By
Laura Hyde |
The Atlantic Canada Cruise Association is celebrating a successful 2025 cruise season which included several inaugural ship visits and more than 845,000 passenger visits at ports across all four Atlantic provinces.
The season began on 10 March with a first-time visit from Ponant’s Le Commandant Charcot and closed with the departure of AIDA Cruises’ AIDAdiva from Halifax, Nova Scotia, on 19 November. Between the first and last call, the region received 610 vessel calls, including several inaugural visits to the region by Oceania Cruises’ Allura, Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Silhouette, Princess Cruises’ Majestic Princess, Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Seven Seas Splendor, and Silversea Cruises’ Silver Dawn. Virgin Voyages’ Brilliant Lady made its debut in Atlantic Canada with calls in both Saint John, New Brunswick and Halifax.
Ponant’s Le Commandant Charcot made its first winter call in Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador, on 10 March 2025
Port Saint John, on the Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick, welcomed a record 83 cruise ships and more than 196,000 passenger visits in 2025. The port reported its busiest week on record from 29 September to 3 October, when 15 vessels and over 32,000 passenger visits arrived.
Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia welcomed more than 100 cruise ships, with multiple double, triple and quadruple ship arrivals, while Port Charlottetown welcomed its two millionth cruise visitor during a call from Holland America Line’s Volendam on 4 July.
The Port of St. John’s in Newfoundland and Labrador welcomed nine inaugural calls, eight turnarounds, and several overnight stays during the 2025 season.
The Port of St. John’s in Newfoundland and Labrador welcomed nine inaugural ship calls in 2025
“Atlantic Canada has long been known as a premier cruise destination in the fall, and its central role in Canada New England itineraries, along with other sailings, continues to highlight the region’s appeal throughout the cruise season,” said Sarah Rumley, executive director of Atlantic Canada Cruise Association. “While the beauty of autumn will always be a remarkable draw, guests are discovering the vibrancy of our summer season, the depth of experience offered across our ports, and the regional cuisine that makes Atlantic Canada welcoming in every season.”