'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
India's foreign minister reacts to murder charges, claims Canada welcomes criminals
India's Foreign Affairs Minister accused Canada of welcoming criminals from his country in response to the RCMP's recent arrests in a homicide that has roiled tensions between the two countries.
15-year-old boy stabbed in Ottawa on Thursday dies
A 15-year old boy who was critically injured after a stabbing in Nepean on Thursday has died of his injuries, Ottawa's English public school board said Sunday.
Dash cam catches moment suspected drunk driver hits parked car, sends it careening into North Shore flower shop
Police say it’s fortunate no one was injured or killed in a collision at North Vancouver’s Park and Tilford shopping centre Saturday evening that sent one vehicle careening into a flower shop and another into a set of concrete barriers outside a Winners store.
Actor Bernard Hill, of 'Titanic' and 'Lord of the Rings,' has died at 79
Actor Bernard Hill, who delivered a rousing cry before leading his people into battle in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' and went down with the ship as the captain in 'Titanic,' has died.
'A tiny city:' Pro-Palestinian campus protesters organize for another week
Pro-Palestinian activists have set up tents at universities in Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver and Montreal, following a wave of similar protests at campuses in the United States linked to the Israel-Hamas war.
Lawsuit against Meta asks if Facebook users have right to control their feeds using external tools
Do social media users have the right to control what they see — or don't see — on their feeds?
A Holocaust survivor will mark that history differently after the horrors of Oct. 7
This year's Holocaust Remembrance Day, which begins on Sunday evening in Israel, carries a heavier weight than usual for many Jews around the world.
Princess Anne lays wreath at Battle of Atlantic ceremony; honours late Queen
Princess Anne saluted Canadian veterans and current forces members and honoured her late mother during separate ceremonies Sunday in Victoria as she wrapped up a three-day British Columbia West Coast royal visit.
El Nino weakening doesn't mean cooler temperatures this summer, forecasters say
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.