Vancouver’s cruise ship season begins this weekend after two-year hiatus

This weekend marks the return of cruise ships to Canada for the first time in more than two years, with the first vessel due in Victoria Saturday and then in its home port of Vancouver Sunday.

When those first passengers disembark, they’ll see a downtown core that has suffered since the pandemic began and the last ship left in 2020.

Tough economics and property damage have taken their toll in some areas downtown, with more empty store fronts, broken and boarded up windows, and concerns about crime and social issues.

But the head of the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association suggests larger crowds downtown will bring back some of the vibrancy people expect in a major centre like Vancouver.

“I think the safety of workers and those who visit downtown has to be our priority,” said DVBIA president Nolan Marshall. “I’m really impressed with how resilient our businesses have been, especially our retailers and our restauranteurs. I know they are excitedly welcoming these visitors who are coming in off these cruise ships.”

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Marshall says when there are more people downtown, everyone feels safer, but he admits there will be a transition.

“We don’t lose sight of the fact that we are coming out of an unprecedented two year pandemic, and I think as we see more people spending money in stores, spending money in restaurants and coffee shops, that activity will return some of the vibrancy and some of the better qualities of downtown that people expect to see.”

Marshall expects that will happen as Vancouver returns to hosting cruise ship visitors, other international tourists and more special events and conventions, along with the continued return of more office workers.

“I think we are all really excited about the first ship and the ships that will follow,” he said, adding, “we’re really excited with things just getting back to the normal downtown vibe that people expect.”

Tourism Vancouver says each cruise shipload of tourists brings an estimated $3-million into the local economy, and there are more than 300 ship visits to the city scheduled between this weekend and November.

Holland America’s Konningsdam will kick off the return of the summer Alaska cruise season, scheduled in its berth downtown at 6:00 a.m. on Sunday.

The first ship was supposed to arrive Thursday, but the Caribbean Princess was hit by COVID and its voyage to Vancouver was cut short.