Disney Cruise Line to visit Port of Saint John in 2012

05/10/2011

SAINT JOHN (CNB) Disney Cruise Line will visit the Port of Saint John with its vessel Disney Magic on nine occasions in 2012.

The announcement was made by Disney Cruise Line today in New York after a series of sales calls conducted in March by the Saint John Port Authority, the Department of Tourism and Parks and the destination marketing organization in Saint John.

Our provincial cruise business is growing year after year, and we are proud that such a well-known line has added the Port of Saint John to their visitor list, said Tourism and Parks Minister Trevor Holder. While in Miami a few weeks ago, we met with some of the largest cruise lines in the world to solicit new business and to seek additional business from existing customers.

Currently, 11 cruise ship lines make stops in New Brunswick. The addition of the well-known Disney line is expected to contribute to the provinces image as a cruise destination.

We are thrilled that Disney, one of the world"s best-loved brands, is adding Saint John as one of only two ports of call on five-day cruises out of New York beginning in 2012, said Stephen Campbell, chair of the Saint John Port Authority.

The strength of the Bay of Fundy brand; the hospitality extended by the tourism industry; and the berth extension projects at the port made possible by recent federal-provincial investment commitments, are all factors that help to attract cruise ships.

We recognize the potential the cruise industry has for the province and we are marketing return visits to those who experience just a taste of New Brunswick when they stop at our provincial ports, said Holder.

Full details on the entire 2012 season will be available at the end of 2011. The 2011 schedule is available online and includes more than 200,000 cruise guests during 71 ship visits.

source: (www.gnb.ca)