Cruise ship season in St Johns NL (Newfoundland-Labrador Canada) came to an end Thursday morning, October 13, as the last liner of the year entered the harbour at 07:00 a.m.
Sky Princess (length 330-m, volume 145000 GT-tons) is the largest passenger ship to ever visit the harbor. The liner was met with fanfare as people took to Signal Hill and the surrounding trails to catch a glimpse of the mega-ship coming into port.
According to the city's representative for cruise tourism, Coun. Debbie Hanlon, the port city had greeted 22,242 cruise passengers on a total of 26 ships, which started arriving back in June.
Among the cruisers arriving Thursday morning were the 300,000th and 300,001st cruise passengers to arrive in the harbour since 1999, Frank Nigro and Gi Young Nigro. They were greeted by city officials and traditional musicians directly on the wharf.
The couple posed for photos before being given a commemorative plaque and a bag filled with local goods.
6 of this season's cruise ships made inaugural visits to the harbour in the summer of 2022, while 9 ships used St. John's as their homeport, where guests embark on a cruise, for the first time.
According to Hanlon, there was proof of economic benefits to the downtown core, with businesses and restaurants bustling as travelers explored the city. But other businesses were also cashing in, including bus tour operators.
The city estimates the 2022 economic impact at $8.1M but has not provided specifics.