By
Rebecca Gibson |
Princess Cruises’ Star Princess officially opened Port Metro Vancouver’s 2016 cruise season on 4 April.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the port’s Canada Place cruise terminal, and it is expected that around 830,000 passengers will visit during 228 calls. This marks a 3% increase in passenger volume from 2015.
“2016 marks the 30th anniversary of Canada Place,” said Robin Silvester, president and CEO at Port Metro Vancouver. “Our award-winning cruise facilities at Canada Place welcome thousands of visitors to beautiful Vancouver every year.”
Highlights of 2016 will include the maiden calls of Compagnie Du Ponant’s Le Soleal on 18 June and HAL’s Nieuw Amsterdam on 30 April. Nieuw Amsterdam will then offer more than 100,000 passengers 24 roundtrip sailings from Vancouver throughout 2016.
“HAL has been sailing to Alaska from Port Metro Vancouver for more than 40 years, and our historic connection is deepened by the fact that one of our ships was the first cruise ship to berth at Canada Place back in 1986,” said Orlando Ashford, HAL president. “Our guests rank Vancouver among their favourite cities, and the ease and convenience of the port make it all the more popular. Congratulations to Canada Place on celebrating its 30th anniversary, and we look forward to an extremely robust and successful Alaska season sailing from Vancouver.”
Crystal Cruises will also homeport in Vancouver for the first time since 2005, offering more than 13,000 guests the chance to take one of eight cruises onboard Crystal Serenity. Other lines that will return to homeport in Vancouver will include Celebrity Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, Princess Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Royal Caribbean International and Silversea Cruises.
According to a 2015 passenger survey by Port Metro Vancouver, Tourism Vancouver, Destination B.C., and Vancouver International Airport showed that each cruise call generates more than CAD$2 million in economic activity for Vancouver.