The Port of Montreal’s cruise season officially starts in early May, but it isn’t until September and October that it really heats up, thanks to fall foliage seekers who are eager to view the palette of autumn colors along the Eastern Canada and New England coasts.
With the arrival of peak season, a slew of cruise ships will operate turnaround calls while others will visit for a day. Montreal is typically either the starting or ending point for Canada/New England cruises, which sail between the Canadian port and New York, Boston, and Baltimore.
Popular port calls include Quebec City; Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; Halifax and Sydney, Nova Scotia; and Bar Harbor and Portland, Maine, to name a few.
Among the well-known ships operating from Montreal through October are Viking’s 930-guest Viking Mars; Seabourn’s 458-guest Seabourn Quest; Ponant’s 244-guest Le Lyrial; Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ 750-guest Seven Seas Grandeur; and Oceania Cruises’ Nautica and Insignia, both with capacity for 670-guests.
Holland America Line’s Volendam is the largest ship seasonally based at Montreal in 2024, with 1,432 guests. The ship is sailing 7, 10-, and 11-day cruises between Montreal and Boston.
Her current 11-day voyage departing September 10, 2024 from Boston features calls at Portland, Maine; Saint John, New Brunswick; Halifax, Nova Scotia; Corner Brook, Newfoundland; Prince Edward Island; and Quebec City.
A few cruise lines will mark passenger milestones while their ships are operating from Montreal. Regent Seven Seas will welcome its 25,000th passenger when Seven Seas Grandeur visits on September 19; Viking will board its 30,000th guests when Viking Neptune calls on September 27; and Oceania Cruises will see its 40,000th guest when Nautica visits on October 6.
Several ships will make their inaugural visits to Montreal in 2024, including Rivages du Monde’s World Explorer, Le Lyrial, Seven Seas Grandeur, Nautica, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ Borealis, and Azamara’s Azamara Journey.
Read Also: How Many Cruise Ships Are There?
From May to August 2024, the port received 20,000-plus cruise arrivals onboard 13 ships. The season opened on May 4, 2024 with Volendam’s first turnaround voyage.
“Montreal stands out as not only a leading tourist destination but as a modern port of call for cruise ships committed to the future. We’re proud of our top-notch facilities, and we promise to continually improve our offering as we safeguard our environment with notably shore power connections for ships,” said Julie Gascon, president and CEO of the Port of Montreal.
While port officials are pleased with the facility’s busy season, the number of ship calls in 2024 is not on track to break any records. In 2023, the Port of Montreal welcomed 50 ships and more than 50,000 cruise arrivals. That year did break records and reflected a 33% spike in cruise volume versus 2022.
Port a Leader in Environmental Policy
The Port of Montreal in 2023 unveiled an ambitious 5-year investment plan, estimated at $335 million, to upgrade facilities and port infrastructure, and continue its plans to decarbonize. The port already is a leader in shoreside connectivity, which reduces emissions from docked cruise ships.
The port in 2017 completed its first plug-in shoreside power connectivity following the construction of an electrical substation. It was Holland America Line’s Veendam that was the first ship to connect to the power source.
The port recently received its Green Marine certification, a voluntary program that recognizes efforts for responsible environmental policies. Montreal earned a perfect score in the categories of Environmental Leadership, Waste Management, Dry Bulk Handling and Storage, Spill Prevention and Stormwater Management, and Community Relations. Also, it ranked 4 out of 5 in the Air Emissions and Air Pollutant category.
