Arrival of 1st cruise ship of year in Vancouver kicks off tourism season

The first cruise ship of the season has arrived in Vancouver, officially setting sail on what experts say could be a record year.

It’s a much needed boost to British Columbia’s tourism sector, which is still recovering from the pandemic.

“During the height of the pandemic, when there were no cruise ships in the harbour, many businesses—particularly in downtown Vancouver— suffered significantly. Some even closed because they rely on the cruise traffic,” said Walt Judas, CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of BC.

The Sapphire Princess pulled into the Port of Vancouver early Wednesday morning, bringing with it about 1,700 people.

“The average passenger on any seven day journey spends about $1,000 in port,” said Judas.

A total of 331 cruise ships are scheduled to visit the Canada Place cruise terminal at the Port of Vancouver between April 12 and Oct. 24.

That’s an increase of approximately 8 per cent compared to cruise visits in 2022.

Barry Penner, legal advisor to Cruise Lines International Association, says that between 75 and 80 per cent of tourists who come to Vancouver by cruise are not from Canada.

“They've come from other places to be here to initiate their cruise as it heads up to Alaska, and that is what drives so much of the economic benefit of those foreign dollars and currencies flowing into our economy here,” said Penner.

A record 1.3 million passengers could travel through Vancouver this season.

“As those people come and go from the ships, they spend money in town, they take other tours, they go up to Grouse Mountain, the Capilano Suspension Bridge, they go through Stanley Park on bus tours, and so on. So there's that ripple effect,” said Penner.

The Vancouver cruise industry injects an average of almost $3 million into the local economy for each ship that visits Canada Place. It also generates nearly 7,000 jobs across Canada, $300 million in wages, and contributes $840 million to national GDP.

“The tourism sector is one of the top sectors in the province. It's absolutely vital. Virtually every community around B.C. is in tourism in some capacity. So we want to rebuild this sector back to where it was. Build it back better.” said Judas.

After a two year pause due to pandemic restrictions, cruise ships returned to the Port of Vancouver last April.

“The Port of Vancouver’s cruise comeback story is a testament to the exceptional work and dedication that industry has led to adapt and renew the sector,” said Mandy Chan, manager of cruise services at the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, the federal agency mandated to enable Canada’s trade through the Port of Vancouver.

The last cruise ship of the season, the Koningsdam, will depart Canada Place on Tuesday, October 24.