Twenty years ago, Holland America Line's Amsterdam sailed into Saguenay, Quebec, kicking off the port's very first international cruise season. Fast forward to September 2026, and Promotion Saguenay is marking two decades of international cruising — a run that has turned this fjord-side town into the second-largest international cruise port on the St. Lawrence.
The numbers tell the story: nearly 700,000 passengers and hundreds of ships have called at Saguenay since that 2006 debut. The anniversary celebration drew captains and officers from three ships in port that day — Sapphire Princess, Viking Mars and Seven Seas Splendor — along with local partners and dignitaries, all gathered at the Baie des Ha! Ha!, the dramatic fjord inlet where ships dock.
Saguenay's rise hasn't been accidental. The port opened a dedicated international cruise terminal in 2009 and added a port village in 2015, giving arriving passengers somewhere genuinely welcoming to step into. Along the way it has picked up a Best Port Welcome award — plus an award literally titled "Hands down, the best in the world." Big-name ships have taken notice: Cunard's Queen Mary 2 made its inaugural call in 2016, and Disney Magic visited twice in 2018.
The destination has also looked beyond the traditional season. In 2024 Saguenay earned international Biosphere certification for sustainable development, and in 2025 it launched the first-ever winter cruise season in Quebec — and in North America. That's a genuine first, opening up the region's snow-covered fjords to off-season itineraries.
For travellers, the takeaway is simple: Saguenay has quietly become one of the most polished port calls on the Canada–New England circuit. Cruise passengers stepping ashore get easy access to Saguenay Fjord National Park, kayaking and boat excursions on the fjord itself, and the region's famous blueberry country. The anniversary celebrations run through the winter cruise calls in early 2027, so anyone sailing the St. Lawrence or Great Lakes route in the next year may catch the party.
If you've never considered a Canada–New England cruise, a port call here is the argument for it — autumn foliage, a real fjord in North America, and a port that has spent two decades perfecting its welcome. Full credit to Cruise Industry News.