Vancouver welcomes Disney Wonder, ushering in a groundbreaking eco-friendly cruise season for 2024

Saturday, March 9, 2024

The inaugural vessel of the 2024 cruise season, Disney Wonder, is scheduled to dock in Vancouver on Monday, March 11, marking the beginning of what is anticipated to be an unprecedented season for the local cruise industry. The Canada Place cruise terminal at the Port of Vancouver is set to host 329 cruise ship calls from March 11 to October 29, 2024.

“We expect 2024 to be another strong season for the award-winning Canada Place cruise terminal, as we solidify Vancouver as a premier homeport servicing the popular Alaska market,” said Mandy Chan, manager of cruise services at the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, the federal agency mandated to enable Canada’s trade through the Port of Vancouver. “Cruise is an important part of Vancouver’s vibrant tourism sector that supports countless local hospitality and tourism businesses and jobs. We look forward to working alongside our cruise line and industry partners to ensure another successful season.”

It is projected that a record-breaking number of approximately 1.27 million passengers will pass through the Canada Place cruise terminal in 2024, representing a 2% increase over the previous year’s record. Typically repositioned to the West Coast during the spring months after winter deployments in other regions, cruise ships gear up for the Alaska cruise season. The Disney Wonder, for instance, will start its journey on March 11, taking passengers to San Diego and returning in May to commence its weekly voyages from Vancouver to Alaska.

For over three decades, Vancouver has served as a pivotal hub for Alaska cruises, offering both one-way and round-trip voyages through the Inside Passage. This role as a homeport enriches the local economy significantly, contributing almost $3 million per ship visit, supporting close to 7,000 Canadian jobs, generating $300 million in wages, and adding $840 million to Canada’s GDP.

“A key focus right now is continuing to work in partnership on initiatives to protect our environment and it is great to see our cruise line partners eager to embrace programs such as using shore power to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and slowing their ships while travelling through critical local habitat of at-risk whales as part of ECHO,” said Chan. “The allure of an Alaska cruise is the natural beauty of the journey, and we know more can be done to create a sustainable cruise market while enabling its growth. We want to thank everyone for the collaborative progress made so far and look forward to continuing this important work in 2024.”

The Port of Vancouver has implemented several environmental initiatives to mitigate the cruise industry’s ecological impact, including:

• Shore power facilities, enabling ships to connect to British Columbia’s hydroelectric grid, significantly cutting greenhouse gas emissions by over 38,000 tonnes since 2009—equivalent to removing around 8,500 gasoline cars from the roads annually.
• The ECHO Program, designed to protect at-risk whale species by encouraging cruise and commercial ships to reduce speed or alter routes in critical habitats, with substantial participation from the cruise sector since 2017.
• The EcoAction Program, which offers up to 75% discounts on harbour dues for vessels that adopt cleaner and quieter operational practices, including the use of low-emission fuels or shore power.
• The Pacific Northwest to Alaska Green Corridor initiative, aiming to establish the first cruise-led, zero-emission corridor between Washington, Vancouver, and Alaska, in collaboration with industry and environmental partners.
• Strict regulations on waste discharge, prohibiting cruise ships from releasing scrubber wash water, black water, and grey water while docked or anchored in the Port of Vancouver’s jurisdiction.

SSA Marine, formerly known as CERES Terminals Canada, oversees daily operations at the Canada Place cruise terminal under the port authority’s direction.

“As another record cruise season gets underway in Vancouver, I want to acknowledge the hard work of all our partners who have made our city’s return to cruise after the pandemic such a success,” said Chan. “This includes cruise lines, Canada Place cruise terminal manager SSA Marine, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, and our partners at Canada Border Services Agency and US Customs and Border Protection. The success of Vancouver’s cruise industry year after year is a direct result of the dedication and collaboration of all those involved.”

Key points for the 2024 cruise season include the Disney Wonder’s arrival as the season’s first ship, the debut of five new vessels at Canada Place, and a diverse lineup of participating cruise lines. Notably, the use of shore power has seen a significant uptick, with nearly 75% of cruise calls utilizing this eco-friendly option in 2023, highlighting a growing commitment to sustainability within the industry.

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