PortsToronto welcomed its first cruise ship of the 2023 season on Friday, April 28. The Viking Octantis officially launched another record-breaking cruise ship season which will see 54 ships visit Canada’s largest city between May and October, bringing more than 22,000 passengers to enjoy all Toronto has to offer.

Toronto, a world-class city located on the shores of Lake Ontario, has become a popular Great Lakes cruising destination. As one of the key ports of call, passengers aboard this and other cruise ships will remain in Toronto for one to three days and support the local economy by enjoying restaurants, attractions and shopping while in the city.

In addition to supporting local tourism, entertainment and hospitality sectors, cruising is moving international travellers and their spending into the far reaches of the Great Lakes and into smaller towns and ports in Northern Ontario – investment worth celebrating. According to Cruise the Great Lakes, an initiative led by the Conference of Great Lakes Governors and Premiers, cruising in the Great Lakes generated an economic value of over $120 million USD to the region’s ports and communities in 2022[1]

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“The Port of Toronto is a popular urban jumping off point for cruising adventures throughout the Great Lakes. From the cruise ship terminal, passengers are a quick five-kilometre drive to downtown, which has the shopping, theatre, sporting events and restaurants you would expect in a world-class city,” said RJ Steenstra, President and CEO, PortsToronto.

“With the growing trend of ‘exploration cruising’, the Great Lakes cruising sector has seen a steady increase in both the number of ships as well as the number of passengers choosing to visit our region, and we expect to see this growth continue.”

About Cruise Industry in Toronto
The Port of Toronto offers a unique and popular urban experience for the thousands of travellers who will be making their way through the Great Lakes this season, boosting Toronto’s tourism, entertainment and hospitality industries. A gateway to Canada’s largest city, the Port of Toronto is a turnaround port, allowing Toronto to host arriving and departing cruise ship passengers for several days as they enjoy the many accommodations, restaurants and attractions the city has to offer.

To view the Port of Toronto Cruise Ship Terminal’s full 2023 schedule, click here.