Moosehead Breweries will open a microbrewery in Saint John, New Brunswick, adding another unique tour option for cruise passengers come 2017, said Betty MacMillan, manager of cruise development for the port.

Moosehead is still evaluating potential locations, and the 10,000-square-foot site will be close to the cruise terminal.

“We have an increase (in cruise passengers) this year,” said MacMillan. “Next year is looking like another. Eighty percent of the business is in the fall, but we have steady calls in the summer. We have new callers like Azamara, and the Anthem of the Seas is calling a few times.”

MacMillan is one of many Canada/New England players hoping to build up the summer business.

“We have double and triple days (in the fall),” she said. “There is a lot of room in the summer and there is a lot to do in the summer.”

Working with cruise lines, Saint John is quick to develop and add new tour products.

“Passengers are coming (on short cruises) from New York,” MacMillan noted. “We look at them as new-to-cruise. We want to get them hooked and then they come back because they had such a good time.”