Halifax Welcomes Cruise Ships

USPA NEWS - Highlights of the Port of Halifax 2022 cruise ship season include: 1 visit from Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas, which is the largest cruise vessel to call on Halifax to date on June 7th, 2 visits from the Cunard Line Queen Mary 2, on July 6th and October 5th, 3 days when 4 ships are visiting, and 1 day (October 11th) when 5 ships are visiting.

The first 2 cruise ships of the 2022 cruise season sailed into the Port of Halifax on Tuesday and local tourism operators, retail shop owners and food service providers could not be happier. According To the Port of Halifax website, the Ocean Navigator and the Norwegian Getaway would bring an estimated 4,165 visitors anxious to explore and experience the Maritime's world famous hospitality.

Halifax Port Authority President and CEO Captain Allan Gray predicts a strong season as the cruise industry recovers from the huge challenges and losses caused by the pandemic. He said in a news release, "With 152 expected vessel calls in 2022, we are at 85 percent of where we left off in 2019, which is a great position to be in, Nova Scotia is a place that people want to visit, and the cruise lines want to come here. We remain a safe, welcoming destination with natural beauty and authentic experiences to offer."

With the last 2 years being the exception, cruise ships are not an uncommon site in the Port of Halifax during the annual 6 month cruise season, but each year there are more cruise passengers taking in the sights, sounds, cuisine and charm that this historic city has to offer. Lane Farguson, director of communications for the Port of Halifax said, “We haven’t seen them in a couple of years, so we were definitely excited to see them back." Farguson pointed out the fact that the cruise industry pumps more than $170 million into the local economy and that tourism operators, shop owners, food service providers, and many others in the hospitality industry are all very eager to rebuild their businesses, after devastating losses that resulted from the COVID-19 global pandemic. "Just to feel the energy that these ships bring to the downtown, it’s nice to be a part of."

One of the first things that many Haligonians notice is the size of the cruise ships that are calling on the Port of Halifax. Just when the Port of Halifax announces that Pier 21 has hosted the largest cruise ship to date, we hear that another larger ship is on the way. Though today's calls were not the largest or newest vessels, much attention was given to the waterfront as the capital city comes to life, rolls out the red carpet, and shows the world what Halifax is made of.

Here is a look at the Norwegian Getaway and the Ocean Navigator: The Norwegian Getaway was built in 2014, but underwent a refurbishment in 2019. It has a Gross Register Tonnage of 145,655, and an overall length of 326 meters. The Getaway equipped with 2,014 cabins and can accommodate up to 3,960 guests and 1,646 crew. Upon departure from Halifax, the ship will travel to Ireland arriving on May 2nd.

The Ocean Navigator was built in 2004 and was most recently refurbished in 2021. It has a Gross Register Tonnage of 4,954 and an overall length of 91 meters. The ship is equipped with 110 cabins and can accommodate up to 220 guests along with 77 crew. Upon departure from Halifax, the ship will travel to Portland, Maine arriving on April 28th.

With 152 scheduled cruise ships to call on the Port of Halifax throughout the 2022 cruise season, there is much optimism and hope for a recovery for the tourism industry that took a huge hit during the COVID-19 pandemic. With safety in mind, cruise lines have implemented a schedule of testing that must be met as a condition of travel. Many that I had the chance to speak with feel that the safety measures that have been put in place are a fair trade for being able to cruise again. Anyone who is considering a cruise should contact their travel professional to get an up to date outline of travel requirements.