'This is the beginning of the future': Saint John welcomes return of cruise ships
For the first time in more than 900 days, a cruise ship has docked in the Saint John Harbour.
The arrival of the Seven Seas Navigator on Thursday night marks the anticipated start of this year’s cruise season - and the return of an industry that the pandemic has kept grounded.
"The best way I could describe today would be euphoria," says Andrew Dixon, chief operating officer for the Port of Saint John.
"To see that ship sail in and berth, and know that this is the beginning of the future where we’re getting back to cruise – yeah, it’s fantastic."
The cruise season in Saint John includes 70 scheduled visits between now and early November.
Saint John mayor, Donna Reardon, says she feels confident and comfortable with cruise passengers arriving in the city.
"When I think about it, I’m going to walk down there and I’m going to see those cruise ships and experience that excitement and dynamic energy that they bring," says Reardon.
"I’m not going to show a passport, I’m not going to show anything about my vaccines - but every visitor that comes here has jumped through a lot of hoops to get to my sidewalk."
Cruise ship employees and passengers have to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to enter Canada, and passengers have to take a pre-embarkation COVID-19 test.
The captain of the Seven Seas Navigator says there is one case of the virus on board that involves a crew member, who we are told is asymptomatic and isolating.
However, he stresses that the pandemic precautions in place are very strict because they know how it can impact business.
"All of our crew as soon as they step outside of their cabin they need to wear the masks, then also we are doing daily measuring of the temperature, every time you go off and on the ship," says captain, Lukša Kristović.
"Still the crew and organization on board is much, much strict and higher than what we have on any country shoreside."
The Seven Seas Navigator has a passenger capacity of 490.
The first large cruise ship to arrive in Saint John will be on June 8 with the inaugural call of the Oasis of the Seas, which has a passenger capacity of 5,400.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Iran President Ebrahim Raisi found dead at helicopter crash site, state media says
Iranian president, the country’s foreign minister and others have been found dead at the site of a helicopter crash Monday after a search through a foggy, mountainous region of the country’s northwest.
The push to Parliament's summer hiatus is about to begin, here's what you need to know
When MPs file back in to the House of Commons on Tuesday, it will be for the final five-week parliamentary push before hitting the barbecue circuit. Looking ahead to what could be a raucous rush to the summer hiatus, CTVNews.ca spoke with top House representatives to get a sense of what's atop their priority list.
What do we know so far about the mysterious crash of the helicopter carrying Iran's president?
The apparent crash of a helicopter carrying Iran's president and foreign minister on Sunday sent shock waves around the region.
ICC prosecutor seeks arrest warrant for Israeli and Hamas leaders, including Netanyahu
The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court said Monday he is seeking arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in connection with their actions during the seven-month war between Israel and Hamas.
Red Lobster seeks bankruptcy protection with US$100 million in financing commitments
U.S.-based restaurant chain Red Lobster has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a Florida court after securing $100 million in financing commitments from its existing lenders, the company said on Sunday.
Stittsville residents seeking answers as bylaw cracks down on street basketball nets
Stittsville residents on Kearnsley Way are seeking answers after an unusual bylaw crackdown on Friday. Every home with a basketball net received a ticket instructing homeowners to remove their nets from the road.
'A horrible way to start the summer': 3 killed in serious boat crash on lake north of Kingston, Ont.
Three people were killed and five others were injured Saturday night following a boat crash on the Buck Bay area of Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont., the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said.
Your kids' ultraprocessed food consumption may put them at higher risk, study shows
The ultraprocessed foods your kids eat now may be putting them at greater risk for cardiometabolic problems – like heart attack, stroke and diabetes – in adulthood, a new study suggests.
Walmart, Costco refusing to sign grocery code of conduct 'untenable': industry minister
Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne says it's 'untenable' for 'smaller players' like Walmart and Costco to delay signing on to the government- and industry-led grocery code of conduct, now that industry giant Loblaw has agreed to do so.