The last cruise ship of the season has arrived in Victoria, wrapping up another successful season for the city which welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors since the first ship arrived in April.
Hundreds of passengers of the Norwegian Jewel, coming from Vancouver, disembarked from the ship to explore the city, despite the gusting winds and chilly weather on Wednesday, Oct. 30.
Richard G., from Ontario, was one of the passengers and said it was his first time in the city.
He and his family were set to board a sightseeing bus in an effort "to see everything we can" during their nine-hour stop in the city before they headed for warmer waters.
"We'll sail down the Pacific coast," he said. "Other than the warmer weather, [we look forward] to relaxing and seeing the country, this is a bit of an R&R trip for us."
Robert Lewis-Manning, CEO of the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority, said they have seen 316 cruise ships dock in the city, carrying over 900,000 passengers, which is slightly fewer ships than last year, but about the same amount of passengers.
"Now we've had two strong seasons post-COVID and we're projecting that the next couple will be very strong as well," said Lewis-Manning. "We're seeing a really high demand for cruises in the Pacific Northwest, and of course, we're intrinsically linked to the Alaskan market."
He said the cruise industry benefits the local economy as passengers embark on tours, shop at local businesses, and eat at local restaurants.
"I think one of the hidden, but really important benefits is a million more people get to see this incredible city and this region that maybe wouldn't have," he said.
Next year, the authority is expecting a few more ships and possibly more passengers, and at least one new cruise brand will start working with the authority, as well as new types of itineraries.
"So that's pretty exciting and that could mean even more direct benefits to the economy," he said.
