By
Rebecca Gibson |
Escale Gaspésie is to handle a record 30 cruise calls, 20,912 passengers and 9,415 crew members in 2015.
Eight ships will make maiden calls at the Canadian port this year including Fred. Olsen Cruise Line’s Black Watch; Princess Cruises’ Caribbean Princess; Phoenix Reisen’s Albatros; Saga Holidays’ Sapphire; Haimark Line’s Saint-Laurent; Adventure Canada’s Ocean Endeavour; One Ocean Expeditions’ Akademik Loffe; and Cruise & Maritime Voyages’ Marco Polo.
Gaspé will also handle 12 calls during the spring and summer season, the highest number of early season calls it has handled to date.
“We have achieved the goals that were first set when Escale Gaspésie launched in 2009,” said Stéphane Sainte-Croix, the organisation’s director. “Foremost among these goals was to see Gaspé on the majority of cruise line itineraries on the St. Lawrence. The spring-summer cruise season calls gradually being introduced onto cruise line itineraries on the St. Lawrence represents a real potential for growth. Consequently, cruise ship tourism is now present in the region from May to October.”
Since 2009, the Canadian port has handled 117 cruise ship calls and a total of 136,943 visitors.