Twenty-five years ago, bad weather diverted a cruise ship into Saint John, marking the birth of the port city’s cruise ship industry.
Thursday also marked the beginning of the cruise ship season with the arrival of the Carnival Glory, and local vendors and passengers couldn’t be happier.
“It was the best experience I ever had getting off a ship,” says cruise ship passenger Sandra Fryman, who is visiting from Kentucky. “They greeted us with flowers and everybody was so welcoming.”
This year, 63 ships will stop in Saint John, which is down from 75 last year.
Disney Cruise Lines will not be docking in Saint John this year, resulting in the decrease. However, other areas of the port have been busier due to an increase in cargo and container ships.
Sydney and Prince Edward Island are both seeing an increase in ships this year and the Port of Halifax is on par with numbers from 2012.
Many Maritime communities are trying to attract more cruise ships to their harbours but Betty MacMillan of the Canada Cruise Association says they’re not in competition.
“We work together. We’re not really in competition,” she says. “When a line comes to the region, it’s good for everyone.”
The cruise lines plan their itineraries well in advance and the Port of Saint John is already seeing bigger numbers for 2015.
“Next year would be a challenging year for us but we already know that 2015 will be a bounce-back year for us,” says Jim Quinn, the CEO of Port Saint John.
The Carnival Glory has left Saint John and will spend Friday in Halifax before setting sail for Boston.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Mike Cameron
