Great season, bright future

By Josie Bannerman

Ogden Point, Canada’s busiest cruise ship point of call, ended the season with the November 9 arrival of Princess Cruise Line’s Star Princess, a large ship with capacity for 2,490 passengers. Greater Victoria Harbour Authority chief executive officer Ian Robertson said 2015 has been a banner season, with 227 ship calls, and the arrival of the port’s six millionth cruise ship passenger.

The Harbour Authority took over operation of Ogden Point in 2002, and since then the number of cruise ship arrivals has doubled, and the number of passenger arrivals has tripled. Facilities for tourists and locals have also been improved with upgrades at Piers A and B, support for a Sunday market and other summer events, and maintenance of the Breakwater, which has become one of the most popular public attractions in the city since hand rails were added in 2013.

Next summer will also be a busy, with 227 ship arrivals scheduled. As part of the 2016 season, the largest cruise ship ever on the Alaskan route, Royal Caribbean International’s Explorer of the Seas with a capacity of 3,100 passengers, will call in weekly. At 1,000 feet long and 158 feet wide, this cruise ship will be the largest to stop at any Canadian port of call. It is expected to generate an additional $1.3 million in direct spending, plus direct and indirect economic benefits as well.

Looking further into the future, the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority has set a goal to become a home port to a least one cruise ship by 2020. This means passengers will embark and disembark at Ogden Point. Ian Robertson is careful to point out that we will start small, aiming to home port a ship that carries 700-1000 passengers. He said details remain to be worked out with a cruise line, the Canada Border Services Agency, and transportation providers, including the airport.

Dave Cowan, chair of Tourism Victoria said, “The economic spinoffs of home porting are deep and wide.” It also means provisioning, he said, which will provide opportunities for local farmers and food suppliers. Greg Wirtz, president of Cruise Lines International Association said the passenger ship equivalent of the Jones Act may create opportunities in Victoria for home porting. For example, he said passengers sailing from Seattle to Honolulu have to stay with the ship until it returns to Seattle. But a ship based in Victoria could offer a one-way trip, with the option for passengers to disembark in Honolulu and fly home.

In addition to the home port concept, the Harbour Authority is also continuing to support the Maritime Museum. In addition to providing storage space for museum artifacts at no charge, Ian Robertson said they will also provide museum display space in the arrivals hall next summer. Robertson does not rule out the possibility that the Maritime Museum may one day find a home at Ogden Point.