Rumors are beginning to circulate in New Hampshire about a possible return of overnight ferry service between Nova Scotia and New England, a route that has been absent from the region for two decades. According to local reporting, a representative for the reported new owners of Scotia Prince Cruises says a group of six investors is working toward relaunching the service as early as 2027. The previous iteration of the brand operated successfully for more than 30 years between Portland, Maine and Nova Scotia as Prince of Fundy Cruises, before shutting down in 2005, leaving a nostalgic gap in cross-border maritime travel in northern New England.
Details remain limited. The company acknowledges it is still in the early stages and has not disclosed the identities of the new owners or the vessel intended for the route. A newly launched website promises an overnight ferry experience complete with cabins, dining venues, entertainment lounges, a casino, and space for more than 1,000 passengers and 200 vehicles. The next procedural step may involve responding to a Request for Proposals issued by the government of Nova Scotia, signaling that any restart would require coordination on both sides of the border.
Portsmouth city representatives confirm conversations took place more than a year ago, while the Pease Development Authority, which operates the Market Street Marine Terminal, says it has not received formal inquiries but welcomes interest from potential operators. Questions remain about whether the Port of New Hampshire can accommodate a vessel of the proposed size. However the above shown Nova Star did berth at that Portsmouth terminal during a promotional tour before her launch in Portland Maine. For now, the idea of an overnight ferry revival sits somewhere between ambition and speculation, but it is a development worth watching as 2027 approaches.