After a wonderfully busy summer, it’s officially a wrap on the cruise ship season!
The Greater Victoria Harbour Authority (GVHA) has announced that the arrival of the Norwegian Jewel on Wednesday, October 30th marks the end of 2024’s cruise ship season at Ogden Point.
According to a media release, after the final ship departs, Victoria will have welcomed 316 ship calls and 970,000 passengers; 700,000 of those being eager visitors that disembarked the ship to explore our city’s many attractions, landmarks and restaurants.
The season kicked off on April 3rd with the arrival of Norwegian Bliss, two ships making their inaugural visit to Victoria—the Explora I and Celebrity Edge.
Compared to 2023’s 326 ship calls and 970,000 people passing through the city, this year’s season was slightly more laid back.
“We are thrilled with the cruise season in Victoria this year. The industry remains a strong economic driver for Victoria. The GVHA team is already looking towards the future, with a similar number of cruise ship calls anticipated for 2025,” said Robert Lewis-Manning, CEO of GVHA.
“We will continue listening to our communities and improving the cruise experience for passengers, local businesses and residents to ensure everyone benefits from this growing sector.”
Did you know that Victoria’s cruise ship industry contributes $130 million annually to the regional economy? It’s also responsible for 800 direct and indirect jobs in Greater Victoria!
If you’re curious about the draft schedule for 2025 cruise ship arrivals, you can view it on GVHA’s website.
