An international shipowner will market a cruise on the St. Lawrence River for the first time in winter, making several stopovers in Quebec, in January 2025.
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The St. Lawrence Cruise Association (ACSL) and the Port of Quebec made the announcement on Monday with representatives of the French cruise line Ponant, which specializes in luxury excursions.
Courtesy of the St. Lawrence Cruise Association
From late January to early March 2025, the polar exploration vessel Commander Charcot de Ponant will provide four trips of 12 nights and 200 passengers on the icy waters of the Gulf and the St. Lawrence Estuary, as well as the Saguenay Fjord.
“For us, this is the most beautiful news that we could announce since, I would say to you, the last decade. We have never had anything so new, so innovative and which should, I think, have an impact on an international scale,” said René Trépanier, general manager of the ACSL.
“World Premiere”
Before Ponant, the CTMA cooperative based in the Magdalen Islands had already successfully attempted winter cruises.
“But this is the first high-end international cruise that will take place in Quebec, in the Atlantic regions. That’s a world first,” said Mr. Trépanier.
René Trépanier, General Manager of the St. Lawrence Cruise Association
Stevens LeBlanc/JOURNAL DE QUEBEC
The boat will leave from the French archipelago of Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, in the south of the island of Newfoundland, and will stop in particular at the Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Gaspé, Sept-Îles, Saguenay – where passengers can disembark on the ice in the heart of Baie des Ha! Ha! – and in Quebec, with the aim of discovering the beauties of winter and the Nordic region.
Meeting with an Innu community, snowmobiling and snowshoeing, “fat biking” on snowy beaches, dog sledding and ice fishing will be part of the program, which will be part of the “slow cruising” movement.
“We will stay one night, or even two nights in the same place and you should know that with this style of mentality, we reduce our fuel consumption by 30%”, explained José Sarica, experience-expedition director at Ponant.
Safely
THE Commander Charcot is an electric hybrid, powered by liquefied natural gas and equipped with an icebreaker function. “So we are able to maneuver in complete safety and in environmental standards that no ship today is able to achieve,” said Mr. Sarica.
“We are sure of our shot, it’s too good,” said the representative, who said he was completely charmed by the “warmth” of Quebecers.
José Sarica, experience-expedition director for Ponant
Stevens LeBlanc/JOURNAL DE QUEBEC
While it will sail on Quebec waters, the ship will not be in Antarctica, which is currently one of the most popular destinations, proudly underlined Mr. Trépanier, who hopes that “it will snowball”.
“It now positions us, the Port of Quebec, as a four-season, multi-season Port. Very few ports around the world can [targuer] to have this positioning”, added Marie-Andrée Blanchet, Director of Cruises and Port Ecosystem at the Port.
Winter tourism
Destination Québec cité, which has made the promotion of winter tourism in the capital a priority for several years to expand tourist activity, applauded the news. For the first time, the tourist association spends more money in the winter than in the summer to attract customers.
Stevens LeBlanc/JOURNAL DE QUEBEC
“I think the strategic side is huge. It sends a really incredible message because we really want to stand out and reinforce that we are the winter destination of North America,” commented its director, Robert Mercure.
“It’s the fulfillment of a dream, because we’ve been working for more than 10 years to position Quebec and Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean as a four-season destination and a winter paradise. […] It’s going to be magical,” said Priscilla Nemey, General Manager of Promotion Saguenay.
Cities visited
- Saint Pierre and Miquelon*
- Magdalen Islands
- Gaspe
- Sept-Iles
- Saguenay (2 nights, three days)
- Quebec*
– Four itineraries of 12 nights each, from the end of January to the beginning of March 2025
– 200 passengers per trip
* Embarkation and disembarkation operations will be shared between Quebec and Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon
Source: St. Lawrence Cruise Association (ACSL)