Cruise ships have charted a return course to Nanaimo with two visits scheduled for the 2024 cruise season.

The first of the vessels, MV Seabourn Odyssey, of Seabourn Cruise Lines, will dock May 9 to mark the start of what Andrea Thomas, Port of NanaimoB次元官网网址檚 manager of cruise development, said she hopes is the start of a growing cruise ship business in coming years.

B次元官网网址淕iven that we havenB次元官网网址檛 seen a cruise ship here since 2019, itB次元官网网址檚 pretty exciting,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e starting over again, really, and itB次元官网网址檚 a great opportunity to show what Nanaimo is and what we can do and who we are and why weB次元官网网址檙e great and why we have a unique product offering in terms of, not specifically the port, but the city itself and the excursion opportunities.B次元官网网址�

Thomas noted NanaimoB次元官网网址檚 local features, such as its craft breweries, as well as its location as a hub for excursions, such as winery tours, Cathedral Grove and other attractions the central Island has for tourism.

She said expanding tourism is important for communities and cruise ships are good vehicles for that.

B次元官网网址淪omething like one in three passengers on a cruise ship is testing destinations and theyB次元官网网址檒l return to places that theyB次元官网网址檝e enjoyed during their port of call, so itB次元官网网址檚 future growth for tourism, as well, even though they may only be here a few hours on a given day, so the likelihood of many of the guests returning is high,B次元官网网址� Thomas said.

She said the initial focus will be on drawing the pocket cruise vessels. Seabourn Odyssey accommodates about 450 passengers and the Oceania CruisesB次元官网网址� MS Regatta, scheduled to arrive Aug. 26, carries about 830 passengers.

B次元官网网址淚 think we can better show them what Nanaimo is and has to offer than we could if we had the 5,000- or 6,000-passenger gigantic cruise ships,B次元官网网址� Thomas said. B次元官网网址淲e can accommodate those too, but that would be a pretty big shock to our cityB次元官网网址檚 infrastructure, 5,000 people on a ship unloading all at once. Hopefully, in the future we can build up on that and we can take bigger ships, but for now weB次元官网网址檙e targeting those pocket luxury ships.B次元官网网址�

The port already has visits from four ships booked for the 2025 season and more booked for 2026.

Thomas said sheB次元官网网址檒l be attending Seatrade Cruise Global, the worldB次元官网网址檚 largest cruise ship trade conference, next month, and has a number of meetings set up with cruise lines to draw more traffic to Nanaimo.

B次元官网网址淭he goal is to grow it and keep growing, so weB次元官网网址檒l see what happens. Wish us luck,B次元官网网址� Thomas said.

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