Canadian Port Expecting 1.27 Million Cruise Passengers in 2024

A record 1.27 million cruise travelers are expected to cruise through Vancouver in 2024 as a host of ships make their first visits to the popular Canadian port. The enduring appeal of the city as a jumping-off point for Alaska cruises has helped fuel its growth.

Vancouver Expects 329 Ships to Visit in 2024

The Port of Vancouver’s Canada Place cruise terminal projects 1.27 million cruise guests in 2024, a 2% bump from 2023’s record numbers.

Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Wonder kicks off the 2024 season when she arrives in Vancouver on March 11. All told, 329 cruise visits are scheduled between March 11 and October 29, 2024.

“We expect 2024 to be another strong season for the award-winning Canada Place cruise terminal, as we solidify Vancouver as a premier homeport servicing the popular Alaska market,” said Mandy Chan, manager of cruise services at the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority.

Vancouver, the third-largest metro area in Canada, has served as a homeport for Alaska cruises for more than 30 years. It is the country’s largest port and serves as a base for one-way and roundtrip voyages through Alaska’s Inside Passage, a 500-mile nautical route that typically includes stops in Juneau, Ketchikan, and Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve.

Vancouver’s cruise season begins on March 11 with the arrival of Disney Wonder and concludes on  October 29, 2024, with the departure of  Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Jewel.

Five Ships Adding Vancouver to 2024 Destinations

In addition to a record number of cruise travelers arriving in 2024, the Port of Vancouver will also welcome five ships making their maiden visits to the Canada Place terminal.

Those vessels are Explora Journeys’ Explora I, Silversea Cruises’ Silver Nova, Celebrity Cruises’s Celebrity Edge, Peace Boat’s Pacific World, and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ Hanseatic Spirit.

Those ships will join vessels from other cruise lines in 2024, including Crystal Cruises, Cunard Line, Holland America Line, Oceania Cruises, Princess Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruises, and Viking Ocean Cruises, among others.

Other initiatives planned for 2024 include spreading the use of shore power, which allows visiting ships to use the local electricity grid in port rather than run their diesel-powered engines. In 2023, nearly three-quarters of ship calls were shore power-enabled, compared with just half in 2019. 

Vancouver also continues to promote its ECHO Program, which encourages large vessels to avoid or slow down in marine areas where at-risk whales migrate.

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In addition, Vancouver is a partipant in the Pacific Northwest to Alaska Green Corridor, a partnership between cruise lines, ports, and governments to establish a zero-emission corridor to connect Washington, Vancouver, and Alaska.

“The allure of an Alaska cruise is the natural beauty of the journey, and we know more can be done to create a sustainable cruise market while enabling its growth,” Chan said. “We want to thank everyone for the collaborative progress made so far and look forward to continuing this important work in 2024.”

Chan added that Vancouver’s recovery from the COVID pandemic era was aided by the cooperation between the port, International Longshore and Warehouse Union members, and the custom and border agents in Canada and the US.

Repositioning Cruises Also Picking Vancouver

As a homeport destination for ships serving the West Coast, the Vancouver cruise industry directs about $3 million into the local economy for each ship visit.

The port’s popularity for Alaskan cruises comes from its location. Itineraries from Vancouver transverse the sheltered and serene waters of the Inside Passage. Conversely, Alaskan cruises from nearby Seattle tend to up for the Outside Passage, where rougher seas typically await.

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Vancouver not only serves the Alaska market, but also welcomes vessels visiting Hawaii and West Coast ports down to San Diego. Repositioning cruises often include Vancouver when they move up and down the coast. It’s the largest port in Canada and also the fourth-largest cargo port in North America.