47,000 cruise ship tourists expected this weekend in Vancouver

Vancouver is a popular port of call for cruise ships, and this weekend will be the busiest of this season with tens of thousands of passengers.

Vancouver residents can expect some extra foot traffic in the city this weekend, which is expected to be the busiest of the 2025 cruise season.

Roughly 47,000 passengers will be coming through the Canada Place Cruise Ship Terminal this weekend, arriving on 11 ships.

Chance McKee, with the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, says that this will impact the local economy.

“Cruise passengers spend, on average, $450 each on things like local tours, attractions, restaurants, hotels,” McKee says.

The Port of Vancouver says that every cruise ship stopping here injects about $3 million into the local economy, and that’s not just from the tourists.

“Cruise lines spend an average of $660 million every year locally. That’s using local businesses and suppliers to conduct maintenance on their ships, repairs in between trips,” says McKee.

This comes at a time when the country is experiencing a decline in visitors. According to Statistics Canada data released earlier this week, the country saw nine per cent fewer American tourists this April than it did last year.

The busy cruise weekend also means busy days for the restaurant industry.

Chris Di Tomaso, general manager of Tap and Barrel Coal Harbour, says his restaurant sees double the usual volume of diners when cruise ships are in town. The tourists are not only looking to grab a bite, but also looking to take in the Coal Harbour scenery.

“When you have a business that includes a very large waterfront patio, the cruise ships provide a significant amount of energy and a lot of foot traffic,” says Di Tomaso.

McKee suggests that locals offer up assistance to tourists who may need help with directions or have questions.

“Offer up a local recommendation, your favourite restaurant or local attraction,” he says.

The port expects to see elevated visitor levels every weekend through the end of peak cruise season in late September.