Key Aspects:
- Vancouver’s cruise port has had its busiest season yet, with nearly 1.4 million passenger visits and 358 ship calls during its 2026 season.
- Passenger visits increased approximately 18% over 2025, while cruise ship calls increased 19%.
- Cruise tourism contributed more than C$1 billion to Vancouver’s economy, with many visitors extending their stays before or after sailing.
In the early hours of October 13, 2026, Norwegian Encore set sail from the Port of Vancouver on a 6-night Pacific Coast cruise. This departure marked the end of a record-breaking 2026 season for the Canadian port.
Vancouver was already anticipating a record season when Cruise Hive reported on the projected figures for the year in February 2026. The final numbers for the season ended up closely aligning with those projections.
The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority has reported a nearly 20% surge in passenger and cruise ship visits at the Canada Place terminal throughout the year, compared to 2025. The port reported nearly 1.4 million passenger movements and 358 cruise ship calls between February and October.
This represents an 18% increase over the 1.2 million passenger visits in 2025. Cruise ship calls, meanwhile, increased 19% over the 300 cruise ship calls in 2025.
In addition to the increase in passengers and calls, the port also saw some new additions in 2026, with several ships making their first-ever visits to the port. These include Virgin Voyages’ Brilliant Lady, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s Luminara, and Disney Magic.
Additionally, in 2026, Canada Place welcomed its biggest cruise ship yet. On September 27, Princess Cruises’ 177,882-gross-ton Star Princess docked in Vancouver, becoming the largest ship by tonnage ever to dock at the port.
Cruise Tourism Delivers Major Economic Benefits
Vancouver’s economy has reaped major benefits from this increase in cruise tourism. The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority reports that cruise tourism contributed more than C$1 billion to the local economy throughout the season.
“We are thrilled to celebrate another successful cruise season, with more than C$1 billion injected into the local economy as cruise lines and passengers increasingly make Vancouver a core part of their Alaska adventure,” said Jeff Scott, VP of Operations and Supply Chain at the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority.
This economic boon is not purely from the cruises themselves. The most recent Cruise Passenger Survey, conducted by the Pacific Rim Cruise Association, found that the majority of passengers extend their stay in the city beyond their cruise.
According to the survey, 76% of cruise passengers spend additional time in Vancouver before or after their sailing, staying an average of 1.4 nights. Passengers each reportedly spend, on average, C$1,144 on local hotels, restaurants, shopping, tours and attractions.
Vancouver Continues Investing in Cruises
Officials at the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority credit the increase in passenger movements, in part, to the port’s position as a gateway to Alaska. The port has also made strides in recent years towards advancing its cruise infrastructure.
In particular, the port cited its introduction of facial biometric scanning in 2024 as helping to move passengers through the terminal more quickly. It reports that the average embarkation time has shrunk to under 30 minutes since this technology was implemented.
The port is now looking forward to 2027, with further infrastructural advancements on the way. Work is set to begin in the coming months to expand shore power capacity, while new elevators at the terminal are being added to ease passenger navigation.
