by Sarah Kuta
Last updated: 4:30 PM ET, Wed April 10, 2024
Cruise season is officially underway in Québec: The Canadian province welcomed its first international cruise ship of 2024 today with the arrival of MSC Cruises’ ship, the MSC Poesia, at the Port of Québec. And later this week, Viking Polaris and Viking Octantis are scheduled to visit the port.
Throughout the spring, summer and fall, the region expects to welcome 46 ships from 29 different cruise line, according to Cruise the Saint Lawrence, a group that represents the nine ports along the shores of the Saint Lawrence River. They are: Montréal, Trois-Rivières, Québec, Saguenay, Baie–Comeau, Sept-Îles, Havre-Saint-Pierre, Gaspé and Îles-de-la-Madeleine.
This year, 10 vessels will be making inaugural voyages to the region.
"Once again this season, the nine member ports of call of Cruise the Saint Lawrence will welcome many thousands of visitors eager to discover the wonders of the Saint Lawrence, to immerse themselves in our culture and to partake of the myriad attractions on offer in our communities,” says Yves Gilson, president of Cruise the Saint Lawrence. “It is our intention to render these experiences as memorable as they are sustainable."
Together, the ships will spend roughly 500 days in port, which translates to more than 400,000 passenger days between early April and late October. The international cruise industry generates more than $700 million worth of direct and indirect economic activity for the Québec economy.
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