Tag - Port of Corner Brook

17 Mar

Port of Corner Brook expecting record cruise season

The Port of Corner Brook has record bookings for the 2023 cruise season, following a celebratory post-pandemic return to cruise in 2022. 

The 2022 cruise season results exceeded expectations following a two-year pause due to COVID-19 restrictions. The season concluded with 23 cruise ship calls carrying almost 26,000 passengers, up 3.25% from 2019. “Expecting ship capacities would be down, we didn’t anticipate reaching 2019 numbers in the first year of cruise resumption, but I’m happy to report that we surpassed these results,” says Jennifer Hartley, Business Development Manager. The cruise industry provides significant economic value to the region and is essential to the tourism sector. Contributing to the overall success for 2022 was the increase of cruise ship occupancy rate throughout the year as COVID-19 restrictions eased, and consumer confidence in the industry returned. The total ‘spend’ from cruise lines and the 40,879 cruise guests and crew combined with indirect expenditures resulted in a estimated total economic impact for the region of $8.6 million for the 2022 season. 

The focus for the 2022 season was to ensure the safe resumption of the local cruise sector for passengers, crew, port staff and, of course, the community. Creating a positive experience for all stakeholders was a crucial component in helping to make this season a success. During the pandemic, the Port of Corner Brook launched a weekly international container service which would affect the berthing schedule and the cruise welcome program. Throughout last season, the Port added many new upgrades including a 100 ft tender dock and gangway that is positioned along the south part of the wharf to allow vessels to tender guests to shore when the berth is unavailable. Tendering is a standard service in the cruise industry and enables the Port of Corner Brook to be more flexible with berth reservations. We saw three cruise ships take advantage of this service and currently have four cruise ships booked at anchor for next season. 

Photo Credit: Scott Grant, Ronin Photography

The Regent Seven Seas Navigator will return in May 2023, officially kicking off the Port of Corner Brook cruise season in their first of five calls. The largest ship to call the Port is the Norwegian Joy, which is 333 metres long, carries 3,800 passengers along with 1800 crew and will make three calls this season. Marking the end of the cruise season will be the Oceania Cruises’ Insignia on November 3. 

“We are pleased to release the 2023 cruise schedule, which features 32 cruise ship calls, six maiden voyages and four double ship days. As we prepare for another busy season, we hope to further transform the passenger experience through additional infrastructure enhancements, and we look forward to our future growth in the industry.”       

Jackie Chow, CEO, Corner Brook Port Corporation

The Port of Corner Brook continues to make improvements to ensure the passengers and crew enjoy the shoreside experience. We look forward to working with our cruise partners and stakeholders to ensure another successful year. From the local businesses to the volunteers, our community continues to come together to provide a warm welcome and positive atmosphere for cruise tourists. Once again, we encourage community members to reach out to see how they can get involved.   

2023 Cruise Schedule
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19 Jul

Cruise Atlantic Canada Waves of Excellence Programs

Aquila Offered Training Programs

In collaboration with the City of Corner Brook, the Port of Corner Brook would like to extend the opportunity for individuals to gain experience and skills through several offered programs.

With the return of cruise around the world, many destinations are investing in service training for their cruise industry frontlines – the experience providers, attraction teams, drivers, tour guides, retail teams, restaurant servers, and everyone who comes in contact with guests. These programs will help further enhance the way that our community interacts with tourists and guests that visit the area.

RSVP by e-mail including date: dbruce@cornerbrookport.com

Offered Courses

Waves of Excellence: Deliver the Wow (In-Person)

 “Waves of Excellence: Deliver the WOW” is a half-day virtual workshop designed to respond to this current situation and provides anyone who connects with guests with the skills and confidence they need to deliver excellent service while following the necessary protocols and procedures implemented by the cruise lines and destinations.

Whether greeters, taxi drivers, vendors and retail operators, tour guides, bus drivers, restaurant servers, attraction personnel, or the community at large, this workshop helps community teams understand the importance of their roles in the success of cruise in their destination.

Waves of Excellence: Deliver the Wow is available on two different dates, and only one option can be selected:

Location: Quality Inn Hotel

Option 1: Tuesday, August 9th: 1:30pm-4:30pm

Option 2: Wednesday, August 10th: 9:00am-12:00pm

Invite can be found at this link, follow information to register.

Driver Excellence (In-Person)

  • Available for people who drive motorcoach, taxi, van, private vehicle, sightseeing boat, or any other type of transportation as a driver has a great impact on the guest satisfaction ratings in the destination.
  • This will help ensure drivers provide excellent service, professional behaviour, ability to manage difficult situations, and more.

Driver Excellence is available on two different dates, and can only one option can be selected:

Location: Quality Inn Hotel

Option 1: Tuesday, August 9th: 10:00am-11:30am

Option 2: Wednesday, August 10th: 1:30pm-3:00pm

Invite can be found at this link, follow information to register.

Service Excellence 101 (Self-guided Online Course)

  • 1-hour course designed for frontline workers who come into contact with guests less often in their roles, but still benefit from an introduction to delivering excellent service to cruise guests.
  • Personnel could include port operations, longshoremen, customs and border agents, security and others who may engage with guests less often.

Tour Guide Excellence I,nternational Certification (Self-guided Online Course)

  • An interactive online program that gives individuals the opportunity to learn exactly what makes an excellent Tour Guide.
  • The course includes 6 lessons on the most important topics for tour guides and ends with an assessment, which includes a written exam and a video component, and guides receive a certificate and pin upon completion.

Cruise 101 (Self-Guided Online Course)

  • This 1-hour course provides an overview of the cruise industry as it relates to ports, destinations and shore excursions, and what successful destinations do to ensure the cruise lines and their guests are having exceptional experiences in the destination
  • Ideal for community and destination stakeholders, Cruise 101 allows people new to the industry to get up to speed quickly and with confidence

The Aquila scheduled training is set to take place from August 9th & 10th.

For further information regarding this opportunity please contact the Port of Corner Brook’s main office at 709-634-6600.

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24 May

The Return of the Cruise to the Port of Corner Brook

The Seven Seas Navigator

News Release

Following a two-year halt to the cruise industry that was felt around the globe, the Port of Corner Brook is excited to once again welcome passengers and crew back into our beautiful city.

The first Ship to make its way into port this season is the Seven Seas Navigator, which will make its first of seven trips into the Bay of Islands on May 24th. This ship can hold up to 490 passengers and 325 crew, and despite being smaller in size, the Navigator represents the official return of the cruise to the city of Corner Brook.

The cruise industry has a profound impact on the city of Corner Brook and surrounding area, significantly increasing the economic activity in the region. There are expected to be 24 calls into the Port of Corner Brook, consisting of 6 inaugural visits by different cruise ships.

The largest ship coming into the port is the Sky Princess, which is making its inaugural visit to Corner Brook. This large vessel can accommodate 3,660 passengers and 1,346 crew, and should be a sight to behold once it enters port, due to its sheer size and intriguing design.

The Sky Princess

The Corner Brook waterfront is renowned for its tremendous scenery, and one of the best ways to enjoy the view is experienced while watching cruise ships come into port, especially ones the size of the Sky Princess.

There is a wide variety of ships coming into the Bay of Islands during this cruise season, featuring vessels arriving from 5 different countries (USA, CAN, GER, ENG, ISL), bringing people from all across the globe into the community.

The majority of the calls for this upcoming season are in the months of September and October, allowing operators within the tourist industry to extend their season, something that was greatly missed over the last two years. The direct impact that the passengers and the crew of the ship make on the local economy is significant, whether by purchasing tours, utilizing local transportation services, or even increasing activity in local shops/restaurants, all were missed greatly due to the cancellations over the past two years due to Covid-19.

The cruise lines themselves also have a huge impact on the operations and economy at the Port of Corner Brook. These ships have to routinely pay for cruise services, supplies and port fees, which results in a huge boost for the city of Corner Brook and the CBPC.

With everyday life creeping back to normalcy after the profound impact of the Covid-19 pandemic it will still be essential to keep passengers, crew and staff safe from the virus. It will be important for us to continue following the guidelines set out by Transport Canada and the Provincial Government to ensure the safety of everybody involved.

The return of cruise lines into the Port of Corner Brook for the 2022 season will create a significant amount of economic activity in the Corner Brook region, new job opportunities, and increasing revenues for several local businesses.

The cruise schedule for the upcoming 2022 season can be found here.

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