On the harbor famend for its notorious tea occasion, Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) officers gathered to have a good time Boston’s historic cruise season, through which over 480,000 passengers arrived at Flynn Cruiseport Boston in 2024.
The passenger rely – a 29 % improve over 2023 – occurred throughout 167 cruise ships calling in Boston throughout its season, representing one other uptick of 12 % over the earlier yr.
“The numerous improve within the variety of passengers utilizing Flynn Cruiseport Boston has been a increase to our tourism trade, an financial surge for the area, and a catalyst for rising jobs,” mentioned Monica Tibbits-Nutt, Transportation Secretary and CEO.
“The extra exercise we see on the Cruiseport, the extra our financial system grows, the extra native companies revenue, and the extra we increase connections to different nations worldwide,” she continued.
The capital metropolis launched its season on March 29, 2024, with Norwegian Cruise Line’s 3,200-guest Norwegian Gem providing 7-day roundtrip voyages from Boston to Bermuda, and welcoming its first port name on April 25, 2024, when Holland America Line’s 1,432-guest Volendam made her first look.
Holland America’s Zuiderdam, carrying practically 2,000 passengers, closed out the season on November 9, 2024, departing from Boston to Fort Lauderdale to reposition to the Caribbean for winter.
Learn Additionally: Boston Cruise Port – Getting There, Piers, Terminals and Extra
In the course of the 2024 season, Boston welcomed 13 maiden voyages and itineraries from 24 cruise traces, together with cruises to the Caribbean, Central America, Iceland, and Greenland.
Its largest draw, nevertheless, was its Canadian and New England sailings, which accounted for 64 % of 2024’s passengers. Flynn Cruiseport Boston additionally hosted 12 three-ship days.
“Cruise passengers are important to the energy of our customer financial system, contributing considerably to native spending in the course of the summer season and increasing into our shoulder seasons,” mentioned Martha J. Sheridan, Meet Boston president and CEO.
Town is poised to have one other robust season within the coming years, with Norwegian Cruise Line asserting it is going to deliver again Norwegian Gem for yet another yr in 2025 earlier than changing it with an excellent larger ship in 2026.
The cruise line will make Flynn Cruiseport Boston the homeport for the 4,500-passenger, 145,655-gross-ton Norwegian Breakaway in 2026, which would be the port’s largest ship to-date.
The 2025 season will kick off on April 11 when Norwegian Jewel resumes the cruise line’s itineraries to Bermuda. Its first calls will start in Could, beginning with Viking Ocean’s Could 13 go to from Viking Neptune.
Funding to Drive Sustainability
Massport additionally marked the celebration by asserting a $100-million funding within the Cruiseport, together with $60 million devoted to putting in shore energy know-how to cut back cruise ship emissions and enhance air high quality within the South Boston Seaport.
“I’m extraordinarily completely happy that Massport might be investing $60 million to put in ‘ship-to-shore’ electrical energy in order that cruise ships won’t should hold their diesel engines operating whereas they’re at berth within the South Boston Seaport,” mentioned Congressman Stephen Lynch of Massachusetts 8th District.
The funding in shore energy will “reinforce Boston’s place as a pacesetter in sustainable maritime practices,” added Massport CEO Wealthy Davey.
The $60-million initiative will allow ships to plug into landside electrical energy whereas docked on the port. The know-how is anticipated to be operational by 2029 and is projected to chop nitrogen oxide emissions by 93 % and carbon dioxide by 65 %.
At the moment, practically 80 % of cruise ships visiting Boston have the potential to hook up with shore energy.
Past environmental upgrades, Flynn Cruiseport Boston will endure infrastructure enhancements to deal with the elevated passenger numbers and bigger vessels.
Upgrades embrace a brand new Passenger Boarding Bridge, pier enhancements, further escalators, and expanded seating in passenger boarding areas.
