One Small Canadian Port Just Hit a Million Cruise Passengers

Victoria, British Columbia, has crossed one million cruise passengers in a single season for the first time. The Greater Victoria Harbour Authority marked the milestone this month at the cruise terminal, alongside Norwegian Encore, with local officials and representatives of the Songhees Nation on hand.

The authority expects 332 ship calls in 2026, beating the previous high of 329 set in 2022. Last year’s tally was 989,950 passengers, so the new figure is a modest but symbolic step past the seven-figure mark. The season began April 10 with Nieuw Amsterdam, and National Geographic Venture made the final call on October 18.

New names helped. Virgin Voyages and MSC Cruises both made their first Victoria calls this year, and the port welcomed six inaugural calls in May. Looking ahead, Norwegian Cruise Line returns in 2027 with three ships: Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Encore and Norwegian Joy.

Harbour Authority chief executive Jeremy Dunn said a cruise call is, for many visitors, their first introduction to Victoria. Two passengers received a gift basket and a private VIP tour as part of the celebration. The authority did not release economic-impact figures with the announcement.

Sources: Cruise Industry News