WATCH: Vancouver’s cruise ship season cast off today, more than a month early. Jennifer Palma explains why.
The 2015 cruise season kicked off in Vancouver with the Grand Princess docking at Canada Place terminal Sunday.
The arrival of the Princess Cruise ship marks a first for Port Metro Vancouver. It berthed this morning from California and will set sail to Hawaii.
“This cruise ship is actually sailing to Hawaii this evening and Princess Cruises is doing back-to-back round trips from Vancouver to Hawaii at the beginning of this season,” says Carmen Ortega of Port Metro Vancouver Cruise Services.
“What this means is that it allows our season to extend longer than the April to September Alaska run. We’ve got ships in March and all the way to December this year, which is actually really good for us.”
The early start for cruises means the spring tourist season can begin earlier with 800,000 passengers expected to move through the Canada Place terminal.
It’s estimated that each cruise ship will bring in more than $2 million to the city’s economy.
“It’s good business,” says Aaron Gibson of Steamworks, a restaurant near the cruise ship terminal. “We enjoy the cruise ships. They drive some of our summer business, for sure.”
-with files from Jennifer Palma
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