For Immediate Release

May 27, 2010

Cruise Season Kicks Off with the MS Hanseatic

(Saint John)- The 2010 cruise season for the Port of Saint John kicks off tomorrow with a call from the MS Hanseatic, a Hapag-Lloyd cruise line vessel. The Hanseatic is the only five-star expedition-cruise ship worldwide with a total passenger capacity of 188. The 8400-tonne vessel specializes in trips to the Antarctic.
 
“The cruise industry continues to be the second biggest revenue generator for the Port Authority,” said Capt. Al Soppitt, President and CEO of the Saint John Port Authority. “We anticipate we will welcome over 214,000 cruise passengers onboard 77 vessels, this season.”

The Port of Saint John cruise activity has a significant economic impact, bringing an estimated expenditure in excess of $30 million from passenger, crew, and cruise lines each year to our local area
 
Some highlights from this year’s cruise season include:

·         Princess Cruises will be calling 15 times with 2 of their Grand Class ships (Grand Princess and Caribbean Princess)

·          Celebrity Cruises has an expanded program into Saint John with the Celebrity Summit calling 5 times (the highest frequency in a single year from this line)

·          Royal Caribbean International will be sending the Enchantment of the Seas in place of last years’ smaller capacity Grandeur of the Seas. Including calls from the Jewel of the Seas and Explorer of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International will make 15 calls in total.

·         Inaugural visits will occur this year with three vessels (Carnival Glory, Celebrity Summit and P&O’s Arcadia).

·          Saint John will play host to the Canada-New England Cruise Symposium from June 8th to 10th.

“We are gratified to see continuous growth in our cruise sector,” said Betty MacMillan, Manager of Business Development for the Port Authority. “By playing the role of host city for the Canada-New England Cruise Symposium this year, we will be able to showcase Saint John and the Bay of Fundy to the most influential participants in the cruise industry.”
 

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For More Information, contact:


Bill Eaton
Manager, Government Relations and Public Affairs
Saint John Port Authority
506-636-4674
beaton@sjport.com