BURSTThe final cruise ship visitor to Victoria this year has pulled anchor and headed for Alaska.
After a stop in Victoria on Oct. 18, the National Geographic Venture headed to Alert Bay on its way north to Alaska. The Venture, at 239 feet in length, is an expedition ship that provides an intimate cruise experience for 100 guests.
The Venture is the smallest cruise ship to visit Victoria this season – which started with the Nieuw Amsterdam on April 10 – and it was the last, marking a record 332 calls to Ogden Point. The record was 329 in 2022, according to the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority.
The 2026 season included a few other firsts: greeting one million passengers; two new cruise lines, Virgin Voyages and MSC Cruises; and six ships made inaugural calls into Victoria: Voyager of the Seas (Royal Caribbean), Star Princess (Princess Cruises), Brilliant Lady, Silver Nova (Silversea), MSC Poesia (MSC Cruises) and Azamara Pursuit (Azamara Club Cruises). Virgin’s Brilliant Lady is expected to make 16 daytime calls in 2027.
Coming close last year at 989,950 cruise passengers, 2026 marked the milestone of more than a million. The city welcomed 972,268 in 2024 and 970,000 in 2023.
About the Author: Christine van Reeuwyk
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