Cruise ports across Atlantic Canada posted a banner year in 2024, surpassing predictions and setting new records for cruise ship and passenger arrivals.
Calling the cruise season exceptional, the Atlantic Canada Cruise Association (ACCA), pointed to a record 675-plus ship calls and 1 million-plus cruise guests during the April to November timeframe.
The numbers reflect a nearly 30% rise in cruise-tourism, with more than 25 cruise lines sending ships to the region.
The ACCA in spring 2024 had predicted the season would set new records, hosting more than 600 ships. It estimated that cruise guest arrivals would increase by about 10% during the season, which opened on April 6, 2024, with a visit from MSC Cruises’ MSC Poesia.
Atlantic Canada itineraries typically feature a combination of Canadian and New England ports, such as Portland and Bar Harbor, Maine, and Boston, with either Montreal or Quebec City as the turnaround destination in Canada.
The ACCA represents the ports of Halifax, in Nova Scotia’s capital city; Sydney, located on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia; Charlottetown, the capital of Prince Edward Island; Saint John, in New Brunswick; and Corner Brook, located on the west coast of Newfoundland.
“This year’s achievements underscore the dedication and teamwork of our ports, industry partners, regional stakeholders, and communities,” said Sarah Rumley, executive director of Atlantic Canada Cruise Association.
“Favourable weather, renowned hospitality, and one-of-a-kind experiences have been key to this success. As we celebrate these accomplishments, we remain committed to fostering a viable and responsible future for the cruise industry in Atlantic Canada,” added Rumley.
Several luxury cruise ships that called at one or more Atlantic Canada ports during the 2024 season included Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, Silversea Cruises’ Silver Shadow, Seabourn’s Seabourn Quest, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Seven Seas Grandeur.
Other major cruise lines had multiple ships regularly calling at ports in the region, such as Holland America Line’s Volendam and Zuiderdam; and Viking Ocean Cruises’ Viking Mars, Viking Star, and Viking Polaris.
Norwegian Cruise Line had a big presence in Atlantic Canada, with the deployments of Norwegian Star, Prima, Getaway, Pearl, Jade, and Gem.
The ports offer a mix of experiences for cruise guests, with shore excursions that focus on the region’s natural resources, history, and local culture and cuisine.
Seasonal Results Followed a Record-Setting 2023
The exceptional results from 2024 follow the gangbuster season of 2023, which showed a 23% hike in cruise ship visits compared to 2022, when the industry was still emerging from the pandemic suspension.
In 2023, individual ports smashed earlier records. In Sydney, the cruise port saw a whopping 74% spike in cruise passenger visits. The destination is the gateway to Cape Breton Island and has two piers that can accommodate large ships up to 1,184 feet long.
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Another port that did remarkably well in 2023 was Corner Brook, which recorded an arrivals increase of 58%. Corner Brook is famous as the home of Gros Morne National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Looking ahead, at least one cruise line has plans to expand operations in Atlantic Canada. Holland America Line in 2026 will offer 18 unique itineraries onboard Volendam and Zuiderdam, and add a 28-day Canada/New England/Iceland voyage that will depart on June 20, 2026 and call at seven ports in Iceland.
Both ships will return to the region for the 2025 season as well.
