Cruising to success

Ships bring $82.4-million to the region

Cruise ships ranging in size from 100 to 3,500 passengers are bellying up to berth in Halifax, Saint John, Sydney, Charlottetown, Corner Brook and St. John’s. Even smaller ports like St. Andrews and Pictou are getting a slice of the sail.

In 2011, Atlantic Canada had 360 ship calls, 593,395 passengers and an additional 236,570 crew. This translates to $82.4 million in economic impact for the region.

Halifax gets the captain’s share of the action, thanks to the fact that it has one of the largest natural harbours in the world, has the deepest berths on the eastern seaboard and offers more than 2,000 feet (611 metres) of continuous berth space.

The season got off to a good start the second week of April with cruise ships drawing into port for Titanic commemorations.

Cathy McGrail, manager of cruise development for the Port of Halifax, expects between 235,000 and 245,000 passengers this year. She adds, “In June, Disney Magic will make an inaugural visit – the first of nine stops. Disney Cruise Line chooses itineraries from destinations worldwide so this is a major coup.”

Other vessels making inaugural visits include Quest for Adventure. The big deal here is that the ship will make two turnaround calls. This means that passengers begin and end their cruise in Halifax. By so doing, they’ll likely tack on time before or after their cruise to visit the region, putting more money into tourism coffers.

Lynn Ledwidge, director of marketing for Destination Halifax, adds that getting Halifax recognized as a “home port” with this turnaround capacity is hugely important. Although the expectation is not to compete with big guns like New York or London, there is huge potential to grow the home port market in Atlantic Canada, especially when the French islands of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon are included in the mix.

Ledwidge says, “We are geographically blessed to have France so close, as there’s a section under Canadian coastal shipping legislation that requires foreign flagships to call on an international port of call in a Canadian itinerary. So adding a touch of France to an Atlantic Canadian cruise makes it both legal and interesting.”

By Sandra Phinney