Port of Vancouver wraps a record cruise season

This includes 15 of Canada Place's 20 busiest days ever for cruise passengers, all occurring in the past six months. There were 332 cruise calls between April and October, an increase of 9% compared to 307 visits in 2022.

The final ship of the season, Holland America Line's Koningsdam, is set to depart Oct. 24.

'Cruise returned to Vancouver emphatically this year after several seasons impacted by the global pandemic, with 2023 seeing record passenger numbers, near-record cruise ship visits and the Canada Place terminal getting further international recognition as a world-class cruise facility,' said Peter Xotta, VP operations and supply chain at the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority.

Occupancy averaged 95%

Cruise ship occupancy rates averaged 95% for the season and peaked at an average of 96% over the summer, returning to prepandemic levels. This year was the first full season without any COVID-19-related restrictions, following the gradual easing of federal travel restrictions in 2022.

There were six maiden calls: Norwegian Encore, Brilliance of the Seas, Silver Whisper, Hanseatic Nature, Fridtjof Nansen and Seabourn Venture.

'The cruise sector's strong performance this year has been a critical catalyst for the local tourism and hospitality industries, supporting countless local jobs and businesses,' Xotta said. He thanked partners, including Ceres Terminals Canada, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and cruise lines for 'their hard work in ensuring that this busy season, which included an incredible 15 of Canada Place's 20 busiest days ever, went smoothly.'

One-quarter of passengers sailed on HAL ships

'We are honoured to have been part of the Port of Vancouver's biggest cruise season ever, with 25% of guests sailing on five Holland America Line ships,' said HAL's Beth Bodensteiner, chief commercial officer. 'We see this as further evidence that the cruise industry has rebounded in a remarkable way. We're proud to call Vancouver a homeport and look forward to another great season in 2024.'

Holland America Line made 76 calls in Vancouver, carrying more than 168,000 passengers. In 2024, more than 170,000 cruisers are projected to visit on six HAL ships across 77 calls. Besides Alaska, travelers can embark to destinations including the Pacific Coast, Mexico, Japan, Hawaii and the South Pacific, the Panama Canal and the Caribbean.

'Indications based on preliminary bookings are that the 2024 cruise season will see a similar number of cruise ship visits, demonstrating the underlying strength and popularity of the cruise industry in Vancouver and its unique access to BC's prestigious Inside Passage,' Xotta said.

Shore power

This year nearly 75% of cruise calls were shore power-enabled, compared to 70% in 2022 and 50% in 2019. Demand for shore power has steadily increased since 2009, when the Port of Vancouver became the first port in Canada and the third in the world to introduce shore power for cruise ships.

This has helped reduce port-related greenhouse gas emissions by more than 38,000 tonnes since 2009.

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