Montreal’s cruise season is getting ready to put a lid on a successful cruise season. One that, while unfolding in a temporary terminal, still accounted for some $23 million in tourist spending for the year. Some sixteen international vessels made a total of 38 stops in Montreal, bringing 90,000 passengers and crew members into the city.

Next year, however, when Montreal celebrates its 375th anniversary and ships return to the Old Port to all new facilities on the Alexandria pier, the Montreal Cruise Committee is already seeing 50 cruises scheduled, a new record for the city.

"The 2016 season was a very positive one, and 2017 should be nothing short of spectacular,” said Sylvie Vachon, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Montréal Port Authority. “The rehabilitation work being done on the new maritime terminal is going according to schedule and we will be ready to open its doors on May 6, just in time to welcome the first ship of the season. In addition, to meet the increased number of cruise ships coming to the Port of Montréal in the coming years, we have decided to permanently add piers 34 and 35, as well as our tent, to our reception infrastructure.”

This year, piers 34 and 35 located in Eastern Montréal, were part of the temporary cruise port utilized to welcome ships as Alexandria Pier underwent renovations. Permanently adding piers 34 and 35 is a strategic move for the Port of Montreal, as the location is just east of the Jacques Cartier Bridge, which means major ocean-going vessels that do not have the clearance to pass under the bridge, can now make calls upon Montréal.

Read more: Port of Montreal Kicks Into High Season

Four cruise ships made their first-ever visit to the city this year, including the Azamara Quest from Azamara Club Cruises, the SS Mariner from Regent Seven Seas Cruises, the Europa 2 from German company Hapag Lloyd and the Viking Star from Viking Cruises. According to data collected by the Montréal Cruise Committee, passengers are primarily American (72 per cent), Australian (8.5 per cent), Canadian (7.5 per cent) and English (4.5 per cent).

"Montréalers can be proud of catering to this high-end customer base, known for consuming luxury products,” said Yves Lalumière, president and CEO of Tourisme Montréal. “According to our surveys, tourists have an excellent appreciation for Montréal, with 95 per cent saying they were satisfied with their stay in the city. The 2017 season looks promising, with a 25 per cent increase in traffic being projected, which would bring the total number of cruise passengers to a record 100,000."

For more information, visit www.croisieresmontreal.com

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