Cruise Tourism

The fifth-largest ship in the world, MSC Meraviglia, made its maiden call on October 11 marking the end of a successful cruise season for Port of Corner Brook.

The 2019 cruise season included visits from several large ships including TUI Cruises Mein Schiff 1 and two calls from Cunard’s Queen Mary 2. The largest ship of the season was the 171,600gt

MSC Meraviglia departing port of Corner Brook

MSC Meraviglia which made its inaugural visit to Corner Brook. The MSC Meraviglia will return to Corner Brook next season. Several other maiden calls were made this year including the Mein Schiff 1 and the Zuiderdam. Maiden calls are an important indicator at the port as they not only represent Port of Corner Brook’s growth in the industry, but it highlights the increasing demand for Canada–New England cruises and Western Newfoundland as a tourism destination.

The cruise industry is considered a key economic driver for the region. This season saw a total of 18 calls to the port up from 15 calls last year. Corner Brook accommodated 24,396 cruise passengers and 11,206 crew members, representing a total increase of 37.5% from the 2018 cruise season.

Despite the three cancellations due to weather, the season was one of the best on record for the port. Jennifer Hartley, Business Development Manager at the Corner Brook Port Corporation, said

“We are pleased the results of the 2019 cruise season and are excited to announce that our projections for 2020 show continued growth with 20 ships scheduled. These results validate the work our team dedicates to the cruise industry both at the port and in the community”.

The Port of Corner Brook works closely with the Cruise Network team, a committee made up of members from the City, local businesses and other interest groups who meet regularly to help improve the overall passenger experience while in Corner Brook.

The 2020 cruise ship season will start with the return of TUI Cruises Mein Schiff 1 on Monday, May 4, the first of two calls for the vessel.