Victoria cruise season passes one million passengers for first time
Ogden Point reached the milestone during a season expected to set a record for cruise ship calls.
Victoria surpassed one million cruise passengers in a single season for the first time, marking a new high for the city’s tourism industry. The milestone was also a first for cruise operations at Ogden Point in its 57-year history.
The Greater Victoria Harbour Authority expected 332 cruise ship calls in 2026, which would exceed the previous record of 329 set in 2022. The season began April 10 with the arrival of Nieuw Amsterdam and included inaugural Victoria visits by Virgin Voyages and MSC Cruises. It was scheduled to conclude Sunday, Oct. 18, with National Geographic Venture.
Reported annual passenger totals show 989,950 cruise visitors in 2025 and 970,000 in 2023. Figures provided for 2024 differ: one report lists 972,268 passengers, while another gives 927,268. One report also records 715,829 passengers in 2022.
Norwegian Cruise Line plans to send three ships to Victoria in 2027: Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Encore and Norwegian Joy.