The final cruise ship of the 2023 season, Holland America Line's Koningsdam, is set to depart from the Canada Place terminal on 24OCT, capping off an exceptional year for Vancouver's cruise industry.
The Port of Vancouver welcomed an estimated record 1.25 million passengers in 2023, marking a 54% surge compared to 2022. This surge includes 15 of the 20 busiest days for cruise passengers at Canada Place in the past six months.
Peter Xotta, vice president of operations and supply chain at the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, commented, "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."
There were 332 cruise ship calls between APR and OCT 2023, a noteworthy increase of 9 percent from 307 visits in 2022. Cruise ship occupancy rates, which indicate how full each ship is, averaged 95 percent for the season, peaking at 96 percent over the summer. These figures mark a return to pre-pandemic levels.
Highlighting the broader impact, Xotta added, "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."
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Holland America Line partnered with the port authority to commemorate the Koningsdam's departure and the culmination of the cruise season.
Beth Bodensteiner, chief commercial officer for Holland America Line, stated, "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. 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."
The Canada Place terminal has received recent accolades, named North America's Leading Cruise Port 2023 by the World Travel Awards and North America's Best Cruise Terminal by the World Cruise Awards.
Looking to the future, Xotta shared, "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 B.C.'s prestigious Inside Passage."
The port authority's commitment to sustainability remains evident. In 2023, nearly 75 percent of cruise calls utilized shore power, a jump from 70 percent in 2022 and 50 percent in 2019. The Port of Vancouver, which introduced shore power in 2009 as Canada's pioneer and the world's third, has substantially reduced port-related greenhouse gas emissions, totalling over 38,000 tonnes since its inception.
More information on Port of Vancouver's website.
