Record-breaking number of cruise passengers expected in Vancouver this July

The arrival of the Coral Princess in Vancouver marks the end of the cruise season for 2025. (Courtesy: Port of Vancouver)

A record-breaking number of passengers are expected to pass through the Canada Place cruise terminal in downtown Vancouver this month, with similar numbers expected in August.

The Port of Vancouver says they are on track to welcome 290,000 passengers in July, the most ever for a single month. An estimated 1.4 million passengers are expected over the entire 2026 season.

Multiple cruise ships are scheduled to dock almost every day throughout the summer, bringing a steady flow of travelers to the city’s hotels, restaurants, and attractions.

A new survey from the Port of Vancouver found that each of those passengers spends an average of about $1,100 locally each visit.

More travellers are also choosing to spend time in Vancouver before or after their cruise.

The 2025 Cruise Passenger Survey by the Pacific Rim Cruise Association found that 75 per cent of people are adding Vancouver as a destination, up from 70 per cent in 2023.

“We are seeing these strong cruise volumes translate into ongoing meaningful benefits for local and regional businesses and communities,” Chance McKee, senior account representative at the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority said in a news release Friday.

The Port of Vancouver says each ship injects about $3 million into the local economy, with many cruise lines choosing local goods and services to keep their operations running smoothly.

The Canada Place terminal is marking a major milestone this year, celebrating 40 years since the first cruise ship docked.

With files from CTV News Vancouver’s Chris Wiggins.