Veendam Marks The Official Start Of The Port Of Québec’s International Cruise Season
The international cruise season officially begins at the Port of Québec on last Friday, with the arrival of this year’s very first cruise ship, the Holland America Lines (HAL) vessel Veendam from Boston, at the Ross Gaudreault Cruise Terminal.
The ship sailed up the St. Lawrence River for the first time in 1996, docking in Québec. Over 20 years, the Veendam has brought more than 80,000 tourists to the city of Québec in 45 visits. For the 2016 season, the 1,627-passenger ship will make 27 calls.
This year, the prestigious Holland America Line is showing its full confidence in the Port of Québec, with three of its ships set to visit our city. In addition to the Veendam, the Rotterdam will return for the first time since 2004, and the Zuiderdam will make its first visit to the St. Lawrence. For several years, Québec has stood out as the most popular destination among the 400 offered by the cruise line.
The luxury market takes off
“This year is looking like another great season for the Port of Québec. The emergence of the luxury ship market is striking—12 luxury or premium vessels will visit Québec. This means major economic benefits for merchants and attractions in city of Québec and the region”, said Port of Québec President and CEO Mario Girard.
A world-renowned attraction
Québec remains a powerful draw for cruise lines, with over a hundred cruise ships docking in the city again this year. The Port of Québec will mark several firsts this year, welcoming six new ships on their inaugural visit and three new cruise lines—Adventure Canada, Azamara Club Cruises and Viking Cruises. The new ships are the Ocean Endeavour, the Europa, the Zuiderdam, the Azamara Quest, the Seven Seas Mariner and the Viking Star.
“All this new traffic shows that the port community’s investment in business development is paying off, and that the mobilization of stakeholders is key to the development of this sector, which plays a strategic role in the city of Québec’s influence,” said Mario Girard, President and CEO of the Québec Port Authority.
