Victoria Cruise Port: What To Do In BC's Vibrant Capital?

Even if you don’t plan on staying or dining, the lobby and its surroundings are worth a quick peek. While the essence of Victoria’s charm is best captured on foot, the city’s vastness means you’ll likely need some wheels to see it all, especially on a tight cruise schedule. Fear not, for Victoria boasts a myriad of transportation options tailored for every kind of explorer. For the convenience of visitors, you’ll find a Visitor Information Centre right at the pier, perfect for grabbing maps, brochures, or getting any last-minute questions answered. While English is the dominant language, you’ll find many locals and service staff also speak French, given Canada’s bilingual nature.

Step 2: Take a Water Taxi to Inner Harbour

Cruise ships dock directly across from the Empress Hotel, making visiting beautiful and historical sites easy. In June 2017, the port welcomed its 7 millionth cruise ship tourist (since 1978), who arrived on Explorer of the Seas (RCI-Royal Caribbean). At the end of season 2017, the port started to provide ground transportation (cruise terminal bus service) via joint-venture with the local companies "CVS Tours" and "The Wilsons Group".

Victoria Cruise Port Guide

Before leaving the area, check out the quaint shops and boutiques along Government Street. You will surely find unique Canadian souvenirs, art, and handcrafted treasures. The Inner Harbour is a hub of activity with a wide selection of waterfront restaurants serving fresh seafood and local cuisine.

Opening Hours and Holidays:

When making your reservation, plan by checking out cruises with different dates to find one that best fits your schedule. It’s also important to review what type of travel document (such as passports or ID cards) will be needed. At the Victoria British Columbia Cruise Port, booking a cruise is easy. You must choose your ship and departure date from the multiple options and prepare for an enjoyable journey.

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As for the snacks, the locally crafted menu changes daily and features scrumptious bites like pear cider-poached chicken on brioche and Meyer lemon tarts. Ogden Point’s seven deep water berths can accommodate even large cruise ships while providing unique sights, such as the impressive moorage wall that helps protect vessels from wind and wave action. A city where the whispers of the past meld with the vibrant buzz of the present, where every street, garden, and shoreline tells a story. Victoria’s primary cruise ship terminal is Ogden Point, located just a short distance from the heart of downtown. With its deep-water berths, it’s equipped to handle even the grandest of ocean liners.

What is the history of Butchard Gardens?

Butchart Gardens is as celebrated and essential to Victorians as Central Park is to New Yorkers. This isn’t your grandmother’s garden, it is a sweeping, 55 acres of blooming roses, bushes and trees that houses 900 varieties of bedding plants and is tended by 50 full-time gardeners. More than one million visitors come to see Butchart’s rotating colour palettes of legendary blooms every year and each season brings something new. At the cruise terminal you will find representatives that welcome you to Victoria.

From the floating homes at Fisherman’s Wharf to the Parliament Buildings illuminating the skyline, there’s something for every traveler. Take a leisurely walk, enjoy the street performers, or simply soak in the views. In 2014, the cruise port handled 210 ship calls and over 454,000 passengers. In 2017 were handled 239 ship calls (record year) with 600,000 passengers plus 239,000 crew. In 2018, the cruise port handled 243 ship calls and ~640,000 passengers plus ~260,000 crew. One of the best ways to explore the capital is to do a self-guided tour.

Victoria BC Cruise Port

Fisherman’s Wharf is a lively, bustling neighborhood in Victoria BC that’s chock full of restaurants and shops. Passengers who don’t want to walk can rent bikes, take a pedicab, hop on a bus or shuttle, or even take a carriage ride. Closest post office to the pier is at the Pharmasave on 230 Menzies St (at Simcoe).

For cruise passengers

When completed, the USD 24 million project will result in reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by over 46%. Cycle BC Rentals, Pedego Electric Bikes, and Victoria Bike Rentals offer bikes, with the latter offering pick-up at the cruise port. While quite a distance from the cruise port, it can be accessed by water taxi from Fisherman’s Wharf. Stops include Old Town (and Chinatown), Christ Church Cathedral, Fishermen’s Wharf, Oak Bay Village, Cook Street Village, and the Ogden Point cruise terminal. The waters around Victoria are rich in marine life, so you can see harbor seals, sea lions, orcas, herons, and bald eagles. Alternatively, Victoria Harbor Ferry offers mini-tours which last 15 minutes and cost CAD 20.

So, if you can’t fit the actual visit into your Victoria port day schedule, you can access the galleries online. Across the street from the Legislature, the Royal BC Museum features an IMAX theater, a natural history gallery, and rotating traveling exhibits. It’s just CAD 5 for entry, which makes it an excellent attraction for those traveling on a budget. No visit to Victoria is complete without touring the British Columbia Parliament Buildings. So, get your ticket first, and pass the time doing something else.

The expanded facility allows berthing for vessels with max LOA length 350 m (1148 ft) and volume 225,000 GT-tons. For season 2019 was planned to be completed the lengthening of Pier B (via a mooring dolphin) to allow berthing for the world's largest cruise vessels (RCI's Oasis-class, GT 225K tons). Pier B's extension was delayed after in December 2018 was lost at sea the custom-fabricated (in China) steel for the dolphin's construction.

With Victoria’s temperate climate, the Butchart Gardens are open year-round. Entrance fees in the Spring, Fall, and Winter are lower than the peak summer season. When doing my research, I found that purchasing the cruise’s shore excursion package to Butchart Gardens was the best option for our situation. The gardens are now a National Historic Site of Canada and meticulously maintained by a staff of horticulturists. Be sure not to confuse Busch Gardens in Florida with Butchart Gardens in Victoria. The top tourist attraction in Victoria, BC is Butchart Gardens (at least in my opinion).

The Victoria, British Columbia cruise port is just a pleasant walk or cab ride away from the Inner Harbour. Whale-watching cruises and sightseeing floatplanes take off and return here and government buildings, museums, the Visitor Centre and the grand Fairmont Empress provide a dignified welcome. Just around the point, Fisherman’s Wharf offers working fishing boats, paddling harbor seals and busy seafood restaurants.

The port's schedule lists all ships (in links) with cruises going to or leaving from Victoria BC, Vancouver Island Canada. To see the full itineraries (ports of call dates and arrival / departure times) and their lowest rates – just follow the corresponding ship-link. Shore excursion offerings may be limited by your cruise line if you’re only stopping for four hours. Whale-watching tours are top-rated and depart from the inner harbor. Ogden Point has two deep water berths close to downtown Victoria.