Since cruise season began, the Port of Montreal has already welcomed some 25,000 cruise ship passengers and crew members, and by the time the season closes on October 29, this number is expected to be as high 90,000.
MONTREAL – On August 13, Marco Polo will return to the Port of Montreal for a 24-hour visit. To celebrate its arrival and 50th anniversary, the Montreal Cruise Committee is encouraging Montrealers and tourists to come to the Old Port’s magnificent boardwalk at 8:15 a.m., when the ship is scheduled to arrive with 750 guests and 220 crew members aboard. To welcome the Marco Polo, there will be a water show, with jets sprayed from tugboats owned by Ocean Group.
In 1965, Germany’s Wismar shipyard delivered to Russia a cruise ship named after the celebrated Russian poet Alexandr Pushkin. This ship completed transatlantic voyages travelling from Leningrad to Montreal, with stops in Helsinki, Copenhagen, London and Quebec City. It would be the beginning of a long love affair between the ship and Montreal, as the Alexandr Pushkin visited Montreal 114 times in all. Its final trip to Montreal was on August 18, 1980.
“Like probably thousands of Quebecers, I have family members who had the chance to travel on the Alexandr Pushkin. Now, I’m delighted to welcome back this ship that played an important role in Montreal’s cruise industry for 15 years,” said Sylvie Vachon, President and CEO of the Port of Montreal.
Since cruise season began, the Port of Montreal has already welcomed some 25,000 cruise ship passengers and crew members, and by the time the season closes on October 29, this number is expected to be as high 90,000. This encouraging projection is more than 27% higher than last year, when 56,466 passengers and 14,578 crew members stopped in Montreal.
“We’re anticipating a record high this year, as 19 internationally renowned ships have scheduled stops in Montreal. The fact that all these cruise lines choose to include our city on their itineraries proves that Montreal is a destination of choice for tourists from around the world. This year, a total of 77 stopovers are expected, up from 52 last year. I’m pleased to report that Montreal has the wind in its sails and we’re on our way to achieving our ambitious targets for the year,” said Yves Lalumiere, President and CEO of Tourisme Montreal.
Supported by Tourisme Quebec, the Montreal Cruise Committee works closely with the Montreal Port Authority and Tourisme Montreal, as well as five other local organizations: Aeroports de Montreal, the Old Port of Montreal Corporation, the Old Montreal Business Development Corporation, and the Hotel Association of Greater Montreal. The committee’s objective is to attract new cruise lines to Montreal while encouraging those that already stop here to come more frequently and stay longer once they’re here.
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