April 5, 2024, Halifax, Nova Scotia – The cruise season is officially kicking off for 2024 with the arrival in Halifax of MSC Poesia tomorrow April 6.

“With spring’s arrival, we welcome the return of cruise,” says Paul MacIsaac, Senior Vice-president, Halifax Port Authority. “Visitors choose Halifax and the Atlantic Canadian cruise itinerary for the friendly welcome, authentic experiences, and variety of tour options. A tremendous group of partners in Halifax and Nova Scotia come together to create memorable visits for cruise guests stepping ashore.”

During the 2024 cruise season, the Port is expected to have:

• 204 vessel calls
• 12 vessels making inaugural visits
• an increase in overnight visits and luxury ships
• about 90% of all cruise vessels visiting Atlantic Canada include a stop in Halifax

To sustainably manage the cruise industry, the 2024 season extends over eight months, spreading out vessel calls and with more visits expected in the summer months (June, July and August).

"We recognize the important role our tourism industry plays in fueling our local economy and local businesses, and the part the cruise sector fulfills in bringing visitors to our shores,” says Ross Jefferson, President and CEO of Discover Halifax. “We are pleased to see the first vessel of 2024 arriving, and we look forward to continuing to work with our partners to ensure Halifax is a sustainable destination into the future.”

Visit www.portofhalifax.ca/cruise for more information. A live schedule of ships coming into the Port of Halifax can be found on PortControl.

About the Port of Halifax:

Offering a natural, deep harbour and big ship infrastructure, Halifax can meet the needs of today’s shipping, cargo, and cruise operations, while building for the future with our focus on the three key pillars of community, economics, and environment. Collaborating and working with strong partners and stakeholders, sustainability is built into every facet of the Port and how we operate. To learn more about Canada’s preferred Atlantic gateway, visit www.portofhalifax.ca. We are One Port City.

About Discover Halifax:

Since 2002, our goal has been to promote the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) as a destination of choice for leisure and business travellers. We are a non-profit, aiming to maximize economic and social benefits resulting from the tourism industry for the benefit of the people who live, visit, and invest in our region. We showcase the best of our region to the world and, alongside our industry partners, we seek to shape the future of tourism through good planning, investment, and design.

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Lori MacLean
Halifax Port Authority
(902) 209-7170
[email protected]

Sarah Reeves
Communications Director
Discover Halifax
(902) 717-1343
[email protected]