The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) has marked the start of its 2022 cruise season as the Norwegian Pearl has docked in Boston.
The ship is making her maiden voyage from the Flynn Cruiseport Boston, her homeport through November with weekly sailings between Boston and Bermuda.
According to a press release, the return of cruising to Flynn Cruiseport Boston supports the tourism recovery for the City of Boston and the Commonwealth. Flynn Cruiseport Boston generates $135.5 million in annual economic impact and supports 2,200 jobs.
Massport is set to welcome 125 ships from 19 cruise lines in 2022 as Flynn Cruiseport Boston will welcome 12 maiden calls, including the the Carnival Legend, Norwegian Joy, and Sky Princess.
For the first time, Flynn Cruiseport Boston will have four cruise lines offering five homeport ships and voyages:
- Norwegian Cruise Line: Norwegian Pearl starts April 4th
- Holland America: Zaandam starts May 15th and Nieuw Statendam starts August 3rd
- Celebrity Cruises: Celebrity Summit starts August 31st
- Royal Caribbean International: Voyager of the Seas starts September 18th
“We are delighted to welcome our cruise partners back to Boston and support the recovery of the travel and tourism industry in the City and the Commonwealth,” said Massport CEO Lisa Wieland.
“Our Great Cruise Comeback not only celebrates the return of our vessels and resilience of our team members worldwide, but also underscores the incredible partnership we have with our destinations around the world,” said Norwegian Cruise Line President and Chief Executive Officer Harry Sommer. “To jumpstart the cruise season for Massport is another major milestone for the U.S. cruise industry and we’re honored to commemorate that moment with Norwegian Pearl’s inaugural voyage from Flynn Cruiseport Boston.”
“Holland America Line is thrilled to once again sail from Boston on our Canada and New England cruises,” said Gus Antorcha, president, Holland America Line. “Our summer sailings are popular with couples, families and friends that love the rich history of this region, while the fall foliage departures attract those looking for a bucket-list experience with the beautiful colors of the season.”
Prior to the pandemic, Flynn Cruiseport Boston served a record 402,346 passengers on 138 ships in 2019. In preparation for the rebound in cruising, Massport installed a new state-of-the-art passenger boarding bridge at the cruise terminal last November. This new infrastructure improvement will allow for calls from the Norwegian Breakaway and Enchanted Princess.
Since 2017, Massport has also been working with the Army Corps of Engineers to dredge Boston Harbor, to deepen the Reserved Channel, and expand the Turning Basin to 1,725 feet.
“We are proud to work with our cruise lines to ensure Flynn Cruiseport Boston remains the region’s cruise gateway with diverse destination offerings that cater to passengers of all kinds,” said Lauren Gleason, Deputy Port Director, Business Development. “With Boston Logan International Airport located just across the Harbor, Flynn Cruiseport Boston provides convenient access to cruise passengers flying in to explore the City and the many destinations accessible from our cruise gateway, including the popular Canada-New England itinerary.”
Other new itineraries from Boston include the Celebrity Summit which is offering a 12-day one-way cruise from Boston to the Caribbean and ending in Miami in October.
Vantage Cruise Line’s Ocean Explorer will depart Boston on October 29 for a 10-day cruise along the East Coast and ending in Nassau, Bahamas.
Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas is offering a 14-day Arctic Crossing cruise that starts in Copenhagen, Denmark and ends in Boston on September 18.
