Vancouver Cruise Port Set for Record 2026 Season

The Port of Vancouver prepared to welcome its first cruise call of 2026 when the Disney Wonder arrived at Canada Place, yesterday, February 26, marking the start of what officials anticipate will be a record-breaking season.

The vessel docked in Vancouver as part of a repositioning voyage from Hawaii to San Diego. Wonder is then scheduled to return in May to begin its regular weekly Alaska sailings from the port.

Holland America Line’s Nieuw Amsterdam will follow as the next cruise ship to call at Vancouver, arriving on April 11. From late April onward, cruise traffic is expected to increase significantly, with nearly daily calls as the busy Alaska season gets underway.

The final cruise departure of the year will take place on October 13, when Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Encore sails from Canada Place.

In total, almost 360 cruise calls are scheduled for the 2026 season, with more than 1.4 million passengers projected to transit through the terminal. The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority expects the year to surpass the previous record set in 2024 by approximately 5 percent. Compared with last year’s 300 cruise ship visits and nearly 1.2 million passengers, 2026 would represent a 19 percent increase in ship calls.

“The Vancouver cruise sector and Canada Place cruise terminal continue to provide a powerful economic boost, as passengers visit shops, restaurants and local attractions, and cruise lines re-stock ships using Canadian suppliers,” said Cliff Stewart, VP operations and supply chain at the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority.

“We expect to see record cruise ship visits bring record numbers of visitors to Vancouver this year—injecting more than $1 billion into the economy. Collaboration and technology are going to play a crucial role delivering another successful local cruise season, as we look to welcome historic numbers of cruise tourists to our beautiful city.”

Two cruise brands, Virgin Voyages and Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, are set to make their first appearances in Vancouver this year. In addition, Disney Cruise Line will base a second ship, the Disney Magic, at Canada Place alongside the Disney Wonder.

Several vessels will also make inaugural visits to the port in 2026, including Azamara Pursuit, Luminara, Disney Magic, Brilliant Lady and Star Seeker.

With Vancouver also hosting seven FIFA World Cup 2026™ matches over the summer, port officials are advising cruise passengers to secure accommodation well in advance.

“Vancouver will experience something of a perfect storm this summer when it comes to accommodation, with the height of a very busy cruise season overlapping with the city hosting FIFA World Cup 2026™ matches,” said Royce Chwin, President and CEO of Destination Vancouver.