At the harbor renowned for its infamous tea party, Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) officials gathered to celebrate Boston’s historic cruise season, in which over 480,000 passengers arrived at Flynn Cruiseport Boston in 2024.
The passenger count – a 29 percent increase over 2023 – occurred across 167 cruise ships calling in Boston during its season, representing another uptick of 12 percent over the previous year.
“The significant increase in the number of passengers using Flynn Cruiseport Boston has been a boom to our tourism industry, an economic surge for the region, and a catalyst for increasing jobs,” said Monica Tibbits-Nutt, Transportation Secretary and CEO.
“The more activity we see at the Cruiseport, the more our economy grows, the more local businesses profit, and the more we expand connections to other countries worldwide,” she continued.
The capital city launched its season on March 29, 2024, with Norwegian Cruise Line’s 3,200-guest Norwegian Gem offering 7-day roundtrip voyages from Boston to Bermuda, and welcoming its first port call on April 25, 2024, when Holland America Line’s 1,432-guest Volendam made her first appearance.
Holland America’s Zuiderdam, carrying nearly 2,000 passengers, closed out the season on November 9, 2024, departing from Boston to Fort Lauderdale to reposition to the Caribbean for winter.
Read Also: Boston Cruise Port – Getting There, Piers, Terminals and More
During the 2024 season, Boston welcomed 13 maiden voyages and itineraries from 24 cruise lines, including cruises to the Caribbean, Central America, Iceland, and Greenland.
Its biggest draw, however, was its Canadian and New England sailings, which accounted for 64 percent of 2024’s passengers. Flynn Cruiseport Boston also hosted 12 three-ship days.
“Cruise passengers are essential to the strength of our visitor economy, contributing significantly to local spending during the summer and extending into our shoulder seasons,” said Martha J. Sheridan, Meet Boston president and CEO.
The city is poised to have another strong season in the coming years, with Norwegian Cruise Line announcing it will bring back Norwegian Gem for one more year in 2025 before replacing it with an even bigger ship in 2026.
The cruise line will make Flynn Cruiseport Boston the homeport for the 4,500-passenger, 145,655-gross-ton Norwegian Breakaway in 2026, which will be the port’s largest ship to-date.
The 2025 season will kick off on April 11 when Norwegian Jewel resumes the cruise line’s itineraries to Bermuda. Its first calls will begin in May, starting with Viking Ocean’s May 13 visit from Viking Neptune.
Investment to Drive Sustainability
Massport also marked the celebration by announcing a $100-million investment in the Cruiseport, including $60 million dedicated to installing shore power technology to reduce cruise ship emissions and improve air quality in the South Boston Seaport.
“I am extremely happy that Massport will be investing $60 million to install ‘ship-to-shore’ electrical power so that cruise ships will not have to keep their diesel engines running while they are at berth in the South Boston Seaport,” said Congressman Stephen Lynch of Massachusetts 8th District.
The investment in shore power will “reinforce Boston’s position as a leader in sustainable maritime practices,” added Massport CEO Rich Davey.
The $60-million initiative will enable ships to plug into landside electricity while docked at the port. The technology is expected to be operational by 2029 and is projected to cut nitrogen oxide emissions by 93 percent and carbon dioxide by 65 percent.
Currently, nearly 80 percent of cruise ships visiting Boston have the capability to connect to shore power.
Beyond environmental upgrades, Flynn Cruiseport Boston will undergo infrastructure improvements to handle the increased passenger numbers and larger vessels.
Upgrades include a new Passenger Boarding Bridge, pier enhancements, additional escalators, and expanded seating in passenger boarding areas.
