Port of Charlottetown welcomes largest ship ever
The MSC Meraviglia expected to bring 4,500 passengers to P.E.I. on Saturday
The Port of Charlottetown is expecting a very big guest for lunch on Saturday.
The MCS cruise ship Meraviglia will be in port.
“It’s absolutely the biggest,” said Corryn Clemence, spokesperson for the port.
Measuring 315 metres long, the Meraviglia is taller and wider than any other ship that has ever visited Charlottetown.
“I have a sneaking suspicion it will be the tallest structure in the city,” said Clemence, who happened to see the Meraviglia in Manhattan recently.
“I cannot get over the size of this ship.”
The ship is carrying around 4,500 passengers and 1,500 crew many of whom will be out and about in P.E.I. since Charlottetown has a nearly 98 per cent debarkation rate for cruise ship passengers.
Nearly 43 per cent of crew will take to the town as well.
Clemence said the biggest challenge will be handling the crowds on land.
To help, there are volunteers scheduled to greet the guests and hand out walking maps of the city. To accommodate the various nationalities aboard the Meraviglia, Clemence had the maps translated into five languages including Italian, Spanish and Portuguese.
The Meraviglia is too big to re-fuel in Charlottetown, and it is rare for a ship to take on water while in port said Clemence.
However, many cruise lines do stock up on local P.E.I. provisions like seafood, potatoes, local brews and dairy delicacies, said Clemence, though she doesn’t know about the Meraviglia since she won’t receive the orders until the day before the ship arrives.
“It shows the high level of product we have here on P.E.I.,” she said, adding it’s a chance for visitors to sample local foods even while at sea.
And it’s a boost to local producers.
“I think it’s great we can have that effect.”