Press Room

You are here: Home > Press Room

For Immediate Release

Princess of Acadia: Adding Fun and Fundy Interpretation to Summer Crossing

Monday, April 23, 2007
 
Saint John- Bay Ferries and the New Brunswick Museum are joining forces this summer to give Princess of Acadia passengers between Saint John, NB and Digby, N.S an entertaining, informative and memorable crossing. Staff from New Brunswick’s provincial museum will provide daily bilingual animation on the ship, from June 24th, 2007 to Sept 8th, 2007. The program will be based on the theme “Bay of Fundy, 8th Wonder of the World.”
 
The animation service, developed by the New Brunswick Museum, will be fun and interactive, and designed to be enjoyed by all age groups. There will be one Museum employee on board each 9:00 am crossing from Saint John to Digby, and on each 1:00 pm return crossing to Saint John. The service will be available seven days a week, including statutory holidays. Museum staff will greet visitors in the terminals and in vehicle lineups with information before the crossing, mingle informally with passengers on board, and provide at least one formal animated presentation. They’ll use costumed characters, music, storytelling, museum artifacts and audiovisual materials to help tell Bay of Fundy stories. 
 
“Today’s visitors are eager to connect with people and know more about their vacation destinations. They want to learn something, be entertained and to visually understand their experience”, said Jane Fullerton, Director of the New Brunswick Museum.  “Animation and storytelling provide enjoyment, are a means of authentically connecting with a place and its people, and because these activities engage all the senses, they are memorable.”   
 
The on-board presentations will interpret key components of the Bay of Fundy’s natural science and human history. “New Brunswick Museum staff on board the ship will have extensive knowledge of natural science topics such as Bay of Fundy marine life, ecology, conservation, the Bay’s geological formation, and of course the Fundy Tides- the world’s highest”, said Fullerton. “With respect to human history, passengers can expect to be treated to stories about First Peoples’ use of the Bay, regional historical settlement, shipbuilding, fisheries, lumbering, farming, and even how the Bay of Fundy has been (and is) an inspiration for artists.” 
  
Although fun and light, the program has been designed with definite business results in mind.
  
“In February, we announced our strategic direction for the future success of the Princess of Acadia crossings”, said Mark MacDonald, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bay Ferries Limited.  “We are intent on providing more compelling onboard experiences for passengers, and working more closely with both the Digby and Saint John communities. Establishing this partnership is definitely a step towards the fulfillment of these goals.”
 
 “We also expect the partnership to increase Princess of Acadia passenger loads,” he said, “as we cross promote each other’s offerings and services to new, potential visitors at the terminals, at the New Brunswick Museum and through our upcoming regional marketing and sales efforts.”   
 
 “Along with being a great service for our passengers, it will also help the New Brunswick Museum reach new audiences, and increase visitor numbers, by encouraging passengers to visit the Museum and other Bay of Fundy-related sites,” said MacDonald.    “This is a win-win-win situation, and we are very pleased to now be in partnership with the creative and professional staff of the New Brunswick Museum.”
  
For more information, contact:
  
Debbie Rathwell
Sales and Marketing Executive
Bay Ferries Limited / Northumberland Ferries Limited
Ph: 506-849-4062      Email: drathwell@nfl-bay.com
 
Wendy Martindale
Manager, Interpretive Services
New Brunswick Museum
Ph: 506-643-2339      Email: wmrdale@nb.aibn.com