Early Cruise Contrast

 The Port of Halifax welcomed its first cruise ship of the season on April 6 with the arrival of MSC Poesia. The ship went on to Sydney and Charlottetown and is now en route to Quebec City. Its passage took it through the best area to see the April 8 solar eclipse.

Its visit was a very early start to a season that usually peaks in September and October. The ship's arrival and departure times were not conducive to photography, so this photo from its first visit in 2010 will have to do.

The ship was built in 2008 at the Aker yard  in St-Nazaire, France, and measures 93,330 gross tons and can accommodate up to 3,605 passengers, and a crew of 1027. Its one of four ships of her class in the MSC Cruises fleet. 

 

By contrast the second cruise ship arrival of the season, on April 10, was the Viking Polaris. A Polar 6 class expedition type luxury cruise ship of 30,114 gt its passenger capacity is 378, with  256 crew, although small by cruise ship standards, it one of the larger cruise ships to visit Antarctic waters.

 

It pulled into Pier 23 and while alongside it launched several of its Zodiacs, possibly for training.

 

The workboat Tidal Runner also attended with a scow likely to take off refuse.

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