Victoria’s 2018 cruise season saw 640,000 passengers. File photo.
Victoria’s cruise ship season will officially begin on April 16 with the arrival of the Celebrity Eclipse.
The ship will be the first of 260 ship calls scheduled for Victoria this year. The Royal Caribbean International’s Ovation of the Seas, Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth, Azamara Quest, and Norwegian Joy, sister ship of the Norwegian Bliss are also set the arrive.
Seven hundred thousand passengers and close to 300,000 crew members are expected in Victoria during the seven-month season. The city is also set to welcome the eight millionth cruise ship passenger in May 2019.
The final cruise ship of the season will be the Grand Princess on Friday, Oct. 25, 2019.
Since November 2018, Greater Victoria Harbour Authority has installed five new 200-tonne bollards used to tie up ship lines, construction of two additional information kiosks for volunteer greeters, an enlarged facility for crew that is sponsored and run by Lighthouse Ministries and the installation of seagull deterrent. There is a plan for more on-the-ground improvements, including a new pedestrian gateway.
For those who choose to take the bus, PNW Transportation Services – the provider of shuttle and coach transportation to the terminal – has upgraded their fleet to include 18 single double-decker buses.
For the cruise schedule, visit the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority website.
CHEK News
