HALIFAX – The Atlantic Canadian cruise ship season began early Monday morning with the arrival of the first vessel in Halifax.
The Phoenix Reisen ship Amadea made its way into the Halifax harbour shortly after 7 a.m. carrying more than 500 passengers, most of them from Germany.
The first ship was expected in Halifax more than a week ago, but stormy sea conditions led to a delay.
Lane Farguson, spokesperson for the Port of Halifax, said the city should see a 10 per cent increase in cruise ship traffic for 2015 over 2014, when numbers were down.
“This year, we’re expecting about 240,000 passengers plus crew coming in on 144 vessels,” he said.
Many of the passengers from the Amadea hustled to buses, some headed to Peggys Cove and Lunenburg, which is rich in German heritage.
Tour guide Doug Wright, who works for Atlantic Cruise Ship Services, said they would get a lesson in the region’s history and learn “what a wonderful place Canada is.”
Some of the passengers decided to walk the streets of downtown Halifax and visit landmarks.
“It’s the first time for us to stay in Canada, in Halifax too, and we hope we enjoy our stay here,” said Hans Passian of Munich, Germany. “The weather is not so good, and cold, but it’s interesting for us.”
Some shopped at dockside kiosks, hoping to find a unique souvenir.
The Fancy Glass store has been operating for 17 years, and owner Carl Williams says his business depends on cruise ship traffic.
“The biggest part of our business is in September and October, and in those months we pretty much get one ship a day, and sometimes as many as five,” he said.
Farguson said cruise ship visitors have a huge impact on the economy of the region.
The cruise ship season will continue through the summer before wrapping up in early November.
Comments