Rivages du Monde has chosen Montréal as its home port for its cruise ship, the Saint-Laurent Prestige for the entire 2015 season.

The company will offer future passengers a brand-new cruise on the St. Lawrence River that will allow them to discover the beauty of Lake Ontario and Niagara Falls, then go downriver past Trois-Rivières up to Québec. With this new offer, nearly 7,000 more passengers will leave from the Port of Montréal during the 2015 season.

“I am thrilled that the cruise offer on the St. Lawrence has become increasingly sophisticated and varied,” said Yves Lalumière, President and CEO of Tourisme Montréal. “We are proud that Rivages du Monde has chosen Montréal as its home port, not only because it generates economic spin-offs and increases the city’s visibility in France, but also because it offers a product that appeals to Québec clients.”

The entirely revamped 4-star M/V Saint Laurent Prestige can accommodate 220 passengers. A 90-member crew is on hand to ensure that passengers enjoy an intimate cruise and attentive services.

“The itineraries offered by Rivages du Monde will attract a new market niche for clients seeking river cruises. This will allow us to diversify the demand for stopovers upstream of the St. Lawrence,” said René Trépanier, Executive Director of the Cruise the Saint Lawrence Association.

Supported by Tourisme Québec, the Montréal Cruises Committee comprises the Montréal Port Authority and Tourisme Montréal, as well as six other associations and local organizations: Aéroports de Montréal, the Old Port of Montréal Corporation, the Casino de Montréal, the Société de développement commercial du Vieux-Montréal (Old Montréal business development corporation), the Hotel Association of Greater Montréal and the Ville de Montréal.