[Dmajackson]

For anyone who's interested heres a list of cruises visiting Halifax this year; http://www.portofhalifax.ca/english/port-at-a-glance/cruise-schedule/index.html. Highlights:

-136 ships
-215'000 to 220'000 passengers
-April 14 - November 9

For comparison, in 2007, 92 ships with 176'000 passengers visited Halifax. On an average year over 100 ships visit.

[Keith P.]

Cruise visits don't add a whole lot to the economy though. Passengers generally take a bus tour to Peggy's or walk the boardwalk and pick up a few souvenirs, then they're gone. Since most cruises are all inclusive, restaurants and bars don't benefit very much, and hotels, not at all.

[kwajo]

Well shoot, the Halifax numbers went up this year over last! And here I was hoping that Saint John's 187680 estimated passenger total might finally pass Halifax's. Oh well.

Cruise visits don't add a whole lot to the economy though. Passengers generally take a bus tour to Peggy's or walk the boardwalk and pick up a few souvenirs, then they're gone. Since most cruises are all inclusive, restaurants and bars don't benefit very much, and hotels, not at all.


True, but they are useful in many ways. For one thing, they give a great deal of exposure to a city, because if the passengers enjoyed their short visit, they are more likely to return on vacation another time, or tell family and friends about the good time they had in X city. And it is those secondary trips which will support the traditional side of the hospitality industry.

Also, they do give a boost of revenue to small businesses and historic sites. For example, back in university I worked a Summer job at the Saint John Jewish Historical Museum, and I guarantee that the Museum would probably have closed by now if it wasn't for the throngs of cruise ship passengers visiting every week. We would make more on donations during 1 hour on a cruise ship day than the other 3 or 4 days of the week combined.

[Dmajackson]

I was listening to Z103 and they said the cruise tourists are expected to spend $25 million dollars this year.

City welcomes first cruise ship
Rachel Mendleson/Metro Halifax
April 15, 2008 11:51
The first cruise ship of the season sailed into Halifax Harbour yesterday, launching what the manager of the cruise development for the Port of Halifax says is going to be a “strong year.”

Cathy McGrail says the roughly 220,000 passengers expected between yesterday and November amount to a 22 per cent increase over last season.

McGrail says the boost in numbers is the result of a combination of an increase in consumer demand and a move on the part of cruise lines to add new vessels to their fleets.

“Definitely what they call the Canada-New England itinerary is something that is becoming one of the destinations that consumers like,” she said.

[Dmajackson]

Cruise visits don't add a whole lot to the economy though. Passengers generally take a bus tour to Peggy's or walk the boardwalk and pick up a few souvenirs, then they're gone. Since most cruises are all inclusive, restaurants and bars don't benefit very much, and hotels, not at all.

True but i read somewheres that the port has around a 98% satisfaction rate. A rate this high means many people might return for a longer visit.

[Canopus]

Cruise people contribute some to the economy but not a lot. They're often quite "budget aware" and like to keep even their lunches pretty basic.

But yeah, it is good exposure and could be used as part of a a larger destination promotion.

I heard Rosie's Big Gay Cruise was coming again this year.