The Port of Québec launched the 2022 international cruise season with the arrival of the Viking Octantis operated by Viking Cruises at the Ross Gaudreault Cruise Terminal, in the presence of Ms. Catherine Vallières-Roland, Acting Mayor of Québec City, Chief Carlo Gros-Louis of the Huron-Wendat Nation, and Mr. Robert Mercure, General Manager of Destination Québec cité. For the occasion, Port of Québec President and CEO Mario Girard had the pleasure of presenting Captain Anders Gillis Steen with the medal awarded to the first cruise ship of the year to dock at the Port of Québec.

This tradition dates back to the early 1990s, when Québec City welcomed its first cruise ships. The medal features engravings of migratory birds, symbolizing the beginning of spring and the cruise season. This year, the captain and his crew were doubly honoured, as the ship’s inaugural visit to the Capitale-Nationale region was also celebrated. Originally from Norway, the Viking Octantis, with 378 passengers and 260 crew members, arrived from New York and then headed to the Great Lakes region.

“After a two-year absence, we are thrilled to welcome the Viking Octantis today, which marks the start of a great international cruise season with some 100 ship visits planned for 2022. The Port of Québec continues to be very appealing to cruise lines, and the arrival of the first ship marks an important step toward the return to a more normal situation, not to mention significant economic benefits for our merchants. We are therefore very pleased to welcome our first cruise passengers,” said Mario Girard, President and CEO of the Québec Port Authority.

“Today Destination Québec cité is delighted to see the first cruise ship arrive at the Port of Québec wharf. This marks the launch of the international cruise season at our destination after a two-year absence. Cruises are important for promoting our region and continue to be an incredible opportunity to showcase the beauty of the St. Lawrence River and Québec City, as many cruise passengers come back to visit us after a stopover. We applaud the work of all the partners involved in welcoming international cruises this season, who ensure to balance tourist traffic in the main districts with respect to the residents’ quality of life, as we have been doing since 2014,” said Robert Mercure, General Manager of Destination Québec cité.