Cruise ships will return to Pictou
Safety protocols in place as port ready to, again, welcome visitors
PICTOU - After a couple of years of no cruise ships docking in Pictou because of COVID, the Ocean Explorer is set to visit the marina on May 2 and, once again, put the community and all of Pictou County on display.
In total, Pictou is set to welcome eight cruise ship visits this year. They include four each by the new ship Ocean Explorer on May 2, Oct. 5, Oct.13, and Oct. 25, and Pearl Mist (Pearl Seas) on May 18, Sept. 8, Sept. 19, and Sept. 30.
The Sept. 8 and Sept. 30 visits by Pearl Mist are overnight stays.
“As a small community that is pretty awesome,” said Michelle Young, Town of Pictou manager of recreation services. Young pointed out it’s the tourism shoulder-seasons when the ships visit.
“That is typical for Atlantic
Canada. The larger ports do see visits (in the heart of the season – June to August),” she said, adding that would be a place like Halifax.
“But for ports like us it’s the shoulder seasons which is great, we always had a desire to grow our two shoulder seasons, and tourism-related travel and cruises fit that bill.”
SAFETY FIRST AND FOREMOST
Young stressed that the cruise
industry has developed some of the most stringent safety and operational protocols.
“That is really important,” she said. “We’re not just saying, ‘hey, come on back.’ Transport Canada has regulated the industry stringently so there are protocols in place that ensure safety for the passengers, the community, everyone.”
The protocols include the required vaccination of both crew and passengers on all vessels and those operators develop and implement a COVID management plan pursuant to the Transport Canada Ship Safety Bulletin 18/ 2021.
Young said Transport Canada worked in consultation with the Public Health Agency of Canada to develop a comprehensive framework, “focusing on COVID related health requirements that the cruise industry must abide by, supporting safe cruise activities in Canada.”
She added that while there were no ships locally in the last couple of years, the industry did startup last summer in the U.S. and Europe, and Vancouver saw a cruise ship visit earlier this spring, so there has been an opportunity to see the protocols in action.
BENEFITS OF CRUISE VISITS
Young said it was in 2007 that a committee was formed to work on the development of the Port of Pictou and Pictou County as a cruise destination. The development included becoming a member of the Atlantic Canada Cruise Association.
“At that time, we went through what they called a ‘Port Readiness exercise’ to see, as a region, are we ready to welcome ships … did we have everything in place that would create a great experience for that industry,” she said.
“They said at the time it would about take five years to get to the point where we might have our first ship visit, which was right on the money – it was 2012.”
Young said since and right up until COVID cruise traffic was steady with about five or six visits per year and one really strong year where there were 10. She talked about the positive impacts.
“The obvious one is our local businesses see foot traffic through their doors. Cruise passengers come off the ship and explore the community,” she said.
“The ship itself requires servicing and supplies so local suppliers, specific to the ship’s needs, are secured. Anything from provisions like food, medical, or office supplies, or it could be fuel … whatever needs a ship may have. So it may not necessarily be your gift shops that see traffic, there are other service-type businesses and small businesses that certainly are positively
impacted.”
Young said ships generally dock in the morning and a tour is arranged.
“We’ve had great successes with a tour of the Ship Hector – that’s a popular one – and the Museum of Industry. We receive great feedback on both. Then there are walking tours,” she said, adding it’s typical for passengers to spend their afternoons on their own, casual strolling around downtown Pictou.
“History, heritage, that’s the drawing card,” Young said. “Talking to cruise passengers, that is what they’re drawn to. Hearing the local stories and linking those stories of Scottish settlers. And having a chance to taste local foods and beer.”
Denise Taylor, marketing and events officer for the Stellarton museum and a cruise committee member, echoed the thought.
“The cruise industry is an important part of our tourism sector and provides the opportunity to showcase the Museum of Industry to visitors from all over the world,” Taylor said.