Cruising in Montreal made a return this year on May 7 with the arrival of the first cruise ship in two years. What followed has been a very successful cruise season for the port, with more than 50,000 cruise passengers and crew visiting the city.
Montreal Cruise Port Ends Season on a High Note
The return of cruises to Montreal this year has proven successful for the cruise port. The city welcomed more than 50,000 visitors during the cruise season. The first ship, American Queen Voyages’ Ocean Navigator, arrived on May 7, and the season concluded with the departure of Oceania Cruises’ Insignia on October 31.
In total, 16 ships from 13 different companies made 45 visits during the 2022 season. These figures include 9 port calls and 36 embarkation and disembarkation operations.
Despite the pandemic-related health restrictions that marked the beginning of the season, the terminals welcomed 38,000 passengers and 13,000 crew members.
“After two years of absence, the cruise industry has made an encouraging return to Montréal. I would like to thank the cruise lines for their loyalty to the Port and to Montréal as a destination.“
“Our teams have worked tirelessly to provide passengers and crew with a quality experience in this challenging time of recovery. With facilities offering responsible cruise industry solutions, the Port of Montréal is well positioned for the future,” said Martin Imbeau, President and CEO of the Montréal Port Authority.
Four ships visited Montréal for the first time: Ponant’s Le Bellot and Le Dumont d’Urville, Vantage Cruise Line’s Ocean Explorer, and Ambassador Cruise Line’s Ambience. These last two cruise lines have already announced their return next year.
Sustainable Focus
The port has been focussed on a sustainable operation, offering ships the opportunity to connect to shore power when in port. This offers ships the chance to save on fuel costs and has the added benefit of significantly lowering the number of emissions in the city from cruise ships.
The sustainable operations in the cruise port go hand in hand with other initiatives from Tourisme Montréal, which endeavors to offer visitors an eco-responsible tourism experience, and has led to Montréal receiving first place in North America in the Global Destination Sustainability Index 2022, a world reference in sustainable tourism.
“It is with great satisfaction that we look back on this first post-pandemic cruise season. Montréal is a key destination on the St. Lawrence River.”
“Tourisme Montréal is pleased to be a partner in this important sector which contributes significantly to our city’s economy. We want to continue to position Montréal as a choice destination and hope that next year, even more tourists will have the chance to visit our wonderful city,” said Yves Lalumière, President and CEO of Tourisme Montréal.
Cruises on the St. Larence River and the Great Lakes are experiencing a considerable increase in interest. Next year, cruise ships from Seabourn Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Viking, Regent Seven Seas, Windstar, Oceania Cruises, and more will visit Montreal from May through October.
