VICTORIA – This year, the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority (GVHA) welcomed more than 550,000 passengers and 212,000 crew from 224 ships to Ogden Point, Canada’s busiest cruise ship port of call.
As part of the 2016 season, Royal Caribbean International’s Explorer of the Seas made 21 daytime calls to Ogden Point, making it the largest cruise ship as a regular call on an Alaskan route. The Explorer was the first Voyager-class cruise ship to make regular stops in Victoria, bringing 3,626 visitors during each call.
“We are incredibly proud to have welcomed these visitors to Victoria throughout our 2016 season,” says Ian Robertson, CEO of the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority. “We’re anticipating an increase in ship calls for 2017, mostly as a result of repositioning cruises during the shoulder season. With these types of voyages, cruise lines may select any Canadian west coast port of call, and the fact that they are choosing Victoria signals to our team and our member agencies that we are a preferred destination for cruise lines and their guests.”
In 2017, GVHA estimates more than 240 ship calls, reflecting the growing popularity of Victoria as a destination, and of the Pacific Northwest and Alaska routes for cruise passengers. The 2017 cruise call schedule will be available early in the new year at www.gvha.ca.
“Congratulations to the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority for a very busy cruise ship season,” says Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour. “I was delighted to be on hand at the start of Victoria’s cruise ship season to welcome the Explorer of the Seas to Victoria in May. With an 11.5% increase in international visits so far this year, the cruise ship sector is helping grow our tourism industry and keeping BC’s economy leading the way in Canada.”
The 2016 season kicked off on April 3 and wrapped up on October 17. It is estimated that the overall economic impact of cruise for Greater Victoria is more than $100 million; each cruise ship call brings in an average of $400,000 in direct spending to the region.
In 2016, ships from Royal Caribbean International, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Princess Cruise Lines, Disney Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, Crystal Cruises, Celebrity Cruise Lines, Oceana Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Silversea Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas each made calls to Ogden Point.
Additional highlights from the 2016 season:
- Along with the Explorer of the Seas, Ogden Point welcomed two additional inaugural calls, the Holland America Line Nieuw Amsterdam and the Maasdam.
- Crystal Cruises became a regular monthly caller to Victoria.
- The arrival of North America’s first fully-electric double-decker bus, in partnership with CVS Tours and GreenPower.
- Second consecutive year with no elevated readings of sulphur dioxide from the James Bay air monitoring station.
