Cruise: Canada, Halifax, Saint John, Seattle

Halifax Welcomes First Vessel of the 2017 Cruise Season

The April 24 docking of Phoenix Reisen’s Amadea marked the beginning of what the Port of Halifax predicts will be its busiest cruise season ever.

Expected highlights:

• 173 vessel calls and approximately 274,000 cruise tourists

• Five inaugural calls

• More than 30 ship-to- shore power connections

• Four visits by Queen Mary 2

• One visit by Disney Magic

• October 3 - the busiest passenger day, with over 11,000 passengers plus crew expected

• September 14 - the only scheduled five-ship day
  

A complete vessel posting can be found on the Cruise Halifax website at http://cruisehalifax.ca/our-visitors/cruise-schedule/.

Amadea, Port Halifax’s first cruise ship visitor of 2017
Photo/Halifax Port Authority

Holland America’s Veendam Opens Port Saint John’s 2017 Cruise Season

The Holland America Line ship Veendam opened Port Saint John’s 29th cruise season on April 27. The ship and carrying approximately 1,200 guests arrived at the Marco Polo Cruise Terminal at 8 a.m. and departed that afternoon at five.

This season’s 64 scheduled cruise ship calls are expected to bring more than 144,000 guests and 58,000 crew to Saint John. Among the highlights:

• 1 inaugural call (Vision of the Seas on September 14)

• 12 double cruise ship days (September 5, 12, 13, 19, 20, 21 and 26; October 5, 10, 16, 18, and 19)

• 4 triple cruise ship days (September 27; October 4, 11, and 17)

• The return of Disney Cruise Line (September 30 and October 4)

• Four visits by Anthem of the Seas, the largest cruise ship to call Port Saint John to date

"Our Port Saint John, operations group, Meet & Greet volunteers and business development and marketing staff have been working in concert to ensure the guest and ship experience here exceeds expectations," said Jim Quinn, the port authority’s president & CEO. "We know that our industry and community partners are also gearing up to welcome the more than 200,000 guests and crew we are expecting this year. 

Holland America’s Veendam at Port Saint John’s Marco Polo Cruise Terminal on April 27
Photo/Port Saint John

Port of Seattle Anticipating Its Biggest Cruise Season Ever in 2017

The Port of Seattle is expecting 2017 will be its busiest cruise season ever with more than 1.0 million revenue passengers and 218 vessel calls.  

Data cited by the port indicate the Seattle cruise industry is responsible for over $500 million in economic impact to the region, providing more than 4,000 jobs and $18.9 million in state and local taxes, with each homeported vessel generating $2.7 million to the local economy.

"A record number of cruise passengers this season means local agriculture and food companies, among others across our region, benefit from these provisioning ships," said Port Commissioner Stephanie Bowman. "We are also inviting these passengers to stay longer and spend more time and money locally, which also boosts economic impact and job growth across our region and state."

To further these efforts, the port is introducing a complimentary cruise luggage valet that will give passengers time for sightseeing and spending money in Seattle. Debarking cruise passengers will be able to get their airline boarding pass and check their bags on board so they can check out Seattle before flying home. The program is still being finalized, but is expected to be up and running in the next several weeks.

Opening this year will be the renovated Pier 66 cruise facility homeport for Norwegian Cruise Line. The port predicts the 15-year lease will generate $2.3 billion in total business revenue for the region, nearly 900 jobs, and more than $65 million in state and local taxes.

For more information on Cruise Seattle and what it means to  the Puget Sound region, click here.

Cruise ship industry contributed C$3.2 billion to the Canadian economy in 2016

Cruise ships, together with their passengers and crew, make a significant annual contribution to the Canadian economy – and cruise industry spending is increasing at a healthy rate in all three of Canada’s major coastal cruise regions – British Columbia, Québec and Atlantic Canada.

Those are among the findings of a new study detailing the economic impact of the cruise industry in Canada – including everything from spending by cruise lines home-porting and making port calls; to on-shore spending by passengers and crew members and commissions paid to travel agents across the country.

The study was conducted by consultants commissioned by Cruise Lines International Association-North West & Canada (CLIA-NWC), the St. Lawrence Cruise Association, the Atlantic Canada Cruise Association and Cruise BC.
Its findings are based on data from 2016 with comparisons to 2012, the last time a comparable study was commissioned.

Total economic impact of C$3.2 billion – including direct and indirect spending – increased 34 percent since 2012, thanks to gains in cruise line, passenger and crew spending, along with increases in business taxes such as those on food, fuel and retail items, and a favorable Canadian exchange rate. Passenger visits increased by 9 percent between 2012 and 1916 and are expected to increase by 16 percent this year.

Other study highlights:

• Direct spending by cruise lines in Canada totaled C$933 million, including items such as goods and services necessary for cruise operations (food & beverages, fuel, vessel maintenance/repair, equipment & supplies), shore-side staffing, port fees and services, equipment, and advertising & promotion.

• Direct spending by cruise passengers – including lodging, tours and transportation, food and beverages, and retail – totaled just over half a billion dollars in 2016, a 12 percent increase since 2012.

• Passenger visits to all Canadian ports totaled 2.23 million in 2016, up 9.0 percent from the 2.05 million visits in 2012.

• Jobs generated by the industry in Canada – direct and indirect – is estimated at just over 23,000, paying just over C$1 billion in salaries and wages. Total employment generated by the cruise industry has increased 31 percent since 2012.

• Of the national total, British Columbia accounted for 66 percent of direct cruise industry spending; Quebec province for 15 percent and Atlantic Canada for 7 percent. Other provinces and territories benefited as recipients of spending on ship provisions, equipment, tourism, advertising and agent commissions.

"The study confirms that the international cruise industry is a major contributor to the Canadian economy, with ships generating millions of passenger visits and billions in spending every year," said Greg Wirtz, president & CEO, CLIA North West & Canada. "As cruising expands globally and passengers show more and more interest in Canada as a destination, Canada’s ports and tourism operators will need to keep pace to ensure Canada can realize the growth opportunity this industry presents."