Port Saint John Sees Increase in Cruise Passengers
SAINT JOHN – It’s been a strong year for the cruise industry in Saint John.
Port Saint John says they saw a 21 per cent year-over-year increase in passengers for the 2016 season.
Cruise passenger count increased to 143,926 in 2016 from 106,505 in 2015, while ship count increased to 63 in 2016 from 59 in 2015. In addition to passenger increases, crew count increased to 59,003 in 2016 from 50,979 in 2015. This year the Port saw 8 inaugural ship visits. It also saw four calls of Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s Anthem of the Seas – the largest cruise ship to Saint John to date. Other visits included two stops by the Disney Cruise Line and new cruise line Azamara Club Cruises.
Port Saint John CEO Jim Quinn told Huddle they are “thrilled” with the increase, though it didn’t come as a surprise.
“We were expecting to have this kind of an increase this year, just as next year we expect to have a similar year,” Quinn said. “We’re expecting next year to be very similar to this year. It will be about the same number of passengers.”
Though next year is expected to be the same, Quinn says in 2018 the port expects to see a significant increase in both areas.
“This business always works about two years ahead, because the cruise companies have to plan their voyages and get their advertising and marking out there. They plan anywhere from 18 to two years ahead of time,” he said. “We know 2018 is going to be a very, very good year here.”
With the cruise industry expected to grow, Quinn said it’s important for Saint John to sharpen its tourism efforts to ensure continued success.
“It’s really important as we work together on saying ‘what are some of the projects we need to do to really focus on our tourism?” It’s important that we pick one thing and do it. I think sometimes we get so many priorities under discussion that we don’t get anything done,’ Quinn said. “It’s really important that we focus and say ‘here is something we can do. It’s bite size. It’s affordable and it’s going to add to the mix of products not only for cruise passengers but also for other people who come out our city,’ because there’s things to do and things to see. That’s something I think we really need to continue to focus and I think need to focus on it in a much sharper way.”