Cruise season has begun in Montreal

By Sarah Kuta
Last Updated: 11:05 a.m. ET, Monday May 6, 2024

Cruise season is officially underway in Montreal.

Over the weekend, Holland America Line's Volendam made her first port of call in Montreal, kicking off her 2024 season.

“Every spring, we can't wait for the first cruise ship of the season to arrive,” says Yves Lalumiere, president and CEO of Tourisme Montréal. “This marks the beginning of an exciting time for tourism in Montreal. Cruise passengers are warmly welcomed by the impressive Bonjour structure, which overlooks the green roof of Montreal's harbour. Montreal is a must-see along the St. Lawrence River. Generating significant economic benefits for Old Montreal restaurant owners and merchants.”

This summer should be a busy time for the Port of Montreal, which expects about 50,000 passengers by the end of October. The port sees 41 operations, including 32 embarkation/disembarkation and nine calls.

Nine ships will arrive for the first time: Holland America Line's Volendam; Champlain and Liriale of Ponant; Villa Vie Residences' Villa Vie Odyssey; Rivages du Mondes World Explorer; Regent Seven Seas Cruises' Seven Seas Grandeur; Oceania Cruises' Nautica; Fred Olsen Cruise Lines Borealis; and Azamara Cruises' Azamara Journey.

The port is also helping cruise lines celebrate three milestones this fall. Regent Seven Seas Cruises welcomes its 25,000th passenger aboard Seven Seas Grandeur on September 19; Viking welcomes its 30,000th passenger aboard Viking Neptune on September 27; and Oceania welcomes its 40,000th passenger aboard Nautica on October 6.

This year, the Port of Montreal will unveil a new board design for ships making their first port calls. After the competition, the composition “All Aboard” was selected. It was created by Manon Siui, a multi-disciplinary artist from Wendike and a member of the Huron-Wendat Nation.

The port is also expecting more ships to connect to shore power this year. Last year, a record 9 ships joined the system, which resulted in a reduction of nearly 400 tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

“This new cruise season highlights Montreal's appeal as a world-class tourism destination,” said Julie Gascon, president and CEO of the Port of Montreal. “We are proud to offer a great reception area with Grand Quay and Port Harbour. The Montreal Tower, which has become a symbol of our city's tourism.

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