Cruise Ship Season 2024

The 2024 cruise ship season proved to be a remarkable one for Downtown Sydney. Over the course of the season, spanning from April to November, our town welcomed 117 cruise ships, bringing over 213,000 visitors to the area.

To put this into perspective, Sydney’s population is approximately 31,000, while the greater Cape Breton Regional Municipality has a population of around 90,000. This influx of cruise ship passengers means there were many visitors exploring our streets and experiencing the diverse attractions Cape Breton Island has to offer.

At The Shoe Tree, the cruise ship season is always a busy time. Our dedicated staff works tirelessly to maintain the high level of service our customers expect, even on the busiest days. We are grateful for the patience of our visitors during these hectic times. While the cruise season can be exhausting—especially during weeks with multiple ships arriving daily—our team thrives on the vibrant energy and excitement that the season brings.

Looking ahead, the 2025 cruise ship season will kick off in May and run through October. We are excited to welcome a similar number of ships and passengers as we did in 2024 and look forward to another busy and successful season.