The 2026 Alaskan cruise season has officially begun and the popular cruise port in Victoria, Canada has rolled out the red carpet for the first passengers of the year.
On Friday, April 10, Holland America Line’s Nieuw Amsterdam became the first cruise ship to dock at Ogden Point. And yes, actual red carpet was ready to receive about 2,100 disembarking passengers, along with Lekwungen dancers in their ceremonial attire.
Friday was the kickoff of what the port is calling a record-breaking year.
Port officials expect 335 cruise ship visits between now and mid-October, along with more than 1 million cruise passengers.
This would be a new record for Victoria and a significant jump from the nearly 990,000 visitors who arrived in 2025 on 311 calls.
“As the 2026 cruise season begins, we’re thrilled to welcome the Nieuw Amsterdam,” said Don Krusel, interim CEO of the GVHA.
“Victoria is famous for its hospitality, and we look forward to providing a warm welcome to all the passengers and crew that will visit the city this year.”
While May is when calls to the port get much more frequent, April’s schedule is lined up with ships like Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Jade, Ruby Princess, Noordam, and National Geographic Venture.
In addition to returning favorites from Holland America, Norwegian, and Princess, 2026 brings six inaugural calls and two entirely new cruise lines to Victoria: Virgin Voyages and MSC Cruises.
Many of the vessels are closer to mega ship size, with some carrying nearly 5,000 passengers each. This should bring a steady flow of visitors to the port and make last year’s record easy to beat.
Victoria has long served as a popular stop on Alaska-bound itineraries, especially cruises beginning in Seattle, since a foreign port is a required stop along the way.
Cruise visitors support local businesses, restaurants, tours, and attractions, and inject millions into the economy each season.
Last year’s total of almost one million passengers already proved that the port can handle the traffic and is ready for more.
Of course, the season is still young. Weather, scheduling adjustments, and other variables mean that the record is not exactly “in the bag” just yet.
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