Largest cruise ship to ever visit Saint John arrives June 8th

SAINT JOHN (NB) – Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas, the world’s fifth largest cruise ship, is set to arrive at Port Saint John on June 8th. This is a huge milestone for Saint John as this will be the largest cruise ship to berth in our harbour since the first cruise ship arrived in 1989. Royal Caribbean International has been visiting Saint John since 1999, but this is the first time Oasis of the Seas will visit our city. With a maximum capacity of over 5,000 passengers, plus over 2,000 crew, it will undoubtedly be a bustling day in Uptown Saint John. 

The cruise industry has some of the most robust health and safety protocols for travelling. For example, 100% of eligible passengers and crew are required to be vaccinated. Also, cruise lines administer nearly 10 million COVID-19 tests per week, 21x the rate of testing in the United States. 

“We look forward with great anticipation to the first visit of Oasis of the Seas to Port Saint John! It is a testament to our city, our region, our province, and indeed, our port, that we are able to attract to Saint John a cruise ship of this size, with capacity for over 5000 cruise guests,” says Andrew Dixon, Chief Operating Officer at Port Saint John. “While the Oasis of the Seas is not our first ship in the post pandemic era, it will most definitely signal the return to a normal cruise day with all of the excitement and economic impact that we have been missing for two and a half years now.” 

The AREA 506 Container Village is poised to open the same week as the arrival of Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas. These passengers will be the first to disembark the ship through the Marco Polo Cruise Terminal and experience the Container Village as a first point of contact.  

“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome passengers from the Oasis of the Seas as our first ever group at the AREA 506 Waterfront Container Village.  Our vendors and partners have been working hard in preparation, and it’s an incredible honour for us to be a small part of these passengers’ Saint John experience,” says Ray Gracewood, President of AREA 506. 

Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas will berth at approximately 9:20 am and depart at 9:25 pm on June 8th. 

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About Port Saint John:

Port Saint John is Canada’s Atlantic Canada’s largest port by tonnage and has a diverse cargo base, including dry and liquid bulk, break bulk, containers, and cruise.

Media Contact:

Paula Copeland, Vice President, Engagement and Sustainability, pcopeland@sjport.com, (506)650-5288