Charlottetown wraps rebound cruise season with expanded berth

The calls were reduced due to the severe aftermath of Hurricane Fiona, which hit during the peak season.

Still, officials were pleased with cruising's resumption.

Pandemic bounce-back

'Like many tourism destinations, 2022 was a bounce-back year for us following a couple of really tough years with the pandemic,' said Mike Cochrane, Port Charlottetown's CEO. 'It was great to get back into the swing of things and those 96,000 guests generated a lot of business for Island restaurateurs, artisans, retailers and tourism operators.'

Berth expansion completed

Cochrane projects a record 100 cruise calls in 2023 and said Port Charlottetown staff are excited about the major berth expansion that has been completed.

'This $12 million expansion was started during the pandemic as a partnership between the federal and provincial governments and Port Charlottetown,' he said. 'The new berth, which began operating this fall, has doubled the port's docking capacity and will really enhance passenger safety, convenience and comfort going forward.'

Insignia wraps the season

The final call was Oceania Cruises' Insignia, carrying 698 passengers and 400 crew.