Catalina Island will lose millions of dollars in tourist revenue if a new high-seas anti-gambling law scares away cruise ships that drop anchor in Avalon Harbor each week, city officials say.
In addition, Avalon faces the loss of $100,000 in annual wharfage fees paid to the city by the cruise lines. The money is used to help finance the community's tiny hospital and health care services, according to City Manager Chuck Prince.
Although shipboard gambling in state waters has been outlawed for years, law enforcement officials haven't bothered the two cruise ships that routinely stop in Avalon during cruises from Los Angeles to Ensenada, Mexico. Both ships operate casinos as part of their entertainment package.
However, a new state law that goes into effect in January specifically outlaws gambling on any ship sailing from one California port to another. And that includes the cruise liners that drop anchor in Avalon Harbor every Tuesday and Saturday, law enforcement officials say.
"Cruise ships that operate gambling casinos on the way out to Catalina from Los Angeles are breaking the law," said David Puglia, a spokesman for California Attorney General Dan Lungren. Rather than give up their casino gambling profits, cruise line officials say they are considering bypassing Avalon entirely.
"Our alternatives are pretty straightforward: Don't gamble or don't go," said Rick Steck, spokesman for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, operators of the 1,500-passenger Viking Serenade. "Cutting out the Avalon stop is an option, but no decision has been made yet."
The Florida-based company isn't running "floating casinos," Steck said. "Gambling is just another activity on board."
He noted the Viking Serenade also offers movies, "feather and flesh shows," discos, Big Band music, specialty acts and midnight buffets.
On one three-day cruise, the ship leaves San Pedro on Friday evening, spends the night at sea and steams into Avalon Harbor early Saturday morning. Passengers spend the day there, then sail that night to Ensenada, spend Sunday there and come home, arriving early Monday morning.
"Gambling is a moneymaker for us, no question, but it's not the reason you take a cruise," Steck said. "You go to get away for a few days."
Norwegian Cruise Lines, owners of the Southward, an 850-passenger cruise ship operating the same route, had no comment.
