to itself.   But with MSC Cruises entering the market in 2007, NCL is about to get some company in the Big Apple. In fact, by the time winter 2006-07 rolls around, four ships will schedule regular winter calls here, making Manhattan’s west side terminal a little more crowded. Andy Stuart, NCL’s executive vice president of marketing, sales and passenger services, said it’s satisfying to see success come from what some considered a wild idea. Before the Dawn’s year-round stationing here, Stuart said, “We were inundated with travel agents telling us that we should leave [the Dawn] here year-round, and it certainly did seem out of left field at first.” The line has tinkered with itineraries regularly since the Dawn came to stay in 2003. But after hearing many anecdotal reports from agents and district sales managers about high repeat-passenger rates, NCL decided it was time to bring in the Norwegian Spirit to meet demand for added variety. Holland America Line will add to the winter mix starting early next year with the Noordam, which will cruise from New York exclusively during the winter months. And following NCL’s lead, in April 2007 MSC Cruises will bring the Lirica into the market year-round. Rick Sasso, the line’s U.S. CEO, said the market is by no means too crowded to support a third year-round cruise ship-in-residence. “There are 70 million people living within a five-hour drive of Manhattan, and the Northeast is the strongest cruise market in the world. It just makes perfect sense,” Sasso said. Sasso acknowledged that there’s ample competition in New York but said the industry has “always shown that the market grows proportionately, so we’re never afraid of size of a market in terms of [bringing in new] ships.” Stuart didn’t rule out the possibility of even more NCL ships joining the year-round club in New York. “It’s a tremendously important market. We’re always looking at New York and how to expand that market,” he said. NYC: The more, the merrier More is better, according to Kate Ascher, vice president of the New York City Economic Development Corp. (EDC), which manages ports, including construction and upgrades. Ascher said there is still plenty of capacity for newcomers, and the latest additions to New York’s year-round roster demonstrate the strength of the drive market in the metro area. “The lines are seeing that they can fill their ships, and wintertime cruising is just great for us,” Ascher said. In 2004, nearly 900,000 passengers came through the New York Cruise Terminal on the west side of Manhattan, up from an average of 400,000 in the 1990s. Volume is forecast to increase to 1.5 million passengers by 2017. As a $200 million pier construction project continues, ships will shift from Pier 88 and 90 to alternative berths at the new Brooklyn facility, and the biggest challenge is “getting their itineraries right so they all fit together,” she said. “Construction on Pier 88 on the West Side is just getting under way, which we hope to have ready by the summer of 2007,” she said. Pier 90 will be renovated subsequently, and the entire program is scheduled to finish by 2009, she said. To finance that initiative, Carnival and NCL in 2004 agreed to bring in $200 million in port charges from 13 million people through 2017 in return for upgraded port facilities. In return, the city promised each line preferential berths on specific piers and offered fee reductions.  Full up in Florida As cruise lines continue to add capacity, lines seeking U.S. homeports will likely be forced to migrate up the East Coast. One important reason: Warm-weather facilities in Fort Lauderdale are almost fully booked. When asked if there was much extra berth space available, Ellen Kennedy, Port Everglades manager of corporate and community relations, chortled. “Extra? In the winter? I have to laugh,” Kennedy said. Only a few berths remain available on winter weekdays, she said, but prime turnaround weekend days are booked solid. She added, “This is just standard winter operating procedure.” New York-area agents said the newly added ships are just more good news in a market that has experienced a cruise boom in recent years. Agents say the convenience and cost savings of New York departures are so compelling that repeat passengers now cruise more often, and those who generally take land-based vacations are willing cruise converts. Simply put, there’s less “schlepping,” said Marcy Hamed, owner of American Discount Cruises in Old Bridge, N.J. In her clients’ eyes, having the cruise experience in their backyard is a major advantage because “the vacation starts right away.” Hamed said her clients tend to cruise more frequently in the winter rather than take land-based or all-inclusive vacations “because of the opportunity to hop on a ship in New York and not have to fly out, or worry about traveling to the airport.” Michael Berman, co-owner of Moment’s Notice in Moonachie, N.J., said, “A lot of people want to travel from their home city. It’s always easier, and they can save on air.” Cruises that depart from New York save clients an average of $150 on one-way air they might ordinarily pay to get to a Florida-based cruise, which is “definitely a big advantage” on a seven-day cruise that costs about $700 or $800 per person, Berman said. For travelers who drive from outside of the New York area to depart on a cruise, the option to start or end a trip with a stay in the Big Apple is viewed as another benefit, Berman said. Before HAL decided to debut the 1,800-passenger Noordam in New York this February, the line did a “significant” amount of research on the market and found it ideal, said Rick Meadows, HAL’s senior vice president of sales and marketing. “The overall feeling is very good,” Meadows said about advance bookings. “It’s a very large population, and I think there’s enough room for everyone,” he added. CLICK HERE to see all the cruises scheduled to sail from New York / New Jersey