Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Buffalo officially becomes a cruise ship destination Thursday night.
The American Patriot, from American Cruise Lines, has been on a tour of the Great Lakes, and has been making its way through the Welland Canal on Thursday for its next stop in Buffalo.
"The Cotter [fire boat] will be out as it comes in to Canalside," said Patrick Kaler of Visit Buffalo. "It will be docking along Canalside by the Naval Park, and then tomorrow morning starts all the fun and festivities where the first set of passengers will go off on a day of touring around Buffalo and Niagara Falls."
It's expected to arrive in Buffalo at around 9 p.m. Thursday.
Once it's here, passengers will be both boarding and disembarking the ship, meaning they will spend a longer amount of time in Buffalo than they would if it were just a stop along the way.
Kaler sees a big impact for the city.
"Not only do they just come in on the cruise ships, but the propensity for return visitation is very high," Kaler said. "They get a little taste of the community that they're touring around. It motivates them to want to come back and spend a little bit longer of a vacation."
While the American Patriot and other ships will be docking at Canalside this Summer, construction is expected to begin this July on a permanent cruise terminal on the Outer Harbor. Grand opening for that is currently set for the Summer of 2028.
The American Patriot is expected to arrive in Buffalo at around 9 p.m.
The American Patriot is expected to arrive in Buffalo at around 9 p.m.
