Maritime ports anticipating big cruise ship season this fall

There was a nip in the air on Thursday along the Sydney Waterfront and with it, hopes that the day’s cruise ship crowds might be a forerunner for a busy season.

"The hustle, the bustle. We're looking for the boost to the economy it gives the Island for sure”, said portside vendor Paulette Morrison. She said August brought fewer ships than normal despite the warm weather.

If hurricane season doesn't cause cancellations, the Port of Sydney is scheduled for a busy fall. There will be 25 days with two ships in port, a pair of days with three ships and four cruise ships in a single day on October 2.

"So we only have two days off, I think, between now and October 7, so it will be real crazy,” said Tracy Stubbert, another Sydney vendor.

It all adds up to a record total of 120 cruise ships, and a big economic boost, for 2024.

“So, about $68 million of direct and indirect spending on the Island for cruise season,” said Nicole MacAulay, manager of cruise for the Port of Sydney.

The Port of Halifax is set up for an even busier fall, with more than 130 ships on the schedule. Saint John is expecting to receive more than 70 ships, with nearly that many anticipated in Charlottetown.

“Our sales were actually stronger this year than last year. If people are going to be cruising and people are going to be traveling, then typically they understand that they're going to be spending money at the various ports they go to," said Marc Botte, who operates a shore excursion company for cruise visitors in Cape Breton.

The cruise industry in Sydney has more than doubled in the past decade.

"I remember back in 2016 we were at 60,000 passengers, and now we're approaching 200,000 and it's an incredible boon for the local economy”, Botte said.

The cruise season officially ends for Maritime ports of call when the last ship arrives in Saint John on November 4.