Third cruise quarter is here. 

The third quarter of the year has a similar projection for the number of cruise passengers as for the same period last year, going into what is traditionally a slow cruise period during hurricane season. 

According to the Port Authority's cruise schedule, there is a potential of 311,276 passengers for the period of June, July and August, if ships are full. 

This compares to the projection of 315,033 for the same period last year, which is just 3,757 shy of that figure, or just one per cent less. 

Last year, the third quarter was much slower than the previous year of 2006, following a considerable drop in cruise arrivals. 

The actual number of passengers coming here fell 26 per cent, or nearly 100,000 passengers in that quarter, from 377,931 in 2006 to 278,751 in 2007. 

The difference between the projections (if ships were full) on the schedule and the number of passengers that actually came here in 2006 was 1.23 per cent less than projected. In 2007 there was a bigger gap; 11.52 per cent less than projected. 

The busiest month of the third quarter this year is set to be September, according to the Port Authority's schedule, with an 111,340 passenger potential, if ships are full. 

Interestingly, September of 2007 was the slowest month of the third quarter. 

Read the full article over at cayCompass.com