High season for cruises is now underway

40 international ships to stop in Montréal before the end of October

MONTRÉAL, Sept. 11, 2019 /CNW Telbec/ - From September 1 to October 30, international cruise ships will make 40 stops in the Port of Montréal, spending a combined total of 68 port days at the Grand Quay, M quays and Terminal 3, which is east of the Jacques-Cartier Bridge.

Three days will be particularly busy this season:

• September 13 with the SS Navigator (490 passengers) and Albatros (862 passengers) at the Grand Quay and the Pearl Mist (206 passengers) and Victory II (220 passengers) at the M quays;
• September 21 with the Zaandam (1440 passengers) and Victory II (220 passengers) at the Grand Quay and the Seabourn Quest (450 passengers) at Terminal 3;
• October 3 with the AIDADiva (2050 passengers) and Seabourn Quest (450 passengers) at the Grand Quay and the SS Navigator (490 passengers) at Terminal 3.

In addition, three vessels will be coming to Montréal for the first time: Viking Ocean Cruises' Viking Sun (930 passengers) will dock at the Grand Quay on September 28 and 29; Oceania Cruises' Riviera (1258 passengers) will dock at the Grand Quay on October 8; and Maritime Holding Group's Ocean Dream (1411 passengers) will dock at the Grand Quay on October 17.

By the time the season comes to a close on October 30, nearly 118,000 passengers and crew members will have visited the city.

"International tourism increased more than 10% in the first six months of the year. I'd like to thank all our partners for their hard work in helping grow the cruise market, which contributes substantially to Montréal's economy," said Yves Lalumière, President and CEO of Tourisme Montréal. "We welcomed 40,000 cruise passengers in 2010, and now that number is more than 110,000! Thanks to this tremendous progress, we've successfully connected with the luxury market. Congratulations to the entire team!"

"With a vibrant arts and culture scene, incredible food offerings, numerous tourist attractions and a terrific geographic location, Montréal is a choice destination for cruise ships," said Sylvie Vachon, President and CEO of the Montréal Port Authority. "At the Port of Montréal, we're delighted to play host to all the cruise passengers that stop through the city and to see how this sector has flourished over the years thanks to a concerted effort between various local stakeholders."

The 2019 cruise arrivals and departures schedule is available at: cruises/schedules.

About Montréal Cruises
Montréal Cruises works closely with the Montréal Port Authority and Tourisme Montréal, in addition to five other associations and organizations: Aéroports de Montréal, the Old Port of Montréal Corporation, the Old Montréal Business Development Corporation, the Hotel Association of Greater Montréal and the City of Montréal. For more information about cruises in Montréal, go to: http://cruises.alamontreal.com/.

About the Port of Montréal
Operated by the Montreal Port Authority (MPA), the Port of Montreal is the second largest port in Canada and a diversified transshipment centre that handles all types of goods: containerized and non-containerized cargo, liquid bulk and dry bulk. It is the only container port in Québec and is served by the world's largest container shipping lines. The only container port in Quebec, it is a destination port served by the largest shipping lines in the world. It is also an intermodal hub with a service offering that is unique in North America, featuring its own rail network directly dockside connected to Canada's two national rail networks. The MPA also operates a Cruise Terminal and a Port Centre. The MPA factors economic, social and environmental components into its corporate initiatives. This commitment is governed by a sustainable development policy whose guiding principles focus on involvement, cooperation and accountability. Port activity supports 19,000 jobs and generates $2.6 billion in economic benefits annually. 

About Tourisme Montréal
Established in 1919, Tourisme Montréal is a private, non-profit organization that works to position Montréal as an international-calibre leisure and business travel destination. The organization leads innovative tourist welcome strategies with a twofold objective: ensuring that visitors enjoy a quality experience and maximizing the economic benefits of tourism. Uniting more than 900 tourism professionals, Tourisme Montréal plays a leading role in the management and development of Montréal's tourism business, and makes recommendations on issues surrounding the city's economic, urban and cultural development. For more information, go to: www.mtl.org.

SOURCE Tourisme Montréal

For further information: Tourisme Montréal, Andrée-Anne Pelletier, Public Relations Manager, 514-844-3344 | cell: 514-248-7844, [e-mail]; Montréal Port Authority, Mélanie Nadeau, Director of Communications, 514-283-1385, [e-mail]

Related Links

https://www.mtl.org/