The final cruise ship of the 2024 season the Norwegian Jewel, will depart from Canada Place on Tuesday, marking the end of a record 1.32-million passenger season for the Canadian Port.

Vancouver’s season ran from March 11 through October 29, with 327 calls and a 7 percent increase in guest volume.

“We want to thank everyone who helped 2024 be such a successful cruise season in Vancouver—to have back-to-back record years run so smoothly is a huge accomplishment and testament to the dedication of those involved,” said Shri Madiwal, vice president of operations and supply chain at the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, the federal agency that enables growing trade through the Port of Vancouver, including cruise, while protecting the environment.

“I want to thank our partners—including SSA Marine, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, the Canadian and U.S. border agencies, the City of Vancouver, and cruise lines—for helping deliver another successful cruise season. Canada Place cruise operations play a vital role in Vancouver’s thriving tourism sector—injecting over a billion dollars into the local economy every year, and supporting businesses and jobs throughout the region.”

According to a statement, Economic Impact Study released by the port authority earlier this year found passengers, crew and cruise lines spend more than $1.1 billion locally each year, including passengers spending an average of $450 each on hotels, restaurants, shopping, tours and local attractions, and more.

“The Port of Vancouver has been an incredible partner for many years, and we thank them for their continued support,” added David J. Herrera, president of Norwegian Cruise Line. “Norwegian Jewel’s Alaska voyages to and from Vancouver provided our guests a wonderful opportunity to plan pre- and post-cruise stays in this beautiful city, allowing them to truly immerse themselves in the destination and plan an extended vacation. We look forward to our future sailings to and from Vancouver throughout 2025 and 2026, helping support the local businesses while also providing our guests with an unforgettable vacation experience to Alaska.”

The busy 2024 cruise season saw Canada Place have six of its top-10 busiest days ever for passengers, including its second busiest ever on April 29 when almost 20,000 passengers passed through the terminal.

“As another record-breaking cruise season wraps up for the year, the contributions of our nearly 200 Destination Vancouver volunteers stand out as an example of how the city comes together to support the cruise industry,” noted Royce Chwin, President and CEO of Destination Vancouver. “With more than 330,000 visitor interactions this season—14% more than last year and nearly double what we saw in 2022—among the largest groups of visitors we work with are cruise passengers. Our volunteers are on hand at Canada Place on every sailing day to offer local insights and encourage passengers to explore neighborhoods, dining, and attractions, turning brief stopovers into richer experiences. This increased engagement directly benefits the local economy, making tourism an even stronger driver of positive growth for our city.”

The port authority continues to collaborate with destination, government and cruise line partners to invest in the Canada Place terminal to enhance capacity, sustainability and passenger experience at the Port of Vancouver. This year, that included partnering with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to launch Canada’s first ever facial biometric scanning for cruise.

The new facial scanning technology has reduced the time it takes to pass through U.S. border control by up to 94%, with average transaction times dropping from 2-3 minutes with the passport kiosks previously used to about 10 seconds with the biometrics—significantly improving the terminal’s ability to seamlessly handle high numbers of cruise passengers and enhancing overall passenger experience.

“We are thrilled to continue our valuable work with industry and government enhancing capacity and passenger experience at the Canada Place cruise terminal, while further embedding sustainability into Vancouver’s booming cruise sector,” said Madiwal.