Nova Star Cruises releases summer passenger totals

Nova Star Cruises drew fewer people to its ferrybetween Yarmouth, N.S. and Portland, Maine, this summer than it did in its troubled first year.

Nova Star reports 10,999 Canadians sailedin 2014, but that dropped 40 per cent to6,650 in 2015.

The number of American and international passengersincreased by six per cent, from 29,348 in 2014 to 31,150 in 2015.

Between the two, the number of travellers overall decreased by six per cent, from 40,347 in 2014 to 37,800 in 2015.

The company's monthly activity report, released Tuesday, states the"disappointing" number ofCanadian travellers on board the ferry is mainly attributed to theCanadian dollar's drop in value.

The report compares passenger numbers for the months of June, July and August of this year with those of last year.

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On Aug. 27,the company received a draw of $1.5 million from the Nova Scotia government as part of the $13 million for the 2015 season. In the report, the company says that money was used for "continuing operations".

Nova Star Cruises saysit is preparing for the 2016 sailing season byregistering and attendingtravel and trade shows. But the province'sdecision about whether Nova Star Cruises will be awarded the operational contract for that season hasn't been made.