By
Elly Yates-Roberts |
The Cruise Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (Cruise NL) expects to host a record-breaking number of cruise passengers and ship calls in 2019, following a solid cruise season in 2018.
This year, 21 Cruise NL ports welcomed 87 port calls by 30 ships from 23 cruise operators. In total, there were 70,541 visitors in 2018, and despite this slight reduction from 2017 due to cancellations and itinerary changes, it has increased by 29% from 2016. Cruise-related spending had a direct economic benefit for the province of around US$7.2 million.
“Newfoundland and Labrador has a lot to offer in terms of port variety and diverse visitor experiences,” said Nora Fever, chair of Cruise NL. “We are pleased that over 20 ports around the province had cruise ship visits in 2018 and there are visits booked at over 20 ports for the 2019 season.”
Many of the vessels cruising to Newfoundland and Labrador will also visit Saint Pierre-et-Miquelon, a partner of Cruise NL. Saint Pierre-et-Miquelon is also projecting a record-breaking 2019 season with an estimated 15,000 passengers on 14 port calls, increasing from 3,900 passengers in 2018.
The increase in cruise activity is down to new cruise lines stopping in the area, as well as many cruise lines returning to the province, including AIDA Cruises, Holland America Line and Princess Cruises.
“Because of our geographic location, Newfoundland and Labrador ports are included on various types of cruises including Transatlantic voyages and Canada New England itineraries,” said Fever. “In addition to the large ships we are pleased to have companies like Adventure Canada, One Ocean Expeditions and Silversea continuing to deliver expedition and niche cruises in the region. We are delighted to see that companies like Scenic Cruises and MSC Cruises will introduce new cruise programs featuring calls to the province in 2019.”