The 2016 cruise season at the Port of Halifax will begin on April 30, 2016 with the arrival of the Veendam, a Holland America Line vessel. “This is a wonderful way to start our 2016 cruise season in Halifax,” said Cathy McGrail, Director of Cruise and Corporate Communications for the Port of Halifax. “Holland America has been a tremendous partner over the years, and the Veendam is one of the vessels calling Halifax that is equipped to take on shore power. Starting off the season in this way is a good representation of the partnerships and innovations that have helped develop a strong cruise offering in Halifax.” With 135 vessels expected during the 2016 cruise season carrying approximately 240-thousand cruise guests plus crew, the Port of Halifax is preparing for another busy year. This year, the passenger capacity onboard a single vessel record in Halifax will be broken twice. The Norwegian Breakaway is scheduled to call on June 29, 2016; with a passenger capacity of 4500 plus crew, this will be the highest number of cruise guests on a single vessel until the arrival of the Anthem of the Seas September 1, 2016, which has passenger capacity of 4905 plus crew. 2016 highlights include: • Eight inaugural calls. • Over 30 potential shore power connections. • Two visits from the Queen Mary 2 during the 2016 season. Her first call will be July 3, 2016. • Three visits from Disney Magic. Her first call will be September 26, 2016. • September 15, 2016 is expected to be the busiest passenger day with over 9000 passengers plus crew expected. • October 7, 2016 is the only scheduled five-ship day. “The cruise sector is important to Nova Scotia’s tourism economy,” said Martha Stevens, Acting CEO, Tourism Nova Scotia. “Cruise passengers spend money on such things as food, shopping, and excursions, and are introduced to some of the unique experiences that make Nova Scotia an attractive vacation destination.” A recent economic impact report released by the Halifax Port Authority found that cruise in Halifax is now worth an estimated $104.3 million in economic benefit for the local economy. This includes passenger spending on tourism-related activities as well as provisioning associated with cruise vessels. Halifax is a full-service port that is able to offer a full range of goods and services across the entire marine industry.