Cruise Atlantic Canada is projecting a record-breaking 2023 cruise season with nearly one million cruise guest visits, according to a press release.
“We’re thrilled to have such a promising cruise season ahead of us,” said Sarah Rumley, executive director of the Atlantic Canada Cruise Association (ACCA). “The number of ships and passengers expected this year is unprecedented, and it demonstrates the strength and resilience of the cruise industry in Atlantic Canada.”
The 2023 cruise season in Atlantic Canada starts on April 21, when the port of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, welcomes Viking Cruises’ Viking Octantis.
A number of ships will also make their debut this season including Explora Journeys’ Explora I.
When cruise operations resumed in 2022 after a two-year break, ports welcomed a total of 622,811 passengers onboard 474 ships. Projections for 2023 are even more promising and is proof that the post-pandemic recovering of the region’s cruise industry is well underway.
“ACOA is pleased to support the cruise industry as it showcases Atlantic Canada to the world during this anticipated record-breaking year,” said minister of Official Languages, who is responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), Ginette Petitpas Taylor. “The cruise industry plays a key role in tourism, drawing people to these special places, creating jobs and growing the economy for years ahead.”