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High cruise passenger numbers expected at Canada Place terminal at the Port of Vancouver throughout May and June

May 2, 2019

With a high volume of cruise passengers expected at and around Canada Place cruise ship terminal throughout May and June, travelers and locals should plan ahead to prepare for crowds and increased traffic in surrounding areas.

On these days, a large number of embarking and disembarking cruise passengers is expected between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. at Canada Place. As a result, higher than normal traffic volumes are anticipated in the downtown core, along with increased demand for taxis and public transportation.

In preparation for the busy cruise ship days, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and Canada Place Operations are offering the following tips to cruise passengers to prepare for their visit to Canada Place.

Embarking passengers

  • Please anticipate and prepare for longer than usual wait times.
  • Cruise passengers boarding their ships are asked not to arrive at Canada Place cruise terminal prior to their scheduled embarkation time, unless advised by their cruise line, so as to avoid further congestion while disembarking passengers are exiting the terminal.
  • All embarking passengers will be asked to drop off luggage first before proceeding through the security screening.
  • Signage and staff will be on-site to direct passengers.

Disembarking passengers

  • Given the significant number of passengers, it is advised that disembarking passengers make transportation arrangements in advance. Please refer to transportation links on our website for further information: portvancouver.com/cruise/passenger-information
  • If you are being picked up by a private vehicle, kindly proceed to the Orange Zone located on P1 level of the Canada Place parkade.
  • All cruise vehicles in the parkade will be asked to exit Canada Place through the P2 exit onto Waterfront Road.
  • Please plan accordingly for heavy traffic and longer than usual waits to exit the city.In addition to extra on-site staff, Vancouver Police Department Traffic Authority members will be managing traffic and pedestrian flows at nearby crosswalks.Vancouver expects to welcome more than one million cruise passengers in 2019 on 290 ship visits, reflecting a 21 per cent increase in passenger volume over 2018. The Vancouver cruise industry stimulates on average nearly $3 million in direct activity to the local economy for each cruise ship that visits Canada Place.View Port of Vancouver’s 2019 Cruise Schedule
Peak High Volume Days Ships at Canada Place Estimated passengers per day
May 4, 2019 Norwegian Bliss / Oosterdam / Nieuw Amsterdam 9,613
May 10, 2019 Celebrity Solstice / Ruby Princess/ Celebrity Millennium 15,936
May 12, 2019 Star Princess / Westerdam / Noordam 12,728
May 26, 2019 Celebrity Eclipse / Seven Seas Mariner / Noordam / Viking Orion 12,656
June 30, 2019 Celebrity Eclipse / Queen Elizabeth / Westerdam 13,716
July 1, 2019 Norwegian Jewel / Sun Princess / Disney Wonder 13,608
September 21, 2019 Golden Princess / Ruby Princess / Nieuw Amsterdam 15,648
September 22, 2019 Celebrity Eclipse / Westerdam / Noordam 13,228
September 29, 2019 Eurodam / L’Austral / Westerdam/Noordam 10,416
September 30, 2019 Norwegian Jewel / Oosterdam / Disney Wonder / NCL Bliss 15,270

About the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority

The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is responsible for the stewardship of the federal port lands in and around Vancouver, British Columbia. It is financially self-sufficient and accountable to the federal minister of transport and operates pursuant to the Canada Marine Act. The Port of Vancouver is Canada’s largest, and the third largest in North America by tonnes of cargo, facilitating trade between Canada and more than 170 world economies. Located in a naturally beautiful setting on Canada’s west coast, the port authority and port terminals and tenants are responsible for the efficient and reliable movement of goods and passengers, integrating environmental, social and economic sustainability initiatives into all areas of port operations. Enabling the trade of approximately $200 billion in goods, port activities sustain 115,300 jobs, $7 billion in wages, and $11.9 billion in GDP across Canada.

Media contact:
Danielle Jang
Media Relations Advisor
604.340.8617
[email protected]

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