Holland American Ship by Stanley Park Seawall

Vancouver is a major cruise ship destination and in the summer hundreds of ships dock at Canada Place so their passengers can explore the city.

Vancouver Cruise Ships

If you are a cruise ship passenger wanting ideas on what to do in Vancouver while you’re here, click Cruise Ship Passenger Activities. For general information about cruise ships in Vancouver, however, see below.

CRUISE SHIPS AND THE CORONA VIRUS

Due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, the cruise ship season in Vancouver came to a very early end for 2020. Hopefully passenger ships will be allowed to operate again soon. Until at least the end of February, 2021, however, in Canada they are not. Below is a summary of what has led to this point.

On March 12th, 2020, Princess Cruises announced that it was halting operations for all its vessels until at least mid-May due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. It was the first of many cruise lines to do so. See the Princess Cruises website for details.

On March 13th, the federal government announced that it was prohibiting all cruise ship vessels larger than 500 passengers in size from docking in Vancouver until July 2020 at the earliest.

Effective March 18th, 2020, the Canadian government closed its borders to foreign nationals other than Americans and a few other exceptions. Effective a couple of days later, the ban was expanded to include residents of the United States.

On May 29th, 2020, Transport Canada announced that cruise ships with a capacity for overnight accommodations of 100 or more people are prohibited from coming into Canadian ports until at least October 31st. This action effectively ended the 2020 cruise ship season. See the Transport Canada website for more details about this decision.

In late October, 2020, the government extended the ban on cruise ship travel in the country until at least the end of February 2021.

To learn more about the impact of the novel coronavirus in the region, see our article about COVID-19 and Metro Vancouver.

ENTERTAINMENT COUPON DEALS!

Local folk know the value of owning a Vancouver Entertainment Coupon Book. It’s a book that’s full of 2-for-1 coupons for restaurants and attractions. It’s a great resource for both tourists and locals, and they can be purchased through charities in the fall or online year-round.

What not everybody knows is that the books also contain valuable coupons for cruise ship travel. In recent years there have been coupons for Carnival, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean cruise lines, with perks like up to $400 cash back and price guarantees!

Click Entertainment Coupons for details about the program, or visit the book’s official website to buy one.

About Cruise Ships in Vancouver

The Vancouver cruise ship season runs from late April until September with sailings to Alaska, Hawaii, Asia, California and the Panama Canal.

Every year there are over 250 departures involving some 30 different ships and over 800,000 passengers.

Alaska is the primary voyage destination during the peak season, but other destinations can start as early as March some years and go until almost December, although only infrequently.

For more information on cruise ships in Vancouver, see below. For things to do while in port, check out Vancouver’s Best Cruise Ship Passenger Activities.

Canada Place Cruise Ship — Cruise ship at Canada Place

More About Vancouver Cruise Ships

Cruise ships dock at Canada Place in the heart of downtown Vancouver and they typically arrive in the mornings and depart in the early evening, usually around 5 or 6 pm.

Cruise lines with voyages from Vancouver include Carnival, Celebrity, Crystal Cruises, Disney, Holland America, Norwegian, Princess, Regent Seven Seas and Viking.

If you’re not lucky enough to be a passenger but still want a good look at a ship, go for a walk around the Promenade Deck of Canada Place during the day between May and the end of the summer.

Alternatively, you can watch the ships depart Burrard Inlet under the Lions Gate Bridge in the early evening from the lookout at Prospect Point, the seawall at Stanley Park, or the waterfront at Ambleside Park in West Vancouver.

Alaskan Cruises from Vancouver

Vancouver offers both one-way and return-trip voyages to Alaska via BC’s stunningly beautiful Inside Passage.

On the Alaskan trip passengers enjoy views of glaciers and giant snow-capped mountains rising up out from the ocean, as well as wildlife and both Alaskan and BC West Coast culture and history, not to mention all the regular on-board things to do.

The Vancouver-to-Alaska route is amazing and one of the top-rated cruise itineraries in the world.

Docked Cruise Ship in Vancouver — A cruise ship in downtown Vancouver

2019 Vancouver Cruise Schedule

Below is the schedule of cruise ship visits to Vancouver last year. 2020 ships and dates were going to be similar (until the outbreak of the coronavirus took place). (Note: times and other details were subject to change.)

2019 March & April Cruise Ship Schedule

March 29, 2019
- Emerald Princess (7 am until 12 pm)
April 14, 2019
- Emerald Princess (6 pm until 3 pm the following day)
April 17, 2019
- Celebrity Eclipse (5 am until 5 pm)
April 25, 2019
- Norwegian Joy (5 pm until 5 pm the following day)
April 29, 2019
- Carnival Legend (7 am until 4 pm)

2019 May Cruise Ship Schedule

May 1, 2019
- Island Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
May 3, 2019
- Norwegian Bliss (12:30 pm until 11:30 am the following day)
- Eurodam (7 am until 5 pm)
May 4, 2019
- Oosterdam (7 am until 5 pm)
- Nieuw Amsterdam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
May 7, 2019
- Golden Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
May 8, 2019
- Coral Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Island Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Volendam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
May 9, 2019
- Celebrity Eclipse (7 am until 4 pm)
May 10, 2019
- Celebrity Solstice (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Ruby Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Celebrity Millennium (7 am until 4:30 pm)
May 11, 2019
- Royal Princess (6:30 am until 4:30 pm)
- Nieuw Amsterdam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
May 12, 2019
- Star Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Westerdam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Noordam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
May 13, 2019
- Ovation of the Seas (6 am until 5 pm)
May 14, 2019
- Golden Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
May 15, 2019
- Coral Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Volendam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
May 16, 2019
- Seven Seas Mariner (7 am until 5 pm)
May 17, 2019
- Radiance of the Seas (7 am until 4:30 pm)
May 18, 2019
- Golden Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Nieuw Amsterdam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
May 19, 2019
- Celebrity Eclipse (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Westerdam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
May 20, 2019
- Norwegian Jewel (7 am until 5 pm)
- Disney Wonder (7 am until 5 pm)
May 21, 2019
- Queen Elizabeth (7 am until 5 pm)
May 22, 2019
- Island Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Volendam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
May 23, 2019
- Maasdam (8 am until 11 pm) (IT)
May 24, 2019
- Celebrity Millennium (7 am until 4:30 pm)
May 25, 2019
- Royal Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
May 25, 2019
- Nieuw Amsterdam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
May 26, 2019
- Celebrity Eclipse (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Viking Orion (3 am until 6 am and 5 pm until 9 pm) (TBC)
- Noordam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Seven Seas Mariner (7 am until 5 pm)
May 27, 2019
- Disney Wonder (7 am until 5 pm)
May 29, 2019
- Coral Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Regatta (7 am until 6 pm)
- Volendam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
May 31, 2019
- Radiance of the Seas (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Queen Elizabeth (7 am until 5 pm)

2019 June Cruise Ship Schedule

June 1, 2019
- Golden Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Nieuw Amsterdam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
June 2, 2019
- Celebrity Eclipse (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Amsterdam (7 am until 5 pm) (IT)
- Westerdam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
June 3, 2019
- Norwegian Jewel (7 am until 5 pm)
- Windstar Star Jewel (8 am until 6 pm)
- Disney Wonder (7 am until 5 pm)
June 4, 2019
- Azamara Quest (7 am until 5 pm)
June 5, 2019
- Island Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Volendam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
June 6, 2019
- Silver Muse (7 am until 5 pm)
June 7, 2019
- Celebrity Millennium (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Seabourn Sojourn (7 am until 5 pm)
June 8, 2019
- Royal Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Nieuw Amsterdam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
June 9, 2019
- Celebrity Eclipse (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Noordam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
June 10, 2019
- Queen Elizabeth (7 am until 5 pm)
- Disney Wonder (7 am until 5 pm)
June 12, 2019
- Coral Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Seven Seas Mariner (7 am until 6 pm)
- Volendam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
June 14, 2019
- Radiance of the Seas (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Crystal Symphony (7 am until 6 pm)
- Azamara Quest (7 am until 5 pm)
June 15, 2019
- Golden Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Viking Orion (7 am until 5 pm)
- Nieuw Amsterdam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
June 16, 2019
- Celebrity Eclipse (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Westerdam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
June 17, 2019
- Norwegian Jewel (7 am until 5 pm)
- Silver Muse (7 am until 5 pm)
- Disney Wonder (7 am until 5 pm)
June 19, 2019
- Island Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Volendam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
June 20, 2019
- Queen Elizabeth (7 am until 5 pm)
June 21, 2019
- Celebrity Millennium (7 am until 4:30 pm)
June 22, 2019
- Royal Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Nieuw Amsterdam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
June 23, 2019
- Celebrity Eclipse (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Asuka II (7 am until 5 pm)
- Noordam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
June 24, 2019
- Crystal Symphony (8 am until 5 pm the following day)
- Disney Wonder (7 am until 5 pm)
June 25, 2019
- Windstar Star Legend (8 am until 6 pm)
June 26, 2019
- Corel Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Seven Seas Mariner (8 am until 6 pm)
- Volendam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
June 27, 2019
- Silver Muse (7 am until 5 pm)
June 28, 2019
- Radiance of the Seas (7 am until 4:30 pm)
June 29, 2019
- Golden Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Regatta (7 am until 6 pm)
- Nieuw Amsterdam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
June 30, 2019
- Celebrity Eclipse (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Queen Elizabeth (7 am until 5 pm)
- Westerdam (7 am until 4:30 pm)

2019 July Cruise Ship Schedule

July 1, 2019
- Norwegian Jewel (7 am until 5 pm)
- Sun Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm) (IT)
- Disney Wonder (7 am until 5 pm)
July 2, 2019
- Azamara Quest (7 am until 5 pm)
- Crystal Symphony (7 am until 6 pm)
- Seabourn Sojourn (7 am until 5 pm)
July 3, 2019
- Island Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Volendam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
July 5, 2019
- Celebrity Millennium (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Viking Orion (7 am until 5 pm)
- Maasdam (8 am until 5 pm) (IT)
July 6, 2019
- Royal Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Nieuw Amsterdam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
July 7, 2019
- Celebrity Eclipse (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Noordam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
July 8, 2019
- Disney Wonder (7 am until 4:30 pm)
July 10, 2019
- Coral Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Volendam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
July 11, 2019
- Silver Muse (7 am until 5 pm)
July 12, 2019
- Radiance of the Seas (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Silver Explorer (7 am until 5 pm)
- Azamara Quest (7 am until 5 pm)
July 13, 2019
- Golden Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Le Soleal (9:30 am until 5:30 pm)
- Seven Seas Mariner (6 am until 5 pm)
- Nieuw Amsterdam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
July 14, 2019
- Celebrity Eclipse (7 am until 4 pm)
- Seabourn Sojourn (7 am until 5 pm)
- Westerdam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
July 15, 2019
- Norwegian Jewel (7 am until 5 pm)
July 17, 2019
- Island Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Volendam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Disney Wonder (7 am until 5 pm)
July 18, 2019
- Windstar Star Legend (7 am until 4 pm)
July 19, 2019
- Celebrity Millennium (7 am until 4:30 pm)
July 20, 2019
- Royal Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Nieuw Amsterdam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
July 21, 2019
- Celebrity Eclipse (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Noordam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
July 22, 2019
- Disney Wonder (7 am until 4 pm)
July 23, 2019
- Crystal Symphony (7 am until 5 pm)
July 24, 2019
- Coral Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Seven Seas Mariner (7 am until 7 pm)
- Volendam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
July 25, 2019
- Silver Muse (7 am until 5 pm)
- Viking Orion (7 am until 5 pm)
July 26, 2019
- Radiance of the Seas (7 am until 4:30 pm)
July 27, 2019
- Golden Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Le Soleal (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Nieuw Amsterdam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
July 28, 2019
- Celebrity Eclipse (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Westerdam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
July 29, 2019
- Norwegian Jewel (7 am until 5 pm)
- Disney Wonder (7 am until 4:30 pm)
July 30, 2019
- Crystal Symphony (7 am until 6 pm)
- Azamara Quest (7 am until 5 pm)
July 31, 2019
- Island Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Volendam (7 am until 4:30 pm)

2019 August Cruise Ship Schedule

August 2, 2019
- Celebrity Millennium (7 am until 4:30 pm)
August 3, 2019
- Royal Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Nieuw Amsterdam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
August 4, 2019
- Celebrity Eclipse (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Noordam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
August 5, 2019
- Disney Wonder (7 am until 5 pm)
August 6, 2019
- Regatta (7 am until 6 pm)
August 7, 2019
- Coral Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Seven Seas Mariner (7 am until 7 pm)
- Volendam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
August 8, 2019
- Silver Muse (7 am until 5 pm)
- Seabourn Sojourn (7 am until 5 pm)
August 9, 2019
- Radiance of the Seas (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Windstar Star Legend (8 am until 5 pm)
August 10, 2019
- Golden Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Le Soleal (7 am until 7 pm)
- Crystal Symphony (7 am until 6 pm)
- Nieuw Amsterdam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
August 11, 2019
- Celebrity Eclipse (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Westerdam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
August 12, 2019
- Norwegian Jewel (7 am until 5 pm)
- Disney Wonder (7 am until 4:30 pm)
August 14, 2019
- Island Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Viking Orion (7 am until 5 pm)
- Volendam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
August 16, 2019
- Celebrity Millennium (7 am until 4:30 pm)
August 17, 2019
- Royal Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Nieuw Amsterdam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
August 18, 2019
- Celebrity Eclipse (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Noordam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
August 19, 2019
- Disney Wonder (7 am until 5 pm)
August 20, 2019
- Crystal Symphony (7 am until 6 pm)
- Seabourn Sojourn (7 am until 5 pm)
August 21, 2019
- Coral Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Seven Seas Mariner (7 am until 7 pm)
- Volendam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
August 22, 2019
- Silver Muse (7 am until 5 pm)
August 23, 2019
- Radiance of the Seas (7 am until 4:30 pm)
August 24, 2019
- Golden Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Nieuw Amsterdam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
August 25, 2019
- Celebrity Eclipse (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Westerdam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
August 26, 2019
- Norwegian Jewel (7 am until 5 pm)
- Disney Wonder (7 am until 4:30 pm)
August 28, 2019
- Island Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Volendam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
August 30, 2019
- Celebrity Millennium (7 am until 4:30 pm)
August 31, 2019
- Royal Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Windstar Star Legend (8:30 am until 6 pm)
- Nieuw Amsterdam (7 am until 4:30 pm)

2019 September Cruise Ship Schedule

September 1, 2019
- Celebrity Eclipse (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Noordam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
September 2, 2019
- Disney Wonder (7 am until 5 pm)
September 3, 2019
- Le Soleal (6 am until 6 pm)
- Crystal Symphony (7 am until 5 pm)
September 4, 2019
- Coral Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Seven Seas Mariner (7 am until 7 pm)
- Voldendam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
September 5, 2019
- Silver Muse (7 am until 5 pm)
September 6, 2019
- Radiance of the Seas (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Celebrity Millennium (6:30 am until 4:30 pm)
September 7, 2019
- Golden Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Nieuw Amsterdam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
September 8, 2019
- Celebrity Eclipse (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Westerdam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
September 9, 2019
- Norwegian Jewel (7 am until 5 pm)
- Disney Wonder (7 am until 4:30 pm)
September 10, 2019
- Radiance of the Seas (7 am until 5 pm)
- Crystal Symphony (7 am until 5 pm)
September 11, 2019
- Island Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Volendam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
September 12, 2019
- Windstar Star Legend (8 am until 5 pm)
September 13, 2019
- Celebrity Solstice (6 am until 5 pm)
September 14, 2019
- Royal Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Seabourn Sojourn (7 am until 5 pm)
- Nieuw Amsterdam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
September 15, 2019
- Celebrity Eclipse (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Noordam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
September 16, 2019
- Island Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Disney Wonder (7 am until 12 pm)
September 17, 2019
- Carnival Legend (7 am until 4 pm)
- Crystal Symphony (7 am until 6 pm)
September 18, 2019
- Coral Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Seven Seas Mariner (7 am until 6 pm)
- Volendam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
September 20, 2019
- Ovation of the Seas (7 am until 5 pm)
September 21, 2019
- Golden Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Ruby Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Nieuw Amsterdam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
September 22, 2019
- Celebrity Eclipse (7 am until 5 pm)
- Westerdam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Noordam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
September 23, 2019
- Norwegian Jewel (7 am until 5 pm)
September 24, 2019
- Windstar Star Legend (8 am until 5 pm)
- Amsterdam (7 am until 11 pm) (IT)
September 25, 2019
- Golden Princess (7:30 am until 11 pm)
- Coral Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Volendam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
September 26, 2019
- Carnival Legend (7 am until 4 pm)
- Seabourn Sojourn (7 am until 5 pm)
September 27, 2019
- Roald Amundsen (8 am until 8 pm)
September 28, 2019
- Nieuw Amsterdam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
September 29, 2019
- Eurodam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- L’Austral (8 am until 6 pm)
- Westerdam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Noordam (7 am until 12 pm) (to DD)
September 30, 2019
- Norwegian Jewel (7 am until 5 pm)
- Norwegian Bliss (6 pm until 2 am the next day)
- Oosterdam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
- Disney Wonder (7 am until 5 pm) (from DD)

2019 October & November Ship Schedule

October 6, 2019
- Norwegian Joy (7 am until midnight)
October 7, 2019
- Star Princess (7 am until 4 pm)
- Norwegian Jewel (7 am until 5 pm)
October 8, 2019
- Seabourn Sojourn (7 am until 5 pm)
October 13, 2019
- Celebrity Eclipse (7 am until 7:30 pm)
- Noordam (7 am until 4:30 pm) (from DD)
October 15, 2019
- Eurodam (7 am until 4:30 pm)
October 17, 2019
- Grand Princess (7 am until 10 pm) (IT)
October 21, 2019
- Norwegian Jewel (7 am until 4 pm)
October 22, 2019
- Star Princess (7 am until 4 pm)
October 24, 2019
- Grand Princess (7 am until 10 pm) (IT)
November 1, 2019
- Star Princess (7 am until 4:30 pm)

Other Information

Click Cruise Ship Schedule to see the list of ships coming and going into Vancouver in 2019. For details about the current year, see the Port of Vancouver website.

For things to do while in port, check out Vancouver’s Best Cruise Ship Passenger Activities.

Other articles that might be of interest include the following: