Halifax businesses anticipate busy season as cruise ships return after 2 years

Port expects 152 ships to call this year, with the first scheduled to arrive April 26

Simon Smith · CBC News ·

It’s been over two years since a passenger-carrying cruise ship has docked at the Port of Halifax.

After a federal ban on cruise ship travel in response to the COVID-19 pandemic ended in November, businesses in Halifax are getting ready to welcome back a key part of their customer base.

Two blocks from the waterfront, The Old Triangle pub is a popular destination for cruise ship passengers and co-owner Brendan Doherty is looking forward to the boost in traffic.

“A couple of thousand people a day right down on the waterfront is an undeniably huge market that has been sorely missed for the last two years,” Doherty said.

A total of 152 ships are scheduled to make port in Halifax this year. The first to arrive, on April 26, has a capacity of just under 4,000 passengers.

On summer weekends, it’s easy to fill a restaurant for dinner, Doherty said. But cruise ship customers are a source of consistent business on weekdays, making up the majority of the Irish pub’s business during the season.

Last year, The Old Triangle shut its doors on St. Patrick’s Day, normally its busiest day of the year, despite being allowed by public health restrictions to remain open. The move was made to limit community spread of the virus and to allow staff a day off for their mental health.

Cruise ship passengers line up to board buses on the Halifax waterfront in 2015. (Shaina Luck/CBC)

Doherty said his concerns about COVID-19 are starting to fade, thanks to the effectiveness of vaccines, making way for some excitement.

“It’s been a long road and we’re really excited for what’s around the corner this summer,” Doherty said.

Doherty said he’s starting to focus on hiring staff, which was a challenge last year, and he expects it will be again this year, as restaurants downtown all begin to hire from a depleted segment of the workforce.

The Loop, a knitting supply store on Barrington Street, has also felt the impact of the cruise ship ban. Owner Mimi Flautley said sales to tourists, many of whom come off of the ships, typically make up about 60 per cent of her business.

“The last two summers have been difficult,” Flautley said. “Our revenue has been down significantly.”

But things could have been worse were it not for a strong uptick in local sales, she said.

“It’s just a fluky stroke of luck,” Flautley said. “The disaster that we have been experiencing for the last two and a bit years is one that has been not as bad for my business as for other businesses because I specialize in materials for activities that people have turned to in this time.”

Apprehension, too

While she’s excited to have more customers this summer, Flautley said she’s apprehensive about the potential spread of COVID-19 from cruise ships. But she’s hopeful that government regulations will minimize the risk of outbreaks on board.

According to Transport Canada’s official measures for safe cruise ship travel, all passengers, except those who are medically or religiously exempt, on cruise ships traveling in Canada must be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Capacity limits on board the ships have not been officially announced by Transport Canada.