A new terminal will be completely finished by the fall foliage season for the Port of Montreal, and 2018 bookings are moving ahead of 2017.
“There are more and more ships coming to Montreal in general, and more ships coming early in the season,” said Yves Gilson, director of cruise for the Port of Montreal.
“AIDA is coming in 2018 for three turnarounds in the summer. That is big news for Montreal and shows we can attract summer cruise passengers,” Gilson added.
Other areas of interest include a surging interest in Great Lakes cruising and a number of operators suddenly considering large programs using Montreal as a turn-around point with small ships for both the Saint Lawrence and Great Lakes.
“There is a lot of interest in growing the river cruise business,” said Gilson. “The market is young.”
Montreal’s new terminal will operate alongside a second berth option that was originally temporary but is now sticking around. The secondary option includes a large tent positioned before a bridge that can accommodate ships with a larger air draft.
