Vancouver closes a record cruise season: 1.4 million passengers and 358 ship calls

PortsBy Patrick KarshOct 15, 2026

A record year at Canada Place

Vancouver has closed its busiest cruise season on record. Norwegian Encore was the last ship of 2026 at the Canada Place terminal. It arrived on Monday, October 12, and was due to leave at 2:30 a.m. on October 13, according to Cruise Industry News.

The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority counted about 1.4 million passenger visits and 358 ship calls this year. That compares with about 1.2 million passengers and 300 calls in 2025. Passengers rose 18% and calls rose 19%. The season began on February 26, when Disney Wonder made the first call.

July was the busiest single month, with more than 290,000 passengers through the terminal. The port authority estimates the season added more than $1 billion to the local economy. It says each ship call brings an average of $3 million in spending by cruise lines, passengers and crew, according to Daily Hive.

"We are thrilled to celebrate another successful cruise season," said Jeff Scott, the port authority's vice president of operations and supply chain.

The firsts and the biggest ship

The year brought new names to Canada Place. Virgin Voyages' Brilliant Lady and The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection's Luminara made their first visits. Disney Magic called for the first time and was based in Vancouver for the season alongside Disney Wonder.

On September 27, Princess Cruises' Star Princess became the largest ship ever to visit Canada Place, at 177,882 gross tons. It passed Norwegian Encore's 169,116 gross tons, Daily Hive reported.

2026 also marked 40 years of Canada Place as a homeport for Alaska cruises. The terminal has handled more than 10,000 sailings since 1986.

Cruise guests are staying longer

A survey by the Pacific Rim Cruise Association, cited by Daily Hive, found that 76% of passengers spend time in Vancouver before or after their cruise. That is up from 70% in 2023. The average guest spends $1,144 in the city and stays 1.4 nights. Visitors from outside North America stay longer, at 2.6 nights on average.

In February, when the port authority forecast the record season, it noted that Vancouver would host seven FIFA World Cup matches this summer. It advised visitors to book places to stay early.

Faster boarding and more shore power

Two changes at the terminal should matter to anyone sailing from Vancouver next year.

First, boarding has sped up. Average boarding times have dropped below 30 minutes since facial biometric scanning started in 2024, Daily Hive reported. The port authority said in February that the biometrics cut U.S. border control time by up to 94%, with average checks now under 10 seconds. New elevators are also planned.

Second, shore power is expanding. Work is set to begin in the coming months so more ships can plug into British Columbia's power grid while docked. The port expects it to prevent 3,300 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions each season. That is roughly like taking 770 gasoline cars off the road for a year. Canada Place was the first Canadian cruise terminal to install shore power, in 2009.

What 2027 looks like

Early bookings point to another strong year. The 2027 season is set to open on March 24 with a visit from Europa, and close on October 8 with Ovation of the Seas, Daily Hive reported. Disney Wonder and Disney Magic will both return. So will Brilliant Lady and Luminara, with 10 Luminara visits penciled in.

My take

If you are sailing to Alaska from Vancouver in July 2027, book your hotel early. With so many guests staying a night or more before sailing, rooms near the waterfront can fill quickly in peak months. A pre-cruise night also takes the stress out of a delayed flight.