Cruise ship season has returned to Victoria with the first vessel arriving earlier this week!
The upcoming cruise season will see an estimated 320 ship calls and around 850,000 passengers over seven months, injecting nearly $130 million into the local economy.
On Tuesday, April 11th, the first cruise ship arrived at the Ogden Point cruise ship terminal (Breakwater District) and were greeted by Lekwungen Dancers.
At just over 209 meters, the Sapphire Princess brought with it nearly 2,600 passengers. The ship docked in Victoria for most of the day, allowing the tourists to explore the city and all that it has to offer.
Cruise ships are truly impressive to look at, with their towering decks and sleek lines cutting through the water. The sheer size of cruise ships is enough to take your breath away, as they can span the length of several football fields and rise as tall as a 20-story building.
And up close, their intricate details and massive scale are even more impressive, as you can see the vast array of amenities and features that make these floating cities on the water so remarkable.
Whether you’re a seasoned cruiser or a first-time observer, there’s no denying the incredible sight of a majestic cruise ship in all its glory.
If you’re wanting to have a look yourself, here are 8 cruise ships porting in Victoria this April:
Norwegian Bliss
The Norwegian Bliss will port twice this month in Victoria. The ship entered service in April 2018 and was built by Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany. It features 20 decks and is over 1,000 feet in length.
- Arrives: Friday April 21st at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday April 28th at 12 p.m.
- Departs: April 21st at 11:59 p.m. and Sunday April 28th at 11 p.m.
- Estimated Passengers: 4,002 passengers (at Double Occupancy)
Brilliance of the Seas
The Brilliance of the Seas is an older ship that was launched in 2001. The vessel is just under 1,000 feet long and has 12 decks. The ship has a maximum capacity of 2,543 passengers and carries 848 crew.
- Arrives: Saturday, April 22nd at 11 a.m.
- Departs: Saturday, April 22nd at 11 p.m.
- Estimated Passengers: 2,140 passengers (double occupancy); 2,543 passengers (maximum)
MS Eurodam
MS Eurodam is a Signature-class cruise ship for Holland America Line. It is the 80th ship to enter Holland America’s service and is the largest Holland America Signature-class ship, along with her sister ship MS Nieuw Amsterdam.
The vessel is under 1,000 feet and has 11 decks.
- Arrives: Thursday, April 27th at 12 p.m.
- Departs: Thursday, April 27th at 11 p.m.
- Estimated Passengers: 2,104 passengers
Royal Princess
Launched in 2016, the Royal Princess is the third ship to sail for Princess Cruises. The vessel is over 1,000 feet in length and has 19 decks.
- Arrives: Friday, April 28th at 6 a.m.
- Departs: Friday, April 28th at 12 p.m.
- Estimated Passengers: 3,600 passengers
Discovery Princess
Discovery Princess is a Royal-class cruise ship operated by Princess Cruises. The 145,000 GT-vessel was ordered in January 2017 with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri and her steel-cutting was performed on 14 February 2019 in Castellammare di Stabia, Italy.
The ship is about 1082 feet in length, has 19 decks and has a crew of 1,346.
- Arrives: Saturday, April 29th at 8 a.m.
- Departs: Saturday, April 29th at 3 p.m.
- Estimated Passengers: 3,660 passengers
MS Nieuw Amsterdam
MS Nieuw Amsterdam is a Signature-class cruise ship sailing for Holland America Line. The 81st ship to enter Holland America’s fleet, she is the fourth ship to bear the name Nieuw Amsterdam in the line’s history.
The ship is about 935 feet in length and has 11 decks.
- Arrives: Saturday, April 29th at 12 p.m.
- Departs: Saturday, April 29th at 11 p.m.
- Estimated Passengers: 2,106 passengers
MS Koningsdam
The MS Koningsdam is about 980 feet in length and has 12 decks. There will be two ships arriving and departing at the same time creating a spectacular view for photographers looking for a capture of their glimmering lights and size.
- Arrives: Sunday, April 30th at 12 p.m.
- Departs: Sunday, April 30th at 11 p.m.
- Estimated Passengers: 2,650 passengers (double occupancy), 4,173 maximum passengers and crew
Grand Princess
Grand Princess was built in 1998 by at a cost of approximately US$450 million. She was the largest and most expensive passenger ship ever built at the time. The vessel is about 948 feet in length and has 17 decks. This vessel will arrive and depart at the same time as MS Koningsdam.
- Arrives: Sunday, April 30th at 12 p.m.
- Departs: Sunday, April 30th at 11 p.m.
- Estimated Passengers: 2,590 lower berth passengers, 3,100 maximum passengers
