Victoria expected to break cruise ship passenger record this week

Victoria’s cruise ship season is entering its final week, with just two vessels remaining and a historic passenger milestone expected to be reached on Tuesday.

After more than six months of cruise ships arriving at Ogden Point, the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority (GVHA) is preparing to celebrate the arrival of its millionth cruise passenger of 2026.

The milestone is expected on Tuesday, October 13th, when Norwegian Encore arrives at Ogden Point at approximately 8:30 a.m.

The massive cruise ship, which can accommodate nearly 4,000 passengers, is scheduled to remain in Victoria until 4 p.m.

The GVHA is planning a celebration at 10 a.m. to recognize the historic achievement.

However, the milestone remains subject to final confirmation as officials review passenger numbers from the weekend’s arrivals.

If projections hold, it will be the first time Victoria has welcomed more than one million cruise passengers in a single season.

The anticipated milestone would surpass the previous passenger record established in 2025, when Victoria welcomed 989,950 cruise passengers aboard 310 ships.

When the 2026 season began in April, the Harbour Authority projected approximately 1,008,109 passengers and 335 cruise ship arrivals throughout the year.

The final number of ships that actually arrived has not yet been confirmed.

Just two cruise ships remain

According to the GVHA’s schedule, only two vessels remain before the season officially comes to an end.

Tuesday, October 13th — Norwegian Encore

The Norwegian Encore cruise ship is scheduled to arrive at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday and depart at 4 p.m., with an estimated passenger capacity of 3,998.

The final cruise ship of the season, the National Geographic Venture, will arrive on Sunday, October 18th.

The much smaller expedition ship is scheduled to arrive at 8 a.m. and depart at 11 p.m., bringing the 2026 cruise season to a close.

The vessel can accommodate approximately 100 passengers, a fraction of the thousands carried by the larger cruise ships visiting Victoria throughout the summer.

The 2026 season saw some particularly busy days at Ogden Point, with several cruise ships arriving within hours of each other.

Sunday, May 31st, appears to have been the busiest day of the season by combined passenger capacity.

Four ships were scheduled to arrive that day, with room for approximately 12,592 passengers.

The week of August 3rd to 9th was also among the busiest, with 15 ships scheduled to arrive and a combined estimated passenger capacity of 46,520.

Among the largest vessels visiting Victoria this year was Princess Cruises’ Star Princess, measuring approximately 1,133 feet long and weighing 177,882 gross tonnes.

The season also welcomed several ships visiting Victoria for the first time, including Virgin Voyages’ Brilliant Lady and MSC Cruises’ MSC Poesia.

Victoria’s 2026 cruise season began on April 10th with the arrival of Holland America Line’s Nieuw Amsterdam.

Now, after months of cruise ships bringing hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city, the season is preparing to wrap up with what could be a historic achievement.

The final cruise ship of the season is scheduled to depart Ogden Point on Sunday, October 18th, marking the end of what is shaping up to be Victoria’s busiest cruise season on record.