Charlottetown poised for record-breaking cruise ship season in 2024 | CBC News

Charlottetown's 2024 cruise season will break records before it has even begun.

The PEI capital plans to receive 96 boats this season, with potential for 165,000 passengers. A record 87 vessels visited the port last season.

This year's passenger numbers would represent a 37 percent increase over the approximately 120,000 visitors who arrived at the port in 2023.

The first cruise of the season, MSC Poesia, is scheduled to arrive on April 8, approximately two and a half weeks before the first stop in 2023.

"It's pretty amazing when you think about [the numbers]"said Mike Cochrane, executive director of the Charlottetown Port Authority.

“We are increasing our ship calls and increasing passenger capacity, which means larger ships are coming to our region.”

While the fall months are traditionally busy for the Port of Charlottetown, Cochrane said it's "fantastic" to see an increase in ships booked for the spring and summer.

The busiest day of the season is expected to be October 1. Four cruise ships with a capacity of 6,000 passengers are scheduled to arrive on the same day.

Big ships, big money

Big ships mean a lot of money for Charlottetown and the province as a whole. Cochrane said the direct economic impact of cruise ship visits last year was about $21.5 million.

For port authorities and tour groups and operators, it is a good sign that the cruise business is flourishing again after two years of pandemic closures.

"The appetite ... in our region, and especially in Charlottetown, is testament to the demand," he said. "We have beautiful landscapes and people, and that is combined with a very committed tourism industry and I think we have a recipe for success."

Cochrane calls cruise visits “managed tourism,” meaning island operators can plan ahead to deliver experiences to cruise passengers efficiently.

"You know when they come, how many are coming, you know exactly what their requirements are and you know exactly when they leave," he said. "I think that's really the crux of how PEI has grown as a destination."