Port of Saint John marks record visit with Oasis of the Seas
Tuesday was a record setting day in the Saint John Harbour.
“Oasis of the Seas from Royal Caribbean came in last June with 5,032 passengers,” said Natalie Allaby, Port Saint John cruise development manager.
“This year she came in with a 5,931 passenger count. It is our single biggest cruise ship day in port history today and we’re thrilled.”
A total of 8,000 people, including crew members, were on board the world’s fourth largest cruise vessel as it made its way into Saint John for a one-day stop, nearly doubling the population of the uptown core for the day.
“To see a ship of this size coming in this full outside of our peak season… is just a testament to the cruise lines believing in what we have to offer for tourism product in our beautiful part of the world,” said Allaby.
The ship docked at the Saint John Port at 7:00 a.m. Tuesday, and is set to depart at 6:45 p.m. due to the Bay of Fundy’s tide cycle. Thankfully, during the near 12 hours of being docked, passengers were treated to beautiful weather.
“Nice historical city,” said passenger Amy Powlenko. “It’s been lovely walking around; the weather is beautiful, the architecture is beautiful.”
“I love the people and I love the environment,” said another passenger from South Africa. “Everything is cool and the food is good.”
A busy day in the city centre also provided a welcomed increase of traffic for local business owners. Pristine co-owner Matt Shields said he was pleased to see some life uptown, especially given the uncertainty of the past few years.
“When hospitality does better, retail does better,” says Shields. “There is this really nice spillover effect and in the uptown community we all sort of know each other and talk, so everyone is really happy to see a full strength tourist season again.”
Allaby notes September and October are the busiest months for cruise ships in Saint John.
“To have a ship of this size in this early in the season, it’s just great to give that extra boost to kick off the season,” Allaby said. “Then they will have their regular summer tourism season, and then they will get that nice cruise tourism boost in the fall. It just makes for a nice long spending season.”
Port Saint John officials say the cruise industry accounts for over $68 million for the city’s economy each year.
The Oasis of the Seas vessel is the third ship to dock in Saint John in 2023. A total of 86 calls to the port are scheduled to be made by the end of the season.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Made-in-Newfoundland vodka claims top prize at worldwide competition
A Newfoundland-made vodka has been named one of the world’s best by judges at this year’s World Vodka Awards.