Flynn Cruiseport Boston bounced back from the lean years of 2020 and 2021 and welcomed more than 300,000 cruise ship passengers onboard 128 cruise ships in the last 12 months.
No less than five ships used Massport as a homeport, which contributed to the port surpassing the passenger and ship numbers in October compared to the same period in 2019.
With 135 million dollars in economic impact, the strong return of the cruise industry is great news for locals. The cruise industry supports a large number of jobs in the area, including positions in the terminal, on the ships, and in local businesses that support the industry.
Boston’s Massport Returns to pre-Pandemic Numbers
Flynn Cruiseport Boston returned to pre-pandemic visitor numbers this year, after two years where only a few cruise ships sailed from the port. The 128 cruise ship calls this year, which includes 56 homeport calls and 72 port calls, brought 310,767 passengers to the port on the eastern seaboard.
“We were thrilled to see that the demand for cruising continues to be strong as we work to support the recovery of travel and tourism in New England,” said Massport Port Director Joseph Morris. “Boston has grown as both a homeport and destination port of call for multiple cruise lines, and we look forward to expanding our itineraries for customers in the future.”
Flynn Cruiseport Boston served a record 402,346 passengers on 138 ships in 2019. However, in October of this year, the port surpassed the number of cruise ship passengers compared to the same month in 2019.
It means that the port has well and truly recovered from the global pause in operations while expanding on the success of cruises on the east coast.
The cruise season began in April 2022 and ended just before Thanksgiving. Massport facilitated 12 maiden voyages to Boston, including Norwegian Cruise Lines’ Norwegian Pearl, Holland America Line’s Nieuw Statendam, Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Legend, and both the Enchanted Princess and Sky Princess from Princess Cruises.
These voyages offered itineraries to destinations such as the Caribbean, Bahamas, Greenland/Iceland, and Denmark and were provided by 19 cruise lines.
Boston is a Firm Favorite Amongst Cruise Executives
Boston native Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, the President and CEO of Celebrity Cruises, views the first season Celebrity Cruises used Boston as a homeport for Celebrity Summit as a complete success:
“Our first season homeporting in Boston was a great success, and we can’t wait to build on it for the 2023 season. As a native of the Boston area, I’m thrilled to see the region thrive and congratulate all of the teams within the Massachusetts Port Authority on a truly stellar year,” Lutoff-Perlo said.
Flynn Cruiseport Boston is in a perfect location for cruise lines that want to operate the incredibly popular fall cruises along the east coast of the United States and Canada. However, cruises to the Bahamas are also within reach, as is Bermuda, and even exotic locations such as Greenland and Iceland.
“Flynn Cruiseport Boston is an ideal location for Holland America Line to homeport a significant portion of our North American voyages,” said President of Holland America Line Gus Antorcha. “Whether exploring Canada and New England or discovering the wonders of Greenland, Iceland, and the British Isles, guests can sail roundtrip from Boston and enjoy the best service at sea.”
It is not just the cruise lines that benefit from the ideal location that Boston is at. Locals benefit equally, as the cruise industry generates an annual economic impact of over $135 million and supports more than 2,200 jobs.
This helps a wide range of businesses in the region, including transportation providers, restaurants, tourist attractions, airlines, hotels, souvenir shops, and companies that supply provisions to the ships.
Boston’s cruise season starts towards the end of March but doesn’t come into full swing until later in the year. In September 2023, the port expects to welcome 47 cruise ships, and in October, 45. By contrast, the port expects to welcome just 15 and 12 ships in July and August, respectively.
