By
Claudine Pohl |
The Cruise Canada New England Symposium, held 9 to 11 June 2026 in Saguenay, Canada, brought together more than 200 delegates from cruise lines, ports, tourism operators, marine agencies and government to discuss industry trends, challenges infrastructure development and growth opportunities across Canada and New England.
The symposium took place against the backdrop of significant government investment in the region to support enhanced cruise incentives aimed at attracting more international cruise traffic.
A key focus of this year’s symposium was the launch of a unified Cruise Canada/New England marketing strategy designed to increase awareness and demand for the region. Built around the new tagline, ‘Close to Home, Far from Ordinary,’ the initiative brings together Cruise the Saint Lawrence, Cruise Atlantic Canada, Cruise Maine, Flynn Cruiseport Boston, and NYCruise in a coordinated effort to support cruise line sales and educate travel advisors.
The strategy includes targeted advisor training, cruise line partnerships and industry marketing campaigns, with a goal of reaching more than 10,000 travel advisors.
The marketing discussion panel featured Marie-Andrée Blanchet, president of Cruise the Saint Lawrence and director of cruise development and business ecosystem at the Port of Québec; Heather Krasnow, founder of Creative Assassin; Chris Martin, senior director of marine & port operations at Holland America Line; and Marc-Antoine Kamel, national director of sales and marketing for Canada at Norwegian Cruise Line. The session was moderated by Anne Kalosh, editor of Seatrade Cruise News and senior associate editor of Seatrade Cruise Review.
Bud Darr, president and CEO of Cruise Lines International Association, delivered a closing dinner keynote speech (Photo: Claudine Pohl)
The symposium also featured a closing dinner keynote address by Bud Darr, president and CEO of Cruise Lines International Association, who shared insights on the state of the global cruise industry, emerging trends and opportunities for continued growth and collaboration throughout the region.
Complementing the conference programme were a series of pre- and post-symposium familiarisation trips, providing attendees with firsthand experiences throughout the region. Representatives from more than 15 cruise brands participated in the visits, exploring destinations, shore excursion opportunities, local culture and tourism experiences that can be showcased in Canada and New England cruise itineraries.
The symposium also marked the announcement of a leadership transition at Cruise the Saint Lawrence, with Marjolaine de Sa appointed as executive director, succeeding René Trépanier, who retires in July after 20 years in the role. De Sa brings more than 25 years of experience in hospitality, destination development and organisational leadership across Québec.