Port Saint John expects busier stretch in 2026 cruise season
The port has 51 more ship visits scheduled after receiving seven from April through August.
Saint John is preparing for a busier period in its 2026 cruise season after receiving seven ship visits from April through August. Port Saint John has 51 additional calls scheduled, which would bring the city’s expected annual total to 58.
The upcoming schedule includes the season’s first day with two cruise ships on Wednesday, followed by its first triple-ship day on Sept. 8.
Port Saint John president and CEO Craig Bell Estabrooks said 12 overnight cruise stays are planned for 2026, exceeding the number recorded in previous years. He said those longer visits provide an economic benefit as the port receives fewer ships overall.
Bell Estabrooks acknowledged that cruise passenger volume is lower than in past years. He also said additional vessels could be diverted to Saint John during the fall storm season.
The port is seeking to extend Saint John’s cruise calendar further into the summer months, following a season pattern similar to Halifax, according to Bell Estabrooks.