PEIThe Port of Charlottetown saw its last cruise ship Monday as the season wrapped up, with the port’s CEO calling the season a big success.Monday marks the final day of P.E.I.’s popular cruise ship seasonRyan McKellop · CBC News · Posted: Nov 03, 2025 2:01 PM EST | Last Updated: 1 hour agoListen to this articleEstimated 2 minutesMike Cochrane, CEO of the Port of Charlottetown, says the port saw over 175,000 visitors this season. (Zoom)The last cruise ship to visit Prince Edward Island this year left the Port of Charlottetown Monday, wrapping up what the port’s CEO called a “fantastic” end to the season. “We had a great, fantastic turnout in the fall of the year,” Mike Cochrane said. “That’s about 60 per cent of our business, [happening] in September and October.”He said the amount of ships coming to P.E.I. later in the season is a testament to the attractiveness of the province. “We’ve been in the tourism industry for, you know… 100-plus years, so we know what we’re doing and we keep expanding on that product and doing the right things.”Cochrane said the Port of Charlottetown has some of the highest port ratings in the region, along with shore excursion products.”Upwards of 98 per cent on board ships get off (on) P.E.I. to explore P.E.I., both rural and urban,” he said.And with this season now wrapped up, Cochrane is already preparing for next season. He expects to welcome 2026’s first cruise ships in April, and to see the season once again go into late fall. “So it’s going to be very similar to this year’s numbers,” he said, noting that the 2026 schedules are still being finalized. Port wants to accommodate larger shipsCochrane said as the cruise industry moves toward large vessels, the Port of Charlottetown wants to keep up.”We want to be able to handle those large ships, and infrastructure required in order to do that, so that’s one of the things we’re always continually looking at.”Cruise ship season has officially wrapped up for P.E.I. this year. Port of Charlottetown CEO Mike Cochrane says the schedule for next year is still being finalized, but he expects it to be just as busy. (Barry Acton/CBC)He said that with the cruise industry looking to achieve net-zero emission targets, he would like the Port of Charlottetown to be “one of the most sustainable ports in Atlantic Canada.”Making that happen, Cochrane said, could include things like electrifying the port, or creating a sustainable fuel environment.”It’s a worldwide marketplace and you need the services in order to compete in that worldwide marketplace. If you don’t have it, they’ll find another place to go where those services are there for them.”ABOUT THE AUTHORRyan McKellop is a graduate of the Holland College journalism program and is working as an Associate Producer and Web Writer. Got a story idea? Email ryan.mckellop@cbc.caWith files from Wayne Thibodeau
Port of Charlottetown had ‘great season’ with more than 175,000 visitors, says CEO
