PICTOU
Cruise season is set to open with the first vessel docking in Pictou Wednesday.
Michelle Young, a member of the Pictou County Cruise Committee, said five cruise ships are scheduled to visit the port of Pictou from May to October which will mean more than 1,000 people getting a look at the county.
“We have an ideal location,” she said. “We are right in the middle of the route from New York up to the Saint Lawrence.”
This year the cruise committee will welcome the Pearl Mist on May 23 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. with additional visits from this company on Sept. 20, Sept. 30 and Oct. 11. Pearl Mist tours generally hold about 200 passengers on a 10-day cruise from Portland, Maine, to Quebec City.
The Pearl Mist has been docking in Pictou for the past few years and tours of local attractions such as the Museum of Industry, Hector Heritage Quay or New Glasgow have been arranged though Ambassador Tours. Guests can also take part in guided walking tours or stroll through Pictou on their own.
This is the first year the cruise liner Hebridean Sky will be making a stop in Pictou, on June 10 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. It has the capacity for 115 passengers who are doing a circumnavigation tour of Newfoundland that begins and ends in Halifax. It is considered a luxury 15-day cruise.
Young said the cruise committee is happy to have a new cruise company visit its port and credits the group’s attendance at the annual Canada New England Cruise Symposium for allowing it to make the contacts necessary to draw attention to Pictou.
“This year the symposium in is in Boston and we will meet one on one with cruise line executives who are planning the itineraries,” she said. Most cruise line companies plan their itineraries at least a year or two in advance. “This year, we have looked at the number of cruise companies cruising Atlantic Canada and targeted companies that are a good fit for Pictou. It is an awesome opportunity for us and we see lots of returns on it.”
The size of cruise ship that can dock in Pictou is limited, but the smaller ports in Atlantic Canada and Quebec are seeing a 30 per cent growth from year to year. In fact, nine new expedition ships are expected to be launched in 2019 and 96 new ships are expected to be built over the next 10 years.
The Pictou County Cruise Committee is made of representatives from the towns of Pictou, New Glasgow and Stellarton, as well as the Municipality of Pictou County. It also partners with the Museum of Industry, Pictou Business and Marketing Society, Pictou Marine Terminals and Destination Eastern and Northumberland Shores.
“Bringing cruise ships to Pictou County provides a unique and important opportunity to reach visitors who otherwise may never be exposed to our region. It is hoped that if they get a sample of what we offer, they will return on their own and bring their friends,” said Debra McNabb, curator for the Museum of Industry in Stellarton.
The committee is looking for volunteers who want to help roll out the welcome mat for visitors on any of the tours when they dock at Pier C. Volunteers can be part of the welcome centre that supplies visitors with local information and includes a passport booklet for the Town of Pictou.
Local businesses are invited to participate in the passport book by contacting Young at 902-485-4372. They are also encouraged to offer specials for the day that cruises are visiting, in addition to putting out welcoming signage in storefront windows, having small token giveaways and advertising free WiFi or other services.
