Vancouver's 2026 Cruise Season Sets Passenger and Economic Records
The Port of Vancouver concluded its 2026 cruise season with nearly 1.4 million passengers and over C$1 billion in economic impact.
Vancouver's 2026 cruise season has ended with record passenger numbers and economic impact. Final tallies show nearly 1.4 million passenger movements and 358 cruise ship calls at the Canada Place terminal between February and October, closely matching earlier projections.
Passenger visits rose approximately 18% over the 1.2 million recorded in 2025. Cruise ship calls increased by 19% from the 300 calls made the previous year. The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority reported a nearly 20% surge in both metrics, confirming a record-breaking season for the Canadian gateway.
Economic and operational highlights
Cruise tourism drove over C$1 billion in local spending throughout the 2026 season. Jeff Scott, Vice President of Operations and Supply Chain at the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, stated that the port was thrilled to celebrate another successful 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.
The most recent Cruise Passenger Survey found that 76% of cruise passengers spend additional time in Vancouver before or after their sailing. These passengers stay an average of 1.4 extra nights in the city. On average, each passenger spends about C$1,144 on local hotels, restaurants, shopping, tours, and attractions.
Port infrastructure and first-time visits
The port welcomed several ships for their first-ever visits in 2026. These included Virgin Voyages' Brilliant Lady, the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection's Luminara, and the Disney Magic. On September 27, Princess Cruises' Star Princess, at 177,882 gross tons, docked in Vancouver. It became the largest ship by tonnage ever to call at the port.
Infrastructure advancements supported the growing volumes. The port's introduction of facial biometric scanning in 2024 has helped move passengers through the terminal more quickly. Officials report the average embarkation time has now shrunk to under 30 minutes. New elevators are also being added to the terminal to ease passenger navigation.
Final departure marks season's end
The record-breaking season concluded with the departure of the Norwegian Encore in the early hours of October 13. The vessel set sail on a six-night Pacific Coast cruise carrying about 4,000 passengers. This departure marked the official end of the 2026 cruise season for the Port of Vancouver.
Looking ahead, work is set to begin in the coming months to expand shore power capacity at the port.
