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.

Read Also: I Cruised Eastern Canada on Holland America: Here’s What I Loved Best

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.

December 10, 2024, turned out to be an extraordinary day for the Caribbean Island of St. Lucia.

The nation witnessed the arrival of five cruise ships at two different ports, collectively bringing over 8,000 passengers to St. Lucia – a record one-day high.

The bustling activity saw Oceania Cruises’ 30,277-gross-ton Insignia, Silversea’s 28,258-gross-ton Silver Shadow, Celebrity Cruises’ 91,000-gross-ton Celebrity Summit, and Royal Caribbean’s 137,308-gross-ton Explorer of the Seas calling at Port Castries, the island’s largest port near the capital city of Castries.

The ships carry 10,461 passengers and crew combined.

Meanwhile, the smaller, adult-only Le Champlain, which is just shy of 10,000 gross tons and carries 184 guests, docked at the Port of Soufriere, located on the west coast of the island near the iconic Pitons.

“We are very excited to welcome five vessels to our shores!” said the Government of Saint Lucia on its social media channels. “Silver Shadow, Celebrity Summit, Explorer of the Seas, Insignia, and Le Champlain – we wish all passengers and crew a day filled with adventure!”

Saint Lucia Cruise Port’s winter season, which runs from October through April, officially kicked off on October 10, 2024, with the arrivals of the 4,485-passenger Celebrity Summit and Royal Caribbean’s 1,756-guest Rhapsody of the Seas.

Read Also: St. Lucia Cruise Port – Piers, Getting Around and What’s Nearby

The island anticipates 459 cruise calls by the season’s end – nearly double its 264 calls during its 2023-24 season, which brought 614,980 passengers.

Projections suggest this season’s numbers could surpass the 2019 record of 789,176, potentially reaching over 823,132 visitors, including those to the island’s third port, Pigeon Island, on the northwest coast near Gros Islet.

Local media reports island workforce, including taxi drivers, tour guides, and hospitality workers, has experienced a surge in employment opportunities due to the increasing number of cruise calls.

“We are looking forward to a busy and exciting cruise season with a positive outlook for our company and community,” said Lancelot Arnold, general manager of Saint Lucia Cruise Port.

Growth and Expansion on the Horizon

St. Lucia’s rapid growth has spurred upcoming enhancements to its port facilities at Port Castries, which includes the two-berth Pointe Seraphine Cruise Port Terminal and the smaller La Place Carenage Cruise Port Terminal.

Initiated by Global Ports Holding (GPH), which took over port operations in early 2024, and in collaboration with the St. Lucia Air and Seaports Authority, the project will revamp both Port Castries and the Soufriere waterfront at the tune of $135 million.

Work includes the addition of a new cruise berth as well as the expansion of existing berths to accommodate larger cruise ships at Pointe Seraphine, which will contribute to more record-breaking passenger arrivals.

La Place’s terminal will also add two berths and create a new boardwalk to provide easy access to town, which is 20 minutes away.

Additionally, the Vendor’s Arcade in Castries will receive a facelift as the project transforms the retail experience for guests. A new Fisherman’s Village is also planned for Banannes Bay in Castries to offer new spaces for local vendors and artisans.

In Soufriere, development projects include the construction of a new amphitheater and food and beverage areas.

Although GBH did not release a timeline on the project, it expects the improvements will help the port welcome more than 1 million cruise passengers annually when it is complete.

Visiting the Greek islands in the Aegean Sea is often a dream come true for cruise ship passengers, and it appears those dreams broke records on the island of Mykonos in 2024.

In its 2024 season, Mykonos saw 768 cruise ship arrivals, bringing over 1.29 million passengers to its shores. The milestone marks an increase from 2023, which recorded 749 ship arrivals and 1.19 million passengers.

Athanasios Kousathanas Megas, president of the Mykonos Port Fund, attributed the success to the port’s strategic planning and collaboration.

“These impressive results showcase the continuous development of Mykonos as a top-tier destination and reflect the effective strategy of the Municipality and Port Fund in managing arrivals and improving services,” he said. 

Mykonos’ cruising season typically falls between May and September but saw ships making calls earlier in the year and arriving well after its peak.

Its first visit of the year took place on January 2, when Costa Cruise’s Costa Deliziosa arrived with 2,500 guests, kicking off operations for what island officials anticipated early would be its best season to date.

The last ship to call on the island was Princess Cruises’ 2,200-passenger Island Princess, which arrived on November 25, 2024, during a Grand Adventure voyage in the Mediterranean.

The record-breaking season reflects the island’s ongoing investment, which includes the addition of four new tender berths near the Archaeological Museum, upgrades to its port facilities, and efforts to balance ship arrivals to ease pressure on the island’s infrastructure.

“These interventions are not just technical improvements, but strategic choices that combine the upgrading of the passenger experience with the protection of the natural environment, ensuring the sustainability of the destination the long term,” said Megas.

He added, “Mykonos is more than a Greek destination. It is a global destination. Its visitors do not come only for the natural beauties and the cosmopolitan atmosphere, but also to get to know its authentic identity.”

Cruise Growth Spurs New Tax

Mykonos won’t have much time in rest on its record-breaking year. In 2025, the season has officially been extended to run from February through December, with its first arrival slated to take place on February 15.

That first vessel will be Viking Oceans’ 930-passenger Viking Star, which will return in March, along with Celestyal Cruises.

By April, Crystal Cruises, Marella Cruises, Windstar Cruises, Princess Cruises, MSC Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Silversea, Celebrity Cruises, and Explora Journeys all arrive to the island of just under 11,000 residents.

However, the growing number of passenger arrivals is stirring debate. Greece’s prime minister notes islands are “suffering” from excessive tourism and is considering limiting cruise ships.

As visitor numbers continue to climb, Greece recently approved a new cruise passenger tax in an effort to offset the strain on local infrastructure and services.

Beginning in 2025, passengers disembarking in Mykonos and Santorini, another extremely popular island call, will incur a fee of €20, while those visiting other destinations like Rhodes, Corfu, and Crete will be charged €5.

Megas recognizes the island’s growth needs to be sustainable and said, “We continue to support the need for a balanced increase in passenger fees, along with the planning of new interventions that will further improve the experience of our passengers.”

The Mykonos Port Fund will continue to invest in infrastructure projects to help decongest the port, as well as those that help support the island, such as a new water recycling system at the port that will help reduce water consumption.