New cruise ship to transport passengers from Toronto to Minnesota

A brand new cruise ship will soon transport passengers from Toronto to Minnesota, now that a range of security concerns have been addressed by authorities and tour operators. The new ships, which will reportedly be able to transport up to 100 passengers and will be 88 metres in length, will become operational within a year. A New York-based tour company will offer a total of 14 trips from Toronto to Duluth and each will be a week in duration. Despite the novelty of cruises departing from Toronto, some prospective travelers may at first find themselves thinking long and hard about whether or not it is worth the $5,600 per person fee, for basic accommodation and board. Those who would prefer more luxurious living, and are willing to pay for it, will be charged $10,700. But in exchange for this hefty price, guests will get to enjoy comfortable and prestigious penthouse-style accommodation.

The main concern about this project was whether security facilities in Duluth would be capable of handling international visitors. The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA)-the same organization that enforces security checks at American airports-was especially concerned. But upgrades in Duluth, including an international passenger terminal, appear to have convinced the TSA to support this new route. Travel Dynamics International, the company in charge of these cruises, hopes to have its plans in place in 2009.

Thank you to the Associated Press (AP) for the initial report.