The Charlottetown Harbour Authority was out $30-$40 thousand when cruise ships decided not to come into port because of high winds. (CBC)

The city of Charlottetown has paid the price for the high winds in the area on Thursday.

Three cruise ships were scheduled to be in port but cancelled because of high winds.

Charlottetown Harbour Authority officials estimate the cancellations will cost them between $30 and $40 thousand in

lost berthing fees and other related fees.

"It is certainly a loss of revenue to us that we won't see," said Les Parsons, CEO of the Charlottetown Harbour Authority. "It just impacts the bottom line because the fees you would have made off of the ships, you don't get."

Parsons says it will also mean a loss of revenue for local businesses. He says about 3,300 passengers were on board the three vessels.

"They are talking about forty-seven knot winds outside the harbour. They really only like to come in when it's around 20," said Parsons. "A lot of them started last night at around 4:30 or so saying that due to winds they wouldn't be visiting today and the last one was a little later last evening."

Parsons says there is a chance one of the ships may try to come into port on Monday.

Winds were also causing problems with the ferry running out of Wood Islands, P.E.I. The 1:00 p.m. crossing from Wood Islands was cancelled and the 2:45 p.m. return trip from Caribou, N.S. was also cancelled.