Port Charlottetown expects the upcoming cruise ship season will make a far greater splash than that of a record-breaking 2018.
An estimated 146,000 passengers and 63,000 crew are scheduled to dock in the capital city, compared to 98,000 passengers and 44,000 crew last year.
The direct economic impact is forecast to be just under $25 million, which would represent a jump of almost $8.5 million from the money injected into the province during the 2018 cruise ship season.
“Prince Edward Island has established itself as a key port of call in the Canada/New England region, and we are continually working to enhance and improve the experience of our visiting passengers and crew,’’ said Port Charlottetown CEO Mike Cochrane.
“With the continued growth of the industry, the current berth expansion project is going to be a welcome addition when accommodating growing port business.’’
The 2019 cruise season, which is set to kick off May 1, will see five vessels make their inaugural calls, including the MSC Meraviglia, which will arrive on Oct. 12 with roughly 4,500 passengers – the most ever to visit P.E.I. on one vessel.
The season will conclude with a call from the MS Riviera on Nov. 4.
For a complete schedule, visit Portcharlottetown.com.
