MSC Poesia docked in the Port of Québec on April 10, officially launching the 2024 Saint Lawrence River international cruise season.
It’s looking like a strong year, with the nine member ports of call of Cruise the Saint Lawrence (CSL) expecting to welcome 46 different ships from 29 cruise lines. Bookings to date are estimated to represent over 400,000 passenger-days and some 500 days in port.
MSC Poesia. (photo via MSC Cruises Media)
With close to 70 embarkation and disembarkation operations scheduled, the ships set to sail the waters of the Saint Lawrence are expected to generate significant economic benefits. Based on a 2019 study, the international cruise industry annually injects over $700 million in direct and indirect economic benefits into the Québec economy.
Between early April and late October of this year, the nine Saint Lawrence ports of call ― Montréal, Trois-Rivières, Québec, Saguenay, Baie–Comeau, Sept-Îles, Havre-Saint-Pierre, Gaspé and Îles-de-la-Madeleine ― will welcome a total of 10 vessels on inaugural voyages to the region. Traffic for 2024 is forecast to increase slightly, with overall figures projected to be comparable to 2023.
Saguenay Fjord National Park, Quebec(Photo by Lauren Breedlove)
"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,” said Yves Gilson, president of Cruise the Saint Lawrence.
“It is our intention to render these experiences as memorable as they are sustainable."
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