Massport, Elected Officials Celebrate Start of Cruise Season at Flynn Cruiseport

BOSTON –With the Norwegian Pearl docked in port over calm Boston Harbor waters, the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) today joined elected officials and community stakeholders to celebrate the start of the 2023 cruise season at Flynn Cruiseport Boston. The Pearl is just one of the many ships homeporting in Boston this season and offers weekly sailings to Bermuda through October.

Once again, Massport is expecting a robust cruise season this year welcoming 150+ ships from nearly 30 cruise lines, which support the local travel and tourism industries. Between now and November, the Cruiseport will welcome over 50 homeport calls, bringing cruise passengers to Bermuda, Canada/New England, and various repositioning cruises to Iceland/Greenland, Europe, and the Caribbean. The Cruiseport will also welcome 100+ port of call cruise line visits as tourists enjoy all that Boston and the Commonwealth have to offer. Flynn Cruiseport Boston will welcome six maiden calls, including the Explora 1 from Explora Journeys, Oceania Vista and the Viking Neptune. Flynn Cruiseport Boston will have four cruise lines offering five homeport ships and voyages:

• Norwegian Cruise Line: Norwegian Pearl to Bermuda
• Holland America: Zuiderdam and Zaandam to Canada/New England
• Celebrity Cruises: Celebrity Summit to Canada/New England
• Royal Caribbean International: Serenade of the Seas to Canada/New England

“We are pleased to kick off the start of the 2023 cruise season at Flynn Cruiseport Boston. We are proud of our strong relationships with our cruise partners that help us ensure the Boston remains the region’s cruise gateway,” said Massport CEO Lisa Wieland. “Cruising plays a very important role in our visitor economy, supporting thousands of jobs and serving as an economic engine for the Commonwealth. We look forward to welcoming cruise passengers to Boston and New England so they can explore all this region has to offer.”

At the event, Massport recognized State Senator Nick Collins with the 2023 Maritime Champion Award for his support and advocacy of the maritime economy in Boston and throughout the Commonwealth.

“The Senator has always been a strong advocate for the maritime businesses and partners in his community, and has both honored the Commonwealth’s maritime history and helped to guide the industry into the future,” added Wieland. “We thank him for his dedication and support.”

“Throughout the city’s history, the maritime industry has played such an integral role in our local and regional economy, generating jobs in Boston and across the Commonwealth,” said State Senator Nick Collins. “I want to thank the Massachusetts Port Authority and stakeholders, including the International Longshoremen’s Association, for their partnership as we continue to work together to revitalize the Port of Boston, grow the cruise business at Flynn Cruiseport and support the travel and tourism industry here in the Commonwealth, while working towards net-zero emissions to benefit the South Boston community.”

In 2022, Flynn Cruiseport Boston welcomed back cruising after a nearly two-year hiatus due to the pandemic and served over 310,000 passengers on 128 cruise ships. In October 2022, Flynn Cruiseport passengers exceeded pre-pandemic volumes for the same month in 2019 by 4.7%, resulting in the highest performing peak month in Flynn Cruiseport’s history. Generating more than $135 million and supporting more than 2,000 jobs annually, cruising supports hundreds of businesses large and small throughout the region, from transportation providers and restaurants to tourist attractions, airlines and hotels, souvenir shops, and provisioning companies that supply the ships. In regards to the cruise lines’ robust shore excursion offerings, cruise lines have traditionally focused on main tourist attractions, giving Boston and the Commonwealth high passenger reviews.

More recently, cruise lines are looking to expand their offerings to include more culturally diverse experiences and destinations, unique and curated attractions, and opportunities to welcome demographics of all ages.

“Cruise passengers are crucial to the health of our visitor economy, injecting a tremendous amount of spending during the summer months and through our shoulder seasons," said Meet Boston President & CEO Martha J. Sheridan. "We are excited to welcome approximately 400,000 passengers to our shores this year, which represents a full recovery for the industry here in Boston!"

In 2021, Massport installed a new state-of-the-art passenger boarding bridge at the cruise terminal to prepare for the anticipated rebound we saw in our 2022 season. This year, Massport is actively improving the Main Terminal with the installation of a new escalator connecting the second and third floors. This project adds an additional 1,000 square feet of queuing space on the third floor, which is currently unfinished. Enhancements will benefit the overall passenger experience, deconflicting embarking and disembarking passenger circulation paths.

As part of Massport’s Net-Zero strategy, the Authority is taking steps to reduce emissions at Flynn Cruiseport. Some of the sustainability initiatives at the Cruiseport include conducting a shore power feasibility study, implementing single-stream recycling, purchasing hybrid/electrical support vehicles, upgrading the HVAC system and installing LED lighting.

“We are delighted to welcome a new season of cruise visitors back to Flynn Cruiseport, which has become a perfect gateway to experience the cultural, culinary, historical and scenic riches of Boston, Massachusetts and New England,” said Executive Director Keiko Matsudo Orrall of the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism. “Massport’s cruise ship program continues to play an important role in our efforts to attract both domestic and international visitors back to Massachusetts.” 

Massport is also announcing several new itineraries that either start or end in Boston throughout the 2023 season:

• Boston to Iceland – Holland America’s Zaandam (July 2023)
• Boston to Panama Canal – Hurtigruten’s MS Fram (Sept 2023)
• Boston to Montego Bay, Jamaica – Scenic Cruises’ Scenic Eclipse 2 (Oct 2023)
• Boston to Philipsburg, St. Maarten – Windstar Cruises’ Star Pride (Oct 2023)
• Boston to Bridgetown, Barbados – Oceania Cruises’ Insignia (Nov 2023)

Boston is one of America’s oldest cities. Visitors can experience revolutionary landmarks along the Freedom Trail, visit the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, stroll through Boston Common to Faneuil Hall, or tour Fenway Park, the oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball.  Neighborhoods such as the North End, Beacon Hill and the Back Bay offer unique flavors, sights and sounds for every interest. Tourists can also experience diverse and vibrant neighborhoods such as Roxbury, Jamaica Plain, and Chinatown, providing unique and curated culinary, artistic, and historical connections for those experiencing Boston’s 23 neighborhoods. Boston is a city where tradition and innovation blend to create a unique cosmopolitan destination.

For the full cruise schedule and additional information, visit FlynnCruiseportBoston.com and follow @FlynnCruiseport on Twitter.

Powering What’s Possible. The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) owns and operates Boston Logan International Airport, public terminals in the Port of Boston, Hanscom Field and Worcester Regional Airport. For more information, please visit www.massport.com.

###