Vancouver Port Welcomes 1.4 Million Cruise Passengers in Record 2026 Season

Canada Place is closing a record-setting cruise season after handling about 1.4 million passengers and 358 cruise ship visits between February and October, the Port of Vancouver says.

The totals represent an 18 per cent rise in passenger volumes and a 19 per cent increase in ship visits from 2025, placing 2026 among the busiest years in the terminal’s history.

A billion-dollar local boost

The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority estimates the cruise industry contributed more than $1 billion to the local economy this season. It says each cruise ship call generates an average of $3 million in economic activity.

For port officials, the numbers reflect a shift in how travellers are using Vancouver as part of their trips.

“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,” Jeff Scott, the port authority’s vice-president of operations and supply chain, said in a statement.

The season is set to conclude with Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Encore, scheduled to arrive at Canada Place at 2:30 a.m. Monday, Oct. 12, before departing 24 hours later.

Passengers staying longer

Cruise travellers are not simply passing through the terminal, according to a Pacific Rim Cruise Association survey.

It found 76 per cent of cruise passengers spend time in Vancouver before or after their sailing. On average, passengers spent $1,144 in the city and stayed 1.4 nights. Visitors from outside North America stayed an average of 2.6 nights.

Royce Chwin, president and CEO of Destination Vancouver, said those visits carry benefits beyond the waterfront.

“Cruise passengers are making Vancouver part of their journey, not simply the place where it begins or ends,” Chwin said. “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.”

Shore power expansion planned

The record season also arrives as the port prepares to expand shore power capacity at Canada Place, allowing more ships to plug into British Columbia’s low-carbon electricity grid while docked.

The port projects the expansion will prevent 3,300 tonnes of greenhouse-gas emissions each cruise season. It says that reduction is equivalent to removing 770 gas-powered cars from the road each year.

The planned work places environmental improvements alongside a cruise sector that has continued to grow in passenger volume and vessel visits.

Four decades of sailings

This season coincides with Canada Place’s 40th year as an Alaska cruise homeport. The terminal has handled more than 10,000 sailings since 1986.

The port authority says preliminary bookings point to another strong season in 2027, though it has not provided passenger or ship-visit totals.

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