Cruise ship makes stop in Churchill

A luxury cruise ship has made a stop in the Town of Churchill.

On Sunday at 6 a.m., the ‘Silver Endeavour’ arrived at the Port of Churchill, marking an important moment for the rail-connected, deep-water Arctic seaport.

“We are a port community and we've seen cruise ships in the past, but naturally, when you get a vessel of this magnitude, with the tourists that we have in the community that are travelling in Via Rail or by aircraft, it's always a welcome sight to have more tourists in your community,” said Churchill Mayor Mike Spence. “Naturally, the community is pretty excited about it.”

The ship will be in port until Wednesday, giving the 250 guests and staff a chance to enjoy Churchill. The stopover will also allow for a crew change and the ship to be resupplied.

“This ship in Port is great news for Churchill, Manitoba, and for our local businesses and economy,” said Brendan McEwan, president of the Churchill Chamber of Commerce, in a news release.

“Polar bear season in the late fall has always been busy, but our goal is to grow tourism in additional parts of the year including spring, summer and during our great winter northern lights season.”

Spence said passengers have been kayaking, exploring the community and going on tours to see beluga whales.

The Silver Endeavour is the first cruise ship to dock in the community in more than a decade, Spence said, and he is hoping this will lead to more cruise ships stopping in the community.

“It's great for tourism, it’s great for the local shops, it’s great for everyone,” he said.

Silversea has confirmed sailings to Churchill in both 2024 and 2025