Vancouver cruise ship numbers jump 20% for record season in 2026

The final cruise ship of the season, The Norwegian Encore, arrived at Canada Place terminal on Monday, bringing a record-breaking cruise ship season at the Port of Vancouver to a close.

Between February and October of 2026, Port of Vancouver’s Canada Place Terminal in Coal Harbour saw 1.4 million passenger visits and 358 cruise ship calls, a 20 per cent jump for both numbers, making this the port’s busiest cruise ship season ever.

“We are thrilled to celebrate another successful cruise season, with more than $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, vice-president of operations at the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority.

Cruise ship traffic pumps about a billion dollars of economic benefits into the region, according to a recent cruise passenger survey conducted by the Pacific Rim Cruise Association. Cruise ship passengers often extend their holidays with time spent locally. According to the survey, passengers’ average stays include between 1.4 to 2.6 nights before or after their cruise, and spend on average $1,144 each on hotels, restaurants, shopping, tours and sightseeing.

“Cruise passengers are making Vancouver part of their journey, not simply the place where it begins or ends,” said Royce Chwin, president and CEO of Destination Vancouver. “With three-quarters spending time in the city before or after their sailing, that activity reaches well beyond the waterfront into our hotels, restaurants, attractions, shops and neighbourhoods. This record season is a significant boost for Vancouver’s visitor economy and an opportunity to give more travellers reasons to stay longer and return.”

The economy also benefits from the Port of Vancouver’s standing as home port for Alaskan cruises for 40 years, and the increasing popularity of the Alaska cruise routes. As home port, all passengers for such cruises embark and disembark at Canada Place, and ships use local goods and service providers to refuel, restock food and beverages, and receive repairs.

“Vancouver’s cruise sector continues to thrive as an economic engine that drives local tourism, brings countless visitors to our beautiful city, and supports businesses and jobs across the region thanks to the hard work and dedication of all those involved. I want to acknowledge the significant collaboration required to deliver a growing and sustainable local cruise sector, from our cruise, municipal government and destination partners to longshore workers and local tourism operators,” said Scott.

The Port Authority said 2027 numbers are looking “robust,” and point to continued growth in the sector.

The Canada Place Shore Power Expansion Project will upgrade shore power with two new connection stations at the Canada Place terminal, increasing the number of stations from three to five, and boosting shore power capacity by 35 per cent. The project is scheduled for completion by 2027.