Charlottetown cruise ship terminal getting upgrade

The cruise-ship terminal in Charlottetown is in the midst of a major renovation, forcing tour operators to improvise from day to day as the construction proceeds.

But tour operators are looking forward to the end result.

"You never know what to expect when you come down in the morning as to where you might park or how you'll winkle your way in," said Sherry Martin, a guide with Atlantic Cruise Ship Services.

"But it's definitely coming. It's going to be fantastic when it's done."

The terminal is getting a $5-million dollar facelift. It will make the area more attractive for visitors, and improve access for tour operators.

"In the past we've had to really move buses single file through the two buildings that we've had," said Corryn Morrissey, business development manager at the Port of Charlottetown.

"This will accommodate up to 15 bus lanes right adjacent to our cruise terminal."

The port is a busy commercial centre in addition to accommodating cruise traffic. The renovation is intended to better separate the two activities.

Works crews are building a new entrance exclusively for busses and taxis.  A separate road will handle gravel and transport trucks.

Tourists arriving on a cruise ship this week did not seem to be disturbed by all the construction activity.

"I think there's a lot of natural beauty in this area so those bulldozers and whatnot will only enhance it when they're done their work renovating," said tourist Brenda Jackson.

The federal government has put $500,000 into the project. Major construction is slated to be done before peak cruise-ship season in the fall.