MSC Poesia docked at the Port of Québec April 10, officially kicking off the 2024 Destination Saint Lawrence international cruise season. Nine ports of call are gearing up to welcome 46 different ships from 29 cruise lines in 2024, while bookings to date are estimated to represent over 400,000 passenger-days and some 500 days in port.

Through late October, the nine Saint Lawrence ports of call – Montréal, Trois-Rivières, Québec, Saguenay, Baie–Comeau, Sept-Îles, Havre-Saint-Pierre, Gaspé and Îles-de-la-Madeleine – will also welcome a total of 10 vessels on inaugural voyages to the region. Traffic for 2024 is forecast to increase slightly, with overall figures projected to be comparable to those posted for 2023.

“Once again this season, the nine member ports of call of Cruise the Saint Lawrence will welcome many thousands of visitors eager to discover the wonders of the Saint Lawrence, to immerse themselves in our culture and to partake of the myriad attractions on offer in our communities,” says underscored Yves Gilson, president of Cruise the Saint Lawrence, adding, “It is our intention to render these experiences as memorable as they are sustainable.”

Cruise the Saint Lawrence is a sectoral organization which groups together the nine ports of call located along the shores of the Saint Lawrence River. The mission of the organization is to grow cruise market activities in Québec and across Destination Canada New England through the provision of marketing and development services to members. Cruise the Saint Lawrence is supported by Tourism Québec, Québec Tourism Industry Alliance and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada.