By
Rebecca Gibson |
The Port of Prince Rupert in British Columbia is to welcome 25 ships and 17,000 passengers in 2017 in its biggest cruise season since 2011.
2017 marks the second consecutive year that the number of cruise ship passengers visiting Prince Rupert has doubled, up from 7,264 in 2016 and 3,626 in 2015.
“In addition to the increased number of vessels and guests Prince Rupert will see this year, we’re also excited that 20 of those vessels are participating in our shore excursion programme and are taking full advantage of the unique tours and activities of our destination,” said Don Krusel, president and CEO of the Prince Rupert Port Authority. “It’s great to see cruise lines including Prince Rupert on their Alaskan itineraries for the first time, and the return of lines that we’ve had the pleasure of hosting in the past.”
Several cruise lines will return to Prince Rupert this year, including Oceania Cruises’ Oceania Regatta, which will make seven calls this season. Norwegian Cruise Line will also come back to Prince Rupert for the first time since 2011, and Seabourn Cruise Line will include calls at the port on six Seabourn Sojourn itineraries when it returns to Alaska for the first time in 15 years.
In addition, Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Seven Seas Mariner will make two visits, Crystal Cruises will call three times, and Ponant’s 264-passenger Le Boreal will make one of the last calls of the season in September.
“The partnership between Tourism Prince Rupert, the Prince Rupert Port Authority and the local business community has been a major contributing factor to the recent growth and success of this important tourism sector,” said Scott Farwell, chair of Tourism Prince Rupert. “The development of highly rated tour offerings, capable of accommodating a majority of the guests disembarking these vessels, is critical to creating a sustainable tourism sector. The work on behalf of the Port Authority to incentivise cruise lines to explore the potential of our community as a viable and desirable cruise destination is commendable and we look forward to working together on this front for years to come.”