October 16, 2026 — Vancouver’s Canada Place cruise terminal has closed its busiest season ever and released a preliminary 2027 schedule.
2026 by the numbers
| Measure | 2026 season (February – October) |
|---|---|
| Passengers | About 1.4 million (up 17% on 2025) |
| Ship calls | 358 (up 19%) |
| July and August passengers | Close to 575,000 |
| On-time or early departures | 87% |
| Average time from terminal arrival to boarding | About 30 minutes |
| Maiden calls | 9 |
| Last call | Norwegian Encore, October 12, 2026 |
The port had more three- and five-ship days than in any previous season, and processed its one millionth cruise passenger through U.S. Customs and Border Protection using facial biometrics. The terminal marked 40 years of operation in 2026.
2027 outlook
The port expects 383 cruise ship calls between March and November 2027, according to its preliminary schedule, which may change.
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What it means for travelers
- Busier docks ahead: with more ships planned in 2027, expect more multi-ship days and fuller hotels and flights into Vancouver International (YVR) on busy ship days. Book early and arrive the day before.
- Boarding is quick once you are there. Arrival-to-boarding averaged about half an hour this year, so the bigger risk is getting to Vancouver, not the terminal line.
Sources
- Cruise Industry News, “Vancouver Celebrates Busiest Cruise Season Ever” — https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2026/10/vancouver-celebrates-busiest-cruise-season-ever/
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